Community Chat

[gloriajean]

Hello my friends! Thanks for keeping the thread going, I was so glad to see it still up and running, and enjoyed reading your posts! Had lots of blessings these last two days, mostly with my sisters, and reminicing our fun times on the farm and not so fun times, like my sister, Erma, who had Parkinson's, remembers very well when in the haybarn, she got her eye punched with the pitchfork, accidently, and explained how it happened! She was 5, lost her eye, yet she drove with one eye, and did everything well with one eye. It was a nice birthday party for Sister LaDonna - there was lots of food - Oldest sister made her a cute birthday cake, and we all had a good time! But it's still great to be home. Sammy was a hit there!! Everyone said he was so cute! So well behaved, too! He took turns on being on everyone's lap! Hope you all have many blessings to share! God bless you!!!

Actions have consequences. Lord, may my actions not create difficulties,

but rather bring peace and joy to my life.

Scripture for the day:

"Now when Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on

from there to teach and proclaim his message in their cities."

~Matthew 11:1

Meditation for the day:

God's eternal quest can be the tracking down of souls. We can join God in

this quest. Through briars, through waste places, through glades, up

mountain heights, down into valleys, God can lead us. With God's leadership

can go our helping hand. We can help God seek lost sheep. We can bring the

good news into places where it has not been known before. We may not know

which soul we will help, but we can leave all results to God. We can just go

with God in God's eternal quest for souls.

Prayer for the day:

I pray that I may follow God in God's eternal quest for souls. I pray that

I may offer God my helping hand.

I met God in a seven-year-old girl

Father Patrick Bridgeman, diocesan priest

As the sun rises over St Mary's and into St Joseph's playground the presence of God in the world is obvious. Ahead is a day with some time planned and other time available for what will occur.

In the 17 months since ordination, I have realised that God's presence will come in many varied forms. As I visit St Joseph's school I have met God through the children.

Once during question time a boy asked me if it was lonely not having a wife and children. Looking around at this class of bright- eyed seven-year olds the thought did enter my mind "Yes, sometimes it would be good to be Dad."

And then a girl spoke up : "Never be lonely Father Patrick, we are all your children!" On a simple class visit, there I met God in a seven-year-old girl.

Visits to the sick, in hospital and at home, are further times when God makes his presence felt through the Eucharist or the oil of anointing. I come to minister to those in need and yet it is always me who goes away ministered to by those I came to visit through the examples of faith in suffering and their hope in situations of despair. I am given examples of how I could also be in the unexpected knock on the door and the person who pours out their life to me, a person they have never met. I realise the trust that has been placed in me; trust that the Church has placed in me, one of her priests; trust that God has in me, in the lives and stories that are entrusted to my confidence.

Each day the community gathers and breaks open the word and breaks the bread. I meet God in this - the summit of our Christian life. The Eucharist is when all the little meetings with God come together and there with us is: "My Lord, and my God."

As the day darkens, the events of this day draw me to spare time alone with the God I have met through the day, to spend time with the one who has given me so much during this day. It may not always be like this. Some days I miss God as he comes to meet me on the road of the day. Fears or distractions can at time make me blind to his presence. In my daily life as a diocesan priest, I am blest by the many meetings with God that occur. Meetings that let me know that God is truly with us in each other in the happenings of the day, in the sacraments that are celebrated and in our relationship of prayer.

+ Jn 20:28

Happiness......Deep down within

Serenity..... With each sunrise

Success..... In each facet of your life

Close and caring friends

Love.....That never ends

Special memories...... Of all the yesterdays

A bright today..... With much to be thankful for

A path..... That leads to beautiful tomorrow's Dreams..... That do their best to come true

And appreciation...... Of all the wonderful things about you!

Send this to everyone you wish good things to happen to.

When I said

When I said to the Lord "I am so short of where you want me to be."

He gently answered "That's okay. That's all the farther you and I can

walk together."

When I said to the Lord "I don't know who I am."

He gently answered "That's okay. I know who you are."

When I said to the Lord "I am so tired of fighting."

He gently answered "That's okay. Satan is down for the count."

When I said to the Lord "My actions aren't reflecting my heart."

He gently answered "That's okay. Mine did."

When I said to the Lord "My mind is corrupted."

He gently answered "That's okay. Use mine for awhile."

When I said to the Lord "I don't know how to love."

He gently answered "That's okay. I will give you free lessons"

~author unknown

THE POWER OF PRAYER

Author Unknown

Apr 27 2009

When you receive this, say a prayer. That's all you have to do. There

is nothing attached. This is powerful. Just send this to four people

and do not break this, please. Prayer is one of the best free gifts we

can receive. There is no cost but there are a lot of rewards. Let's

continue praying for one another.

Creator God, I ask you to bless my friends reading this right now

Lord, show them a new revelation of Your love and power. Holy Spirit,

I ask You to minister to their spirit at this very moment.

Where there is pain, give them Your peace & mercy.

Where there is self-doubting, release a renewed confidence in Your

ability to work through them.

Where there is tiredness, or exhaustion, I ask You to give them

understanding, patience, & strength as they learn submission to Your

leading.

Where there is spiritual stagnation, I ask You to renew them by

revealing Your nearness, and by drawing them into greater intimacy

with You.

Where there is fear, reveal Your love, and release to them Your

courage.

Where there is a sin locking them, reveal it, and break its hold over

my friend's life.

Bless their finances, give them greater vision, and raise up leaders,

and friends to support, and encourage them.

Give each of them discernment to recognize the demonic forces around

them, and reveal to them the power they have in You to defeat it.

I ask You to do these things in Jesus' name.

In Christian love,

Your Friend in Jesus.