Daily Positive Thread for Friday

gloriajean · ‎03-10-2010

Most often a gentle approach is the best resolution to a conflict.

Lord, I have been given today to improve myself and make life

better for others. Help me walk in the way that You lead me.

Scripture for the day:

"For we are God's servants, working together; you are God's field,

God's building." ~1 Corinthians 3:9

Meditation for the day:

We are God's servants. We can serve God cheerfully and readily.

Nobody likes a servant who avoids extra work, who complains about

being called from one task to do one less enjoyable. A master would

feel that he was being ill served by such a servant. But is that not

how we so often serve God? We can view our day's work in this light.

We can try to do our day's work the way we believe God wants us to do

it, never shirking any responsibility and often going out of our way

to be of service.

Prayer for the day:

I pray that I may be a good servant. I pray that I may be willing to

go out of my way to be of service.

Greetings to my friends! Wonderful blessings God blessed us with today - first we went to the noon Mass - Linus' brother and wife were there too, Ron had PT to go to so they had to leave fast so very little visiting afterwards, but also our friends Ray and Ann were there, and they invited us for supper tonight - so we just got back now - had a wonderful meal including a homemade wine which was delicious! Father Jerry is coming tomorrow night so I invited them to come too, they know him so looking forward to that too. Remember that saying, we make the plans, and God laughs? His plans are always better!! I'm so grateful for my husband and family and sisters and wonderful friends and friends like you! Please pray for Linus as he's been having some pains in his head, and you think the worst right away - Dr. Mike says he's loose enough around the neck, one more adjustment and if the pains still come, he'll need to go to MD. So much to pray for!!! Praying for all of you and thanks for your prayers for us. God bless you!

Mother Teresa Said...

Let us keep the joy of loving Jesus in our hearts. And let's share that joy with everyone we meet. Passing on joy is something which is very natural. We have no reason for not being joyful, since Christ is with us. Christ is in our hearts.

WASH DAY

Author Unknown

Monday

Wash Day

Lord, help me wash away all my selfishness and vanity, so I may serve

you with perfect humility through the week ahead.

Tuesday

Ironing Day

Dear Lord, help me iron out all the wrinkles of prejudice I have

collected

through the years so that I may see the beauty in others.

Wednesday

Mending Day

O God, help me mend my ways so I will not set a bad example for

others.

Thursday

Cleaning Day

Lord Jesus, help me to dust out all the many faults I have been

hiding in the secret corners of my heart.

Friday

Shopping Day

O God, give me the grace to shop wisely so I may purchase eternal

happiness for myself and all others in need of love.

Saturday

Cooking Day

Help me, my Savior, to brew a big kettle of brotherly love and serve

it with clean, sweet bread of human kindness.

Sunday

The Lord's Day

O God, I have prepared my house for you. Please come into my heart so

I may spend the day and the rest of my life in your presence.

Challenges

When a teacher finds a really brilliant student in class, he does not exempt him from his work. On the contrary, he loads him with extras, with a double share.

A brilliant young musician is given, not easier, but harder music to master.

The lad who has starred on the second team is not put onto the third team, where he would walk through the game without a sweat. No, he is put onto the first team, where he has to play his heart out just to break even.

A wise teacher always challenges a pupil. That is what God and Christianity do. The better a Christian we become, the more things we find we should be doing.

Love Your Enemies

Some years ago, a tiny Korean orphan arrived in the United States to join her adoptive family. She was nine months old and weighed only 9 ½ pounds. She grew and blossomed in her new home, but remained a diminutive size.

Her new name was Edie.

One day when Edie was in second grade, she ran home from school, crying. She was frightened. That day, three new girls had been enrolled in her class.

During the first recess, they picked the smallest girl in the class as the object of their anger and frustration. They pinched, poked, and pushed tiny Edie and threatened to beat her up.

Edie had spent an hour in the principal's office with the three girls and was assured the teachers would be watching. The girls were given a warning.

Edie's mother held her little one and comforted her. She learned later, after speaking with the principal, that the girls had been troublemakers at several other schools. They were being given one more chance at a new beginning.

"These girls must have been very hurt in their young lives to be so angry. Her mother said. "The Bible tells us, "Be kind to your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you. Edie, let's pray."

Then they prayed for the girls and asked the Lord for a plan of action.

A plan began to take shape. "I can't go to school with you everyday, so you will need to stay close to a teacher when you are at recess or in line to go into school." said Edie's mom.

"If the girls start to pick on you, tell them, "I'd really like to be your friend Are you brave enough to do that?" Edie's mother asked. "The Lord asks us to be kind to our enemies, let's see what happens, okay?

The tiny girl perked up, and with a smile, looked at her mother and said, "Yes, Mom, I'll try."

The next morning, and everyday before Edie left for school, she and her mom prayed for her to be safe and brave, and for the girls to be open to God's love. Everyday, the girls shoved into line behind Edie and called her names and tried to get in a poke or two.

Each time, Edie looked up at them and said, "I'd really like to be your friend." She did have to look up at them since they were so much taller than she was.

The teachers kept an eye on the proceedings, but did not need to interfere as the girls were not hurting her.

After about two weeks, Edie came home looking so discouraged. She told her mother that she didn't think it was working. After they talked about it some more and prayed, she decided to keep trying and continued to faithfully tell them, "I'd really like to be your friend."

One day the following week, Edie ran home as fast as she could and ran into the house shouting, "Mom, Mom, guess what happened today? Just like I always did, I said I'd really like to be your friend, and one of the girls said, "Okay, Edie, we give up, we'll be your friend."

Edie and her mom thanked the Lord for His faithfulness.

A short time later, as the girls were trying to become friends, Edie asked the teacher if she could sit at a table with these girls in the classroom. She had noticed that they were disruptive because they didn't understand the lessons. Edie became their tutor.

Toward the end of the school year, when Edie's parents went to school for a parent teacher conference, the teacher told them, "Because of Edie's kindness, those girls have completely turned around and are productive members of the class." She felt she had witnessed a miracle. And so did Edie's mom and dad.

How many people go through life never experiencing kindness? They don't see it in strangers, and some don't even find it in their own families.

Without experiencing kindness, it becomes impossible to express kindness toward others. The result of this tragic lack is seen everywhere.

What a different society this would be if everyone who has received kindness would be kind to others, especially the unlovely.

- Author Unknown

GOD KNOWS JUST WHAT WE NEED

Author Unknown

January 31, 2011

A woman was at work when she received a phone call that her daughter

was very sick with a fever. She left her work and stopped by the

pharmacy to get some medication for her daughter.

Upon returning to her car she found that she had locked her keys in

the car. She was in a hurry to get home to her sick daughter. She

didn't know what to do, so she called her home and told the baby

sitter what had happened and that she did not know what to do.

The baby sitter told her that her daughter was getting worse. She

said, "You might find a coat hanger and use that to open the door."

The woman looked around and found an old rusty coat hanger that had

been thrown down on the ground, possibly by someone else who at some

time or other had locked their keys in their car. Then she looked at

the hanger and said, "I don't know how to use this." So she bowed her

head and asked God to send her some help.

Within five minutes an old rusty car pulled up, with a dirty, greasy,

bearded man who was wearing an old biker skull rag on his head. The

woman thought, "This is what you sent to help me?" But, she was

desperate, so she was also very thankful.

The man got out of his car and asked her if he could help. She said,

"Yes, my daughter is very sick. I stopped to get her some medication

and I locked my keys in my car. I must get home to her. Please, can

you use this hanger to unlock my car?"

He said, "Sure". He walked over to the car, and in less than one

minute the

car was opened.

She hugged the man and through her tears she said, "Thank You So Much!

You

are a very nice man."

The man replied, "Lady, I am not a nice man. I just got out of prison

yesterday. I was in prison for car theft and have only been out less

than 24

hours."

The woman hugged the man again and with sobbing tears cried out loud,

"Oh,

Thank you God! You even sent me a Professional!"

God may not always send us what we expect, but He will always send us

what

we need. It's up to us to have the wisdom to recognize the difference

and

be thankful.

O breathe on me, O breath of God,

Fill me with life anew,

That I may love the things you love,

And do what you would do.

O breathe on me, O breath of God,

Until my heart is pure,

Until my will is one with yours,

To do and to endure.

O breathe on me, O breath of God,

My will to yours incline,

Until this earthly part of me,

Glows with your fire divine.

O breathe on me, O breath of God,

So shall I never die,

But live with you the perfect life,

Of your eternity.

(Edwin Hatch)

- - -

John 20:21-22 - (Jesus said to the disciples) "Peace be with you. As the Father sent me, so I send you." Then he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit..."

Prayer In Time Of Need

Jesus, do not leave me alone in suffering.

You know, Lord, how weak I am.

I am an abyss of wretchedness,

I am nothingness itself;

So what will be so strange

If You leave me alone and I fall?

I am an infant, Lord,

So I cannot get along by myself.

However, beyond all abandonment I trust,

And in spite of my own feeling I trust,

And I am being completely transformed into trust,