Community Chat

[gloriajean]

God will give you strength because He will give of Himself.
Lord, thank You for the many gifts of which You always bless me.


Scripture for the day:

"Put these things into practice, devote yourself to them, so that all
may see your progress. Pay close attention to yourself and to your
teaching; continue in these things, for in doing this you will save
both yourself and your hearers." ~1 Timothy 4:15-16

Meditation for the day:

Our true measure of success in life is the measure of spiritual
progress that we have revealed in our lives. Others should be able to
see a demonstration of God's will in our lives. The measure of God's
will that those around us have seen worked out in our daily living is
the measure of our true success. We can do our best to be a
demonstration each day of the power of God in human lives, and example
of the working out of the grace of God in our hearts.

Prayer for the day:

I pray that I may so live that others will see in me something of the
working out of the will of God. I pray that my life may be a
demonstration of what the grace of God can do.

Hello my friends! Yesterday was hot and then it rained - and later around
midnight it poured with thunder and lighting - so we got plenty of rain and
it sure cooled the air. I wore a sweater to Church and all day. Now Linus
took the plastic off the screens on the porch - and it's a lot cooler now
with the air coming in. It won't keep the wind and rain out like when the
plastic was on, but hopefully it will keep the bugs out. We talked to both
girls last night at their motel at the Ozarks, and they seemed to be having
a great time. Now they are in Okla. on their way to Texas to Darla's house.
I told them to let me know when they arrive there. What a long trip!
Tomorrow night around midnight we pick Lori up - not at the airport as Linus
doesn't like driving at night and he will have six hours of work in, but he
arranged a van to take her here and we pick her up at the Holiday Inn in
town, and take her home, not that far! That he can handle.
Please continue to pray for their safety in all that they do and I thank you
so much! Praying for all of your needs - and the needs of your friends and
all you ask to pray for, God knows all the intentions and He honors that and
hears our prayers. May God grant you a very blessed Monday!!

Prepare Your Heart

To be strong
So soon it will unite
With to whom it belongs.

My commands are as such
Be forgiven and forgive others
Love your enemies
As sisters and brothers.

Trust in me
And I will open doors
Give in my name
And I will give you more.

Your life is not a game
I didn't create you that way
Just keep your spirit in tune with me
So that you may hear what I have to say.

You have control of who
Is the authority in your life
So keep this in mind
When your life is facing strife

Why go to Church?

If you're spiritually alive, you're going to love this! If you're
spiritually dead, you won't want to read it. If you're spiritually curious,
there is still hope!

Why Go To Church?

A Church goer wrote a letter to the editor of a newspaper and
complained that it made no sense to go to church every Sunday. "I've gone
for 30 years now," he wrote, "and in that time I have heard something like
3,000 sermons. But for the life of me, I can't remember a single one of
them. So, I think I'm wasting my time and the pastors are wasting theirs by
giving sermons at all."

This started a real controversy in the "Letters to the Editor" column,
much to the delight of the editor. It went on for weeks until someone wrote
this clincher:

"I've been married for 30 years now. In that time my wife has cooked
some 32,000 meals. But, for the life of me, I cannot recall the entire menu
for a single one of those meals. But I do know this.. They all nourished me
and gave me the strength I needed to do my work. If my wife had not given me
these meals, I would be physically dead today. Likewise, if I had not gone
to church for nourishment, I would be spiritually dead today!" When you are
DOWN to nothing.... God is UP to something! Faith sees the invisible,
believes the incredible and receives the impossible! Thank God for our
physical AND our spiritual nourishment!

Lessons of Love

A ninety-one-year-old woman died after living a long, dignified life.
When she met God, she asked Him about something that had
long bothered her:


"If Man was created in God's image, and if all men are created
equal, why do people treat each other so badly?"


God replied that each person who enters our life has a unique
lesson to teach us. And it is only through these lessons that we learn
about life, people, relationships, and God. This confused the woman,
so God began to explain:


"When someone lies to you, it teaches you that things are not always as
they seem. The truth is often far beneath the surface. Look beyond the
masks people wear if you want to know their heart. And remove your own
masks to let people know yours.


"When someone steals from you, it teaches you that nothing is forever.
Always appreciate what you have, for you never know when you might
lose it. And never, ever, take your friends and family for granted because
today is the only guarantee you have.


"When someone inflicts an injury upon you, it teaches you that the
human state is a fragile one. Protect and take care of your body as best
you can; it's the only thing you are sure to have forever.


"When someone mocks you, it teaches you that no two people are alike.
When you encounter people who are different from you, don't judge them
by how they look or act; instead, base your opinion on the contents of
their hearts.


"When someone breaks your heart, it teaches you that loving someone
does not always mean that person will love you back. But don't turn your
back on love because when you find the right person, the joy that that one
person brings will make up for all the past hurts put together. Times ten.


"When someone holds a grudge against you, it teaches you that everyone
makes mistakes. When you are wronged, the most virtuous thing you can
do is forgive the offender without pretense. "Forgiving those who have
hurt us is the most difficult, the most courageous, and the most noble thing
Man can do.


"When a loved one is unfaithful to you, it teaches you that resisting
temptation is Man's greatest challenge. Be vigilant in your resistance
against all temptation. By doing so, you will be rewarded with an
enduring sense of satisfaction far greater than the temporary pleasure
by which you were tempted.


"When someone cheats you, it teaches you that greed is the root of all
evil. Aspire to make your dreams come true, no matter how lofty they
may be. Do not feel guilty about your success, but never let an
obsession with achieving your goals lead you to engage in malevolent
activities.


"When someone ridicules you, it teaches you that nobody is perfect.
Accept people for their merits and be tolerant of their flaws. Do not
ever reject someone for imperfections over which they have no control."

Upon hearing the Lord's wisdom, the old woman became concerned
that there were no lessons to be learned from Man's good deeds. God
replied that Man's capacity to love is the greatest gift he has. At the
root
of all kindness is love, and each act of love also teaches us a lesson.

The woman's curiosity deepening, God once again began to explain:


"When someone loves us, it teaches us that love, kindness, charity,
honesty, humility, forgiveness, and acceptance can counteract all the
evil in the world.

"For every good deed, there is one less evil deed. Man alone has the
power to control the balance between good and evil, but because the
lessons of love are not taught often enough, the power is too often
abused.


"When you enter someone's life, whether by plan, chance, or
coincidence, consider what your lesson will be. Will you teach love
or a harsh lesson of reality?


"When you die, will your life have resulted in more loving or hurting?
More comfort or pain? More joy or sadness? Each one of us has
power over the balance of love in the world. Use it wisely.

"Don't miss an opportunity to nudge the world's scale in the right
direction.


"Pass these lessons of love on to those you love and to those you
have hurt.

"For each person who receives this, there will be a little less evil in
the world and a little more love."

Morning Motivation
When I woke up this morning lying in bed,
I was asking myself,
What are some of the secrets of success in life?
I found the answer right there,
in my very room.


AND NOT TO FORGET,
THE CARPET SAID...
KNEEL DOWN AND PRAY.

Carry a Heart that Never Hates.

Carry a Smile that Never Fades.

Carry a Touch that Never Hurts.


HAVE A PURPOSEFUL DAY
IN THE LORD!

'God Blesses Us To Be A Blessing Unto Others'

Do Not Doubt It

You are beautiful
God made you and you are beautiful
Do not doubt it
You are loved
God loves you
HIS love is unfailing and never ending
Do not doubt it
You are not alone
God is always with you
through the good times and the bad
HE will never forsake you
Do not doubt it
HE is waiting for you
When your time on this earth has ended
HE will be waiting for you at Heaven's Gate
with open arms
HE is ready to welcome you home
when the time is right
Do not doubt it


by LJ Rogers


Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his
Son to be the propitation for our sins.
I John 4:10

Greed

One summer afternoon on the Mississippi River in
America a steamer crowded with passengers
suddenly struck a submerged rock. In a moment the
deck was a wild confusion. The lifeboats were
able to take off only one-fourth of all the
passengers. The rest tore off their clothes, and
swam ashore.

After everyone had deserted the overturned ship,
a man suddenly appeared on the leaning deck. He
grabbed a loose piece of wood and then jumped
into the river. But he sank like a stone.

When his body was recovered, it was found that
while the other passengers were busy escaping, he
was busy breaking open and robbing their trunks
and baggage. Many of them were miners returning
home with their treasure. This thief gathered
their gold, tied little bags of it around his
waist and within a quarter of an hour he had won
more gold than most men do in a lifetime.

But it dragged him to the bottom of the river in
an instant.


Golden Rules for Living
by Miriam Hamilton Keare

1. If you open it, close it.
2. If you turn it on, turn it off.
3. If you unlock it, lock it up.
4. If you break it, admit it.
5. If you can't fix it, call in someone who can.
6. If you borrow it, return it.
7. If you value it, take care of it.
8. If you make a mess, clean it up.
9. If you move it, put it back.
10. If it belongs to someone else, get permission to use it.
11. If you don't know how to operate it, leave it alone.
12. If it's none of your business, don't ask questions.

THE BUZZARD, THE BAT & THE BUMBLEBEE
Author Unknown

The Buzzard:

If you put a buzzard in a pen that is 6 feet by 8 feet and is entirely
open
at the top, the bird, in spite of its ability to fly, will be an
absolute
prisoner. The reason is that a buzzard always begins a flight from the
ground with a run of 10 to 12 feet. Without space to run, as is its
habit,
it will not even attempt to fly, but will remain a prisoner for life
in a
small jail with no top.

The Bat:

The ordinary bat that flies around at night, a remarkable nimble
creature in
the air, cannot take off from a level place. If it is placed on the
floor
or flat ground, all it can do is shuffle about helplessly and, no
doubt,
painfully, until it reaches some slight elevation from which it can
throw
itself into the air. Then, at once, it takes off like a flash.

The Bumblebee:

A bumblebee, if dropped into an open tumbler, will be there until it
dies,
unless it is taken out. It never sees the means of escape at the top,
but
persists in trying to find some way out through the sides near the
bottom.
It will seek a way where none exists, until it completely destroys
itself.

People:

In many ways, we are like the buzzard, the bat, and the bumblebee. We
struggle about with all our problems and frustrations, never realizing
that
all we have to do is look up! That's the answer, the escape route and
the
solution to any problem! Just look up!

Sorrow looks back, Worry looks around, but faith looks up!

Live simply, love generously, care deeply, speak kindly, and trust in
our
Creator who loves us.