Community Chat

[gloriajean]

Hello my friends! Beautiful day here today - I'm actually wearing my shorts again, haven't for a long time!! I bet this is the last day for that as it's getting colder this week I heard. My blessings today - Beautiful Mass - wonderful homily - porch weather - call from my sister, Sister LaDonna and all's well with her. It's going to be another busy week! Praying for you all!

See opportunity in your difficulties, not difficulty in your opportunities.

Lord, I will focus on the goodness today brings to me and look for the
many reasons I have to feel joy.

Scripture for the day:

"Be still and know that I am God." ~Psalm 46:10

Meditation for the day:

We need not become encumbered by petty annoyances. We need not
respond to emotional upsets by emotional upset. It is best for us to keep
calm in all circumstances. We need not fight back. We can call on the
grace of God to calm us when we feel like retaliating. We can look to
God for the inner strength to drop those resentments that drag us down.
If we are burdened by annoyances, we can lose our inward peace and the
spirit of God can be shut out. We can try to keep peaceful within.

Prayer for the day:

I pray that I may do the things that make for peace. I pray that I may
have a mission of conciliation.

Competition is Good

Our way of life is highly competitive. We are always racing with one
another. We have to show results. If possible, we must try to break records.
Today the only way my work is judged is by comparing it with the work of
others. No matter how well I do, if the other person does better, then I
become second rate. And so in that sense, everyone becomes a rival. My
brother's success becomes a threat to me; and that is how jealousy is born.

In India they have a story about two students called Akbar and Birbal. Akbar
draws a line on the blackboard and asks Birbal to shorten it without erasing
it. So Birbal goes to the board and draws a longer line under Akbar's and
the job is done.

You and I might be along line when we stand all alone. But just let a longer
line stand next to us, and suddenly from long we have become short.

That may be the reason why we resent the success of others. Their success
casts a shadow on mine. I resent them. But their competitive presence is
good for me. It makes me keep an eye on my line.

WORTHLESS...PRICELESS
Author Unknown

"You are worth more than many sparrows." - Luke. 12: 7

I give my all to a project. Still, I fail. I strive to be holy. Yet,
I sin. I serve the Lord to the best that I can and for this I have been
persecuted, ridiculed, insulted, maligned, suspected, charged,
conspired against, ganged-on, crushed, chopped, ground, pulverized.
I am a loser. I am a worm. I am worthless.

Then, my son comes up to me and tells me, "You know, Dad, I'm
the luckiest boy in the world. Why? Because you're my Dad! You're a
good man, Dad! You're the best!

Then, my wife sits down with me and shares, "Love, Auntie just
called up to tell me that the best decision I made in life is to
marry you. And she's right. I can't imagine life without you."

Then, my mom calls me up and with a croaking, crying voice, she
whispers, "I love you. I'm so proud of you. You've made our family
whole and complete!"

Then, I close my eyes, shed a tear, and pray, "Thank you, God,
for making me a very, very important person."
I AM A WINNER. I AM LOVED. I AM PRICELESS!

Believing in People

A wealthy businessman in a small town had signs
printed and placed all over the town. They stated
that if any person in the town who owed debts,
would come to his office on a certain day between
nine and twelve in the morning, he would pay
those debts. Naturally, that promise was the talk
of the town. But very few believed it. They
thought there was a catch somewhere.

The day came. The business man sat in his office
at nine. By ten, no one had come. At eleven, a
man was seen walking up and down outside,
occasionally looking up at the office door.
Finally he seemed to take courage and open it. He
put his head in and asked, "Is it true that you
will pay any person's debt?"

"That's right," the rich man replied. "Are you in
debt?" "I certainly am," the caller answered. "Do
you have along the bills and statements to prove
it?"

The visitor produced the documents and the
business man wrote out a check covering all of
them. Before twelve o'clock, two other men came
and had their debts paid. People outside could
not believe it. But now there was no time left to
have their bills paid.

If people don't believe in the goodness of man,
how can they believe in the goodness of God?

Food for Thought:
Matthew 11:28 Jesus said"Come to me all who are weary, and I will
give you rest"

They build up under the surface of the water, becoming
larger and larger as the moments tick away. Then they crest, roll
over, make a very loud noise, bubble and foam, then finally dissipate.
This is the pattern of the wave as I have observed it .Waves at the
beach are never ending. One is gone, and the next rolls in, one after
another. Some are larger and louder than others, but they keep
rolling into shore.

I believe life’s problems are like that. They build up,
peak, and dissipate. They may be large, small, or in-between, but they
keep on coming. They may crash your life with a resounding bang or
make a more soft and subtle noise, but they keep on coming. They may
deal with emotions, health, finances, family relationships, or a
variety of other difficulties one must face in a lifetime. This
unending load gets heavy after awhile, and the waves of life can beat
away at a person the same as ocean waves pound at the shoreline.

Jesus has told us to come to Him with our burdens and He
will give us rest. He said to cast our cares upon Him, for He cares
for us. He said He would send the Holy Spirit to be our comforter and
guide; to give us wisdom and the strength to survive the battering
waves of life. He promised this in the Bible and I believe it !

If the constant waves of life are beating you down,
depleting life’s energy out of you, like the grains of sand that are
pulled back into the ocean with each wave, call upon Jesus. He will
answer the call – you can count on Him.