Hello my friends!! Great blessings today with the moving of the shed to Lori's yard - went well, needs some work to be done, even some sawing - pray no accidents happen again. Now we hear that Linus' brother, Dave, hurt his finger on his saw - Whew! A board jumped and the saw went to his finger. Don't know how bad yet. Thanks all for your prayers for the moving of the big shed! God heard our prayers!!! I even had a blessed candle burning by Mary's statue and I prayed the Memorare. Another blessing - restful day - had a nap, always a blessing, and a great supper with LInus at the grill with pork chops and me at the stove with fried potatoes and fresh green beans! I didn't want to wait until tomorrow to pick the berries and beans, so went tonight and it was nice out and very peaceful. Yes, the beans are definitely getting done! Soon he'll clean out the garden and put in the compost - have to dig our carrots yet. They didn't do as well as last year, so we'll plant them where we did last year next year. Hope you all had a good day - hope Love Roses is healing fast, Harlene's foot is getting better and better, Barb's COPD breathing will get better day by day, and shorelady, for healings and comfort, Felicia - you, too, let us hear from you, please? We care for you all, you are all my friends. God be with you in your joys and your sufferings and sorrows. PEACE of JESUS to you all!!!
Do not run ahead of the Lord, but walk with Him, pray for His guidance
and listen to His answers. Lord, let me put Your will first in my life.
Scripture of the day:
"Peace, peace, to the far and the near, says the LORD; and I will heal
them." ~Psalm 57:19
Meditation for the day:
When we look to God for strength to face responsibility and are quiet
before God, God's healing touch can cause the divine quiet to flow
into our very being. When in weakness we cry to God, God's touch can
bring healing, the renewal of our courage, and the power to meet every
situation and be victorious. When we faint by the way or are
distracted by feelings of inferiority, then we can rely on the touch
of God's spirit to support us on our way. Then we can arise and go
forth with confidence.
Prayer for the day:
I pray that I may lay myself open today to the healing touch of God.
I pray that I may not falter or faint by the wayside, but renew my
courage through prayer.
HOW TO RECEIVE FORGIVENESS
Everyone will receive forgiveness of sins if seven rules are followed. Those
who follow these seven rules will receive total redemption from sin by the
merit of crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
1.Resolve not to sin anymore
One has enjoyed pleasures of sin so far. Resolve to give up pleasures and
profits of sin. Evil intention comes from human heart. (Ref: Mark7:
21;Sirach37: 16,17). So, take the right decision in your innermost heart. It
will bring the right external actions.
2.Accept Jesus as Lord and Savior
Believe that Jesus has atoned for your sin. Jesus is the atoner and
atonement for your sin. (Ref: 1Tim.2: 6). Cleanse yourself of sin by the
blood of Jesus. (Ref: 1John1: 7). "Jesus has taken upon himself, the
punishment for sin, that was to be upon you." (Rom.8: 1). Accept Jesus as
Lord and Savior. In truth, this means to live only according to the
teachings and messages in the Bible.
3.Forgive your enemies
There are people who have worked or spoken against you. Forgive them. Your
sins will be forgiven. (Ref: Matt.6: 14,15). Always pray that the Holy
Spirit may come upon your enemies and that they may be more blessed than
you. Love them from your heart, and then your forgiveness will be complete.
4.Lead a holy life today and in future
The best atonement for a sinful past is a holy present and future. (Ref:
John8: 11). Try to lead a holy life today and in future as a penance for all
your past sins. God demands only that much as a penance of our sins and to
forgive all our past iniquities. A holy future is the penance of an unholy
past.
5.Evangelization
"My brothers and sisters, if any one among you wanders from the truth and is
brought back by another, you should know that whoever brings back a sinner
from wandering will save the sinner's soul from death and will cover a
multitude of sins." (James5: 19,20).
One should use one's wealth, influence, power and time to bring back those
who have moved away from Jesus or true faith. Helping the poor orphans,
sick, aged and prisoners are included among the works of evangelization.
Interceding for others is the best way of evangelization. Fasting and alms
giving cleanse one of all sins. (Ref: Tobit12: 8,9). Tithing of time,
talents and treasure is also considered as a means of evangelization.
6.Restitution
If you have damaged somebody's property, fame and good name, you have to
restitute it as early as possible. Then you will get forgiveness of sin and
salvation. For example read Luke 19:1-10.
7.Confession
Why confess?
1. Confession is a sacrament. Sacrament means that which sanctifies one's
life. So confession helps a person to grow in holiness.
2. Confession bestows humility. Pride is the source of all sin.
3. Confession reconciles one with God and man. Confession is the Sacrament
of Reconciliation. (Ref: Luke15: 11-23).
4. Confession can be instrumental in physical healing.
5. Confession is the re-enactment of the Word of God - "Your sins are
forgiven" (Ref: Mark2:5). The priest is the representative of Jesus. Jesus
has given him the authority to forgive sins. (Ref: John20: 23). One is
filled with the Holy Spirit when he listens to the Word of God. (Ref:
Acts10:44-48).
6. Confession is a means to receive personal advice.
7. Confession is the final stage of forgiveness of sin for all Catholics.
That is a sealing prayer.
8. Finally, it is the rule of the Catholic Church that all Catholics should
make at least one confession in an year.
"I have swept away all your transgressions like a cloud, and your sins like
mist; return to me, for I have redeemed you." (Is.44: 22)
Decide not to sin any more. Do not sin anymore. Pray earnestly that your
sins may be forgiven by the merits of the crucifixion of Jesus. Dedicate
your life to glorify God.
"The blood of Jesus, His son, cleanses us from all sin." (1John1: 7). Our
spirit is healed when we get forgiveness of sin. Reconciliation between man
and God is made possible through the sacrament of reconciliation. Grace is
received. The best atonement for a sinful past is to dedicate the future to
a holy life.
An explanation of confession is found in the letter to St James and in The
Gospel according to Matthew.
St James' epistle 5:16 says, "Therefore confess your sins to one another, so
that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is powerful and
effective."
St Matthew 3:6 says, "and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan,
confessing their sins."
CAN YOU SLEEP WHEN THE WIND BLOWS
Author Unknown
Years ago a farmer owned land along the Atlantic seacoast. He
constantly advertised for hired hands. Most people were reluctant to
work on farms along the Atlantic. They dreaded the awful storms that
raged across the Atlantic, wreaking havoc on the buildings and crops.
As the farmer interviewed applicants for the job, he received a steady
stream of refusals. Finally, a short, thin man, well past middle age,
approached the farmer. "Are you a good farmhand?" the farmer asked
him. "Well, I can sleep when the wind blows," answered the little man.
Although puzzled by this answer, the farmer, desperate for help, hired him.
The little man worked well around the farm, busy from dawn to dusk,
and the farmer felt satisfied with the man's work. Then one night the
wind howled loudly in from offshore. Jumping out of bed, the farmer
grabbed a lantern and rushed next door to the hired hand's sleeping
quarters. He shook the little man and yelled, "Get up! A storm is
coming! Tie things down before they blow away!" The little man rolled
over in bed and said firmly, "No sir. I told you, I can sleep when the
wind blows."
Enraged by the response, the farmer was tempted to fire him on the
spot. Instead, he hurried outside to prepare for the storm. To his
amazement, he discovered that all of the haystacks had been covered
with tarpaulins. The cows were in the barn, the chickens were in the
coops, and the doors were barred. The shutters were tightly secured.
Everything was tied down. Nothing could blow away. The farmer then
understood what his hired hand meant, so he returned to his bed to
also sleep while the wind blew.
MORAL: When you're prepared, spiritually, mentally, and physically,
you have nothing to fear. Can you sleep when the wind blows through
your life? The hired hand in the story was able to sleep because he
had secured the farm against the storm. We, as believers in Christ,
secure ourselves against the storms of life by grounding ourselves in
the Word of God. We don't need to understand, we just need to hold His
hand to have peace in the midst of the storms. I hope you sleep well!
Enjoy the day! May God Bless You and Yours
A Prayer For the Gift of Understanding
Lord Jesus Christ, grant me the gift of understanding. Help me to understand
the feelings of others, the desires of others, the goals of others. At the
same time, help me to understand myself in my actions and reactions. Widen
my vision beyond my own small world to embrace with knowledge and love the
worlds of others.
Help me, Lord, to always see you at work in my own life and in the lives of
others. Bless me with insight, acceptance and love that is tempered by you
who are all things to all men. Help me to understand, Lord.
Amen.
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS OF HOW TO GET ALONG WITH PEOPLE
Keep skid chains on your tongue; always say less than you think. Cultivate
a low, persuasive voice. How you say it often counts more than what you
say.
Make promises sparingly, and keep them faithfully, no matter what it costs.
Never let an opportunity pass to say a kind and encouraging word to or about
somebody. Praise good work, regardless of who did it. If criticism is
needed, criticize helpfully, never spitefully.
Be interested in others, their pursuits, their work, their homes and
families. Make merry with those who rejoice; with those who weep, mourn.
Let everyone you meet, however humble, feel that you regard them as people
of importance.
Be cheerful. Don't burden or depress those around you be dwelling on your
minor aches and pains and small disappointments. Remember, everyone is
carrying some kind of load.
Keep an open mind. Discuss, but don't argue. It is a mark of a superior
mind to be able to disagree without being disagreeable.
Let your virtues, if you have any, speak for themselves. Refuse to talk to
or about another's vices. Discourage gossip. It is a waste of valuable
time and can be extremely destructive.
Be careful of another's feelings. Wit and humor at the other person's
expense are rarely worth it and may hurt when least expected.
Pay no attention to ill-natured remarks about you. Remember, the person who
carried the message may not be the most accurate reporter in the world.
Simply live so that nobody will believe them. Disordered nerves and bad
digestion are a common cause of backbiting.
Don't be too anxious about the credit due you. Do your best, and be
patient. Forget about yourself, and let others "remember." success is much
sweeter that way.
LET GO OF THE PAST
Author Unknown
My child,
Give up! Give up those hurts of the past. It's time to move on. satan
loves to have you live in the past because that renders you
ineffective to live in the present-in the now.
Tell Me, child. What is it that has happened to you? Who hurt you?
What mistakes have you made that you regret? Did what happen to you
change the fact that Jesus loves you, and He died on the cross for you
so you could live in heaven with Him for all eternity?
Can anything or anyone ever change that fact? You know that nothing
can ever nullify what Jesus did for you on the cross. If that's true,
and it is, then nothing else matters, does it?
There is nothing that can happen to you, nothing anyone can do to you
that can ever change the fact that My Son, Jesus, loves you and died
on the cross for you so you gain heaven for all eternity. No one can
ever take that away from you. No One!
Hold on to that thought. Put things in their proper perspective. When
you do that, you'll see that being loved unconditionally, attaining
salvation and the right to go to heaven is your ultimate goal.
Everything else pales in comparison to that.
Even physical death cannot take heaven away from you, for then the
real you-your spirit-just changes abodes. Physical death for
Christians is moving from living in the temple of the Holy Spirit,
your body, to living in heaven.
I know, My child, I know. Your mind is often filled with hurtful
things that happen to you. Sometimes you even say to people "You don't
know how much it hurt Me when such and such happened." Well, I ask you
again, does what happen to you in the past change the fact that Jesus
loves you and died for you, and now you can spend eternity with Him in
heaven? I don't have to wait for your answer, because I know
immediately your mind said, "No!"
Then, child, nothing else matters! Compared to eternity, all problems
are nothing. Loving Me, being in My family, gaining the right to live
in heaven for eternity-that' s what's important in life. If you lose
that, you've lost it all. Don't hold grudges. forgive! Nothing you can
gain on earth can
make up for that loss, and nothing can happen to you on earth that can
take that away from you- Nothing!
Love,
God
Taking a poll - please let me know if these are too long? Would you like
them shortened? I am always aiming to please you! God bless you all!!! Love
you!!!
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