Community Chat

[gloriajean]

Weeds grow easily, but flowers need care and nurturing to bloom.
Lord, may I turn away from evil and tenderly encourage the goodness
that comes my way so that I, too, may blossom.

Scripture for the day:

"When you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that
your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift
there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or
sister, and then come and offer your gift." ~Matthew 5:23-24

Meditation for the day:

"First be reconciled to your brother or sister and then come and offer
your gift." First we can get right with other people and then we can
get right with God. If we hold a resentment against someone, which we
find it very difficult to overcome, we can try to put something else
constructive into our minds. We can pray for the one against whom we
hold the resentment. We can put that person in God's hands and let
God show them the way to live. "Those who say, 'I love God,' and hate
their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or
sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen."

Prayer for the day:

I pray that I may see something good in every person, even one I
dislike, and that I may let God develop the good in that person.

Hello my friends! Hope your day went well - it was another gorgeous day out
today - hate to think these are soon going to end and we'll get the cold
again. So I enjoy it while I can! What a nice gift a beautiful day makes.
Quite the reading for today, right? I don't have any grievances toward
anyone, and have forgiven everyone I needed to forgive in my life. More
people should read this especially the Meditation. We had our last Church
meeting tonight on the new Mass parts and it was very good - We have a
member of the choir in our group and she brought her flute and played the
new songs - very prayerful. The day started out with Mass at 9 with Lori -
then she cooked breakfast for me at her place, grilled sausage and scrambled
eggs and made some coffee. Linus got home around 5 - had a very good time
with his cousins and brothers and sisters - lots of visiting - first cousins
he hasn't seen for years. He's very tired, and is in bed now - so will I be
as soon as this gets on the board. My blessings today - he got home safely
and had a wonderful time, my time with Lori, and all of you, my friends who
make this thread what it is.

Short Prayers

O my God, I believe in You, and all that You have taught and revealed. Help
my unbelief.

O my God, all good and merciful, I hope in You. Help me to do what is
necessary for my salvation.

O my God, I have failed You often. I am sorry. Forgive me for having
offended You, so good and worthy of all love.

O my God, I love You. Help me never to offend You again.

My Jesus, Who died for me, have mercy on me, save my soul.

Lord, help me to remember that nothing is going to happen to me today that
You and I together can't handle.


The Rosary Gift

This wonderful prayer I hold in my hand
Given by You to help me understand
That through these beads You’ll answer my call
You’ll come to my aid – I needn’t worry at all

Repeatedly You tell me the Rosary is the key
To overcome burdens and to set me free
You cannot resist these decades of love
My pleas pave the way to Your Son above

I need only persist with this powerful prayer
That leads to God – let Satan beware
As long as I meditate on the mysteries while praying
More and more I’ll understand what You keep saying
That time out is needed from fun and play
I must turn to God and daily pray

Your ageless prayer, then, dear Mother I know
Is a special gift that on me you bestow
Help me to treasure this relic You love
This everlasting guide to the Almighty above
A way of life, then, let the Rosary be for me
And through daily use may it set my soul free

(Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary 7 October 2000 – Robert Gill)


Does Prayer Change Things?

They say that prayer changes things, but does it REALLY change anything?
Oh yes! It really does!

Does prayer change your present situation or sudden circumstances?
No, not always, but it does change the way you look at those events.

Does prayer change your financial future?
No, not always, but it does change who you look to for meeting your
daily needs.

Does prayer change shattered hearts or broken bodies?
No, not always, but it will change your source of strength and comfort.

Does prayer change your wants and desires?
No, not always, but it will change your wants into what God desires!

Does prayer change how you view the world?
No, not always, but it will change whose eyes you see the world through.

Does prayer change your regrets from the past?
No, not always, but it will change your hopes for the future!

Does prayer change the people around you?
No, not always, but it will change you~the problem isn't always in
others.

Does prayer change your life in ways you can't explain?
Oh, yes, always! And it will change you from the inside out!

So does prayer REALLY change ANYTHING?
Yes! It REALLY does change EVERYTHING!

If we feel...

If we feel...
...it is not fair that some are better off although
undeserved,
...it is not fair that some are always more lucky for no
good reason,
...it is not fair that some get away with anything while
we have have to account for everything,

then we should ask ourselves...
...is it fair that many people in the world have little or
nothing to eat while we take food for granted?
...is it fair that many people are not even lucky enough
to have proper shelter?
...is it fair that a faultless man had to be crucified to
account for our wrongdoing?

God has for you -
A Light for every shadow
A Plan for every tomorrow
A Key for every problem
A Balm for every sorrow....

Prayer for Spouses

Lord Jesus,
Grant that my spouse and I may have a true and understanding love for each
other.
Grant that we may both be filled with faith and trust.
Give us the grace to live with each other in peace and harmony.
May we always bear with one another’s weaknesses
and grow from each other’s strengths.
Help us to forgive one another’s failings
and grant us patience, kindness, cheerfulness,
and the spirit of placing the well being of one another ahead of one’s self.
May the love that brought us together grow and mature with each passing
year.
Bring us both ever closer to you through our love for each other.
Let our love grow to perfection.

Amen

By a misplaced blow with a hammer, a man smashed one of his thumbs.
"That's too bad," said a friend, when he heard about the accident.

But the man was a kind of philosopher. He replied, "No, it isn't. It is one
of the best things that ever happened to me. It taught me to appreciate
thumb. I never knew its value to me before. On the first day, by actual
count, I found out after I injured my thumb, that there were 257 things I
had been doing with my thumb everyday in my life, without giving it a
thought. And I never realized that my thumb is practically indispensable to
me."

We never seem to value our commonest blessings until we are deprived of
them. Someone has remarked (evidently from personal experience) that the
best thing that can happen to us is to lose everything we've got and then
get it all back again.

The second time around, we'll treasure it and appreciate it much much more.

THE LORD'S TEST
Author Unknown


I woke up this morning and knew that today,
The sun would not be shining and the clouds would be gray.
As I stepped outside, rain fell upon my head.
My car wouldn't start so I walked to school instead.


I forgot all of my assignments
I failed all of my tests.
I dropped my head in disgust and asked the Lord for one request.
"Lord, why is it that things won't go my way?"


He gently replied, "Dear child it is because you didn't thank me
yesterday.
I woke you up and enabled you to see the sun again.
I gave you shelter, protected your family, and even let you make a
new friend.
I blessed you far greater than I ever had before.


But you were too busy to thank me once more.
You didn't feel sick because I maintained your health.
You had money in your pocket because I maintained your wealth.
You had shoes on you feet and clothes to wear, too.


You had plenty of food to eat and what did you do?
You ignored me and went about your tasks.
But when you wanted something you never hesitated to ask.
I was there when you needed me and that wasn't too long ago.


But when things started going your way, it was me you did not know.
As if that weren't enough, I provided your favorite luxuries.
This was something I didn't have to do-they weren't even necessities.
And when it was time to get on your knees and show your gratitude,


You decided that after such a fulfilling day, you weren't in the
mood.
So I decided to give you just a little test.
To show you how it would feel to stop being blessed."
I began to realize what the Lord was saying..


He said, "My child, you have learned and you know I do forgive.
But remember to remember this day as long as you shall live.
I love filling your life with joy, and your pain I'll alleviate it.
But just a simple thank you would show how much you appreciate it."

Faith Is Stronger Than Fears


Sometimes my cross is hard to bear
for there is darkness everywhere,
and troubles pile around my door
like autumn leaves forevermore.

The morning light seems far away,
like I am stuck in yesterday,
My heart is beating like a drum,
I try to pray, but words won't come.

But then the sun begins to rise
and hope is born within my eyes.
A rainbow forms among my tears,
my faith is stronger than my fears!
Author Unknown

PRAYER WHEN YOU NEED HEALING INSIDE

O God,
These prayers come from all of us. Someone prays on our behalf, but the
prayers belong to everyone, and come from our hearts more than from our
mouths. In some ways none of us really knows how another feels, because
each of us must struggle with his own fears, cope with his own problems,
hurt from his own pains, search for his own goals, forgive and be forgiven
his own failures. In such matters, God, when we seek understanding and
hope for encouragement, it is to you that we turn. In moments such as
these, we reach beyond ourselves and our troubles to you...asking not so
much for things, but for a second or two of your presence. Just your
slightest touch, and the day will be blessed, the raw spots will be healed
and there will be peace in the hours ahead. And so we pray to you
Dear God, Almighty, Everlasting One--all of us--giving thanks for
this moment, your touch and our healing. Amen.

Good night and God bless you all!! Sweet Dreams and may you all have a great
Monday. Tomorrow (Monday) is my sister, Deil's 89th birthday. The cousin
they went to see in ND is going to be 89 very shortly too. May Our Lord
grant a very happy and special birthday to Deil with many blessings! Wish
we could go there, but I'll be calling her for sure.