Daily Positive Thread for Friday

gloriajean · ‎03-10-2010

Hello my friends! The end of a perfect Anniversary day! The Winery was a lot of fun, no speakers to listen to, got a tour of the grape vines, got to eat some grapes, and listen to the leady explaining everything - it was very interesting, then a tour of the winery inside, and then wine tasting followed by a good chicken dinner! Everything was fun! The day started out with our friends, Ray and Ann meeting us at St. Peter's Church for Mass and the priest there gave us a special blessing for our Anniversary, followed by breakfast at Ray and Ann's, and then a short nap before going to the Winery. Got to see Lori's new Equinox (White) tonight! Very nice! She loves it, and it's got warranty on it, always a good thing. Lots of blessings today - praise the Lord and I thank Him so much for all the blessings He bestows upon us.

God gives abundantly to those who pass His gifts on to others. Lord, let

Your blessings flow in to me and then out from me. I will neither be selfish

nor let my gifts stagnate.

Scripture for the day:

"It is God's will that by doing right you should silence the ignorance

of the foolish. As servants of God, live as free people, yet do not use

your freedom as a pretext for evil. Honor everyone." ~1 Peter 2:15-17

Meditation for the day:

Each new day brings an opportunity to do some little thing that will

help to make a better world, that will bring God's kingdom a little

nearer to being realized on earth. We can take each day's happenings as

opportunities for something we can do for God. In that spirit, a

blessing will attend all that we do. When we offer this day's service

to God, we are sharing in God's work. We do not have to do great

things.

Prayer for the day:

I pray that today I may do the next thing, the unselfish thing, the

loving thing. I pray that I may be content with doing small things as

long as they are right.

THE BEAUTY OF THE EARTH

Contributed by Andrea Chapman

Recreation.. . Vacation... Holidays... These magical words describe

times when we can break away from our routines and obligations and get

in touch with our feelings. A sunrise in Cape Cod, a sunset in

California, the serenity of a lake in the woods of Minnesota, the

ancient majesty of

Alaskan glaciers, the thundering power of the waves of the Coast-- all

stir something within us and impress us with the natural beauty of the

world around us.

It's natural to feel infused with a sense of oneness with our planet,

a spiritual connection with the trees, water, stars, mountains, sky,

and earth.

Yet behind the awesome grandeur of creation there is an even more

awesome Creator. The connection for which our souls are longing can be

fulfilled by establishing a personal relationship with our Almighty

and ever-living God.

To make it easier for us mere humans, God reveals Himself to us

through the Person of Jesus Christ. We come to know the character of

God and His immense love for us by learning about Jesus, the totally

divine, totally human Being who suffered a humiliating death for our

sakes so that we might share eternal life with Him.

The beauty of the earth will become even more meaningful when you can

experience it as the creation of our loving, omnipotent God. God is

more than a "higher power," more than a "feeling of oneness." Get to

know your Creator through His Son, Jesus, and your life will change.

You'll

find that the beauty of this world pales in comparison to the love you

will experience as a member of the Kingdom of God.

SHAKE OFF THE DEVIL

Tell the devil today he is a liar! He will not take your joy, your peace or disturb your spirit.

Tell the devil he cannot sleep in your bed; there’s not enough cover.

Tell the devil he cannot sit in your chair; you will not give him a cushion of comfort.

Tell the devil he cannot touch your body; it’s covered with the blood.

Tell the devil he cannot audit your finances; you’ve changed accountants.

Tell the devil he cannot enter you home; the lock’s been changed.

Tell the devil to leave your workplace; he’s not on your list of things to do today.

Tell the devil to take his hands off your children; because you’ve had hands laid on them.

Tell the devil you have no time for his nonsense, criticism or fears; you are on a mission, and you walk by faith.

Tell the devil no more tears, heartaches, or headaches; because there’s another, HE, that restoreth your soul.

Tell him...Tell him...Tell him.

Tell the devil today you have a gentle, powerful inner peace within that consumes you and leaves no room for confusion.

Tell the devil today you will respond soothingly to a crying child, a tense spouse, or an impatient friend.

Tell the devil today you will find no fault with a relative, friend or colleague.

Tell the devil to leave your tongue alone; for today you will not talk of anyone before placing God at the beginning of your every thought.

Tell the devils God said, “My people will abide in a peaceful habitation and in quiet resting places.” Isaiah 32:18

OUR FATHER:

PARAPHRASED BY SAINT PETER JULIAN EYMARD

Our Father Who art in Heaven

in the heaven of the Eucharist,

to You Who are seated on the throne of grace and love,

be benediction, and honor, and power and glory for

ever and ever!

Hallowed be Your Name

first in ourselves, through the spirit of

Your humility, obedience, and charity.

May we in all humility and zeal

make You known, loved, and adored by all men

in the Holy Eucharist.

Thy kingdom come

Thy Eucharistic kingdom.

Rule Thou alone forever over us

for Your greater glory

through the power of Your love

and triumph of Your virtues

and the grace of a Eucharistic vocation

in my state as a layman.

Grant us the grace and mission of Your holy love

so that we may be able to effectively extend

Your Eucharistic kingdom everywhere

and realize the desire you expressed:

"I have come to cast fire on the earth;

and what would I, but that it be kindled?"

Oh! that we might be the incendiaries of this heavenly fire!

Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven

grant us the grace to find all our joy

in wanting You alone,

in desiring You alone,

and in thinking of You alone.

Grant that by denying ourselves always

and in all things,

we may find light and life

in obeying Your good, acceptable, perfect Will.

I will what You will.

I will it because You will it.

I will as You will it.

I will it as long as You will it.

Perish our thoughts and desires

if they are not purely

from You, for You, and in You.

Give us this day our daily bread

You are our Eucharistic Lord

and You alone will be our food and clothing,

our riches and glory,

our remedy in illness,

and our protection against all evil.

You will be all things to us.

And forgive us our trespasses

Forgive me Jesus, for I am sorry for all my sins

just as they stand in Your eyes.

As we forgive those who trespass against us

For anyone who has offended us in any way,

with our whole heart we forgive them

and desire for them the gifts of Your love.

And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil

Deliver us Jesus, from the demon of pride,

impurity, discord and complacency.

Deliver us from the cares and worries of life

so that with a pure heart and a free mind

we may joyfully spend our life

and devote all that we are and all that we have

in the service of our Eucharistic Lord.

Amen.

In You, O Lord Jesus, have I hoped;

let me not be confounded forever.

You alone are good.

You alone are powerful.

You alone are eternal.

To you alone be honor and glory,

love and thanksgiving

forever and ever.

FISHERMEN

Now it came to pass that a group existed who called themselves fishermen. And lo, there were many fish in the streams and lakes throughout the surrounding area.

Week after week, month after month, and year after year, those who called themselves fishermen met in meetings and talked about …

The call to fish.

The abundance of fish.

How they might go about fishing as an occupation.

They declared that fishing is always to be the primary task of fishermen, but they never fished!

These fishermen built large, beautiful buildings for local fishing headquarters. The plea was that everyone should be a fisherman and every fisherman should fish. One thing they didn't do, however, was fish.

In addition to meeting regularly, they organized a board to send out fishermen to other places where there were many fish. The board was formed by those who had great vision and courage to speak about fishing, to define fishing, to promote the idea of fishing in far-away streams and lakes where many other fish of different color lived. Also the board hired staffs and appointed committees and held many meetings to …

Define fishing.

Defend fishing

Decide what new streams should be thought about.

But the staff and committee members did not fish.

A speaker bureau was provided to schedule special speakers on the subject of fishing. After one stirring meeting on "The Necessity of Fishing," one young fellow left the meeting and went fishing. The next day he reported that he had caught two outstanding fish. He was honored for his excellent catch, and he was scheduled to visit all the big meetings to tell how he did it. So he quit his fishing in order to have time to tell about the experience to the other fishermen. He was also placed on the Fisherman's General Board as a person having considerable experience.

Now it's true that many of the fishermen sacrificed and put up with all kinds of difficulties. Some lived near the water and bore the smell of dead fish. They received ridicule of some who made fun of their fishermen's clubs and the fact that they claimed to be fishermen, yet never fished.

They wondered about those who felt it was of little use to attend the talks about fishing. After all, were they not following the Master, who said, "Follow Me, and I will make you become fisher of men"? (Mark 1:17)

Imagine how hurt some were when one day a person suggested that those who didn't fish were not really fishermen, no matter how much they claimed to be. Yet it did sound correct.

Is a person a fisherman if, year after year, he never catches a fish? Is one following if he isn't fishing?

When I say good morning I mean to say:

G-od

O-ffers us His

O-utstanding

D-evotion to

M-ake us

O-bedient &

R-eady for a

N-ew day with Him.

I-nspire others please, and

N-ever forget