Daily Positive Thread for Monday

gloriajean · ‎03-10-2010

The gift of listening is often more valuable than the advice that we'd like to give.
Lord, help me to be a good listener and then help me to let others work things
out according to Your plan for them, not mine.

Scripture for the day:

"My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider
it nothing but joy, because you know that the testing of your faith
produces endurance; and let endurance have its full effect, so that you
may be mature
and complete, lacking in nothing." ~James 1:2-4

Meditation for the day:

As we look back over our lives, it is not too difficult to see that what
we went through was for a purpose and helped to prepare us for some
valuable work in life. Everything in our lives can help make us of some
use in the world. Each person's life is like the pattern of a mosaic.
Each thing that happens to us is like one tiny stone in the mosaic, and
each tiny stone fits into the perfected pattern of the mosaic of our
life, which has been designed by God.

Prayer for the day:

I pray that I may not need to see the whole design of my life. I pray
that I may trust the Designer.

Hello my friends! How was your Sunday? Ours was great!! First of all, it was cooler - in the 70's all day - perfect, sunny too. We went to our 10:30 Mass and when we got home there was a phone message from some friends in the town we used to live in - a half hour away, inviting us to come over this afternoon, and they're inviting the other couple we always share time with. We've known these people way over 20 years already - met on a Retreat! Anyway, spur of the moment - decided to invite us both over, and we both were free. Linus didn't have to work, so we went, had such a great time!! Great Supper, great fellowship, outside games we played. Harold, one of the couples, has Alz. and it's sad to see him slipping. He used to be a carpenter, had his own business. But it was a wonderful blessing today seeing them again, we don't get together as much as we used to since we moved here. They live out in the country so it was nice and peaceful.

Matthew 5:44
Jack tossed the papers on my desk -- his eyebrows knit into a straight line as he glared at me. "What's wrong?" I asked.
He jabbed a finger at the proposal. "Next time you want to change anything, ask me first," he said, turning on his heels and leaving me stewing in anger. How dare he treat me like that, I thought. I had changed one long sentence, and corrected grammar -- something I thought I was paid to do.
It's not that I hadn't been warned. The other women, who had served in my place before me, called him names I couldn't repeat. One co-worker took me aside the first day. "He's personally responsible for two different secretaries leaving the firm," she whispered.
As the weeks went by, I grew to despise Jack. It was against everything I believed in -- turn the other cheek and love your enemies. But Jack quickly slapped a verbal insult on any cheek turned his way. I prayed about it, but to be honest, I wanted to put him in his place, not love him.
One day, another of his episodes left me in tears. I stormed into his office, prepared to lose my job if needed, but not before I let the man know how I felt. I opened the door and Jack glanced up.
"What?" he said abruptly.
Suddenly I knew what I had to do. After all, he deserved it. I sat across from him. "Jack, the way you've been treating me is wrong. I've never had anyone speak to me that way. As a professional, it's wrong, and it's wrong for me to allow it to continue," I said.
Jack snickered nervously and leaned back in his chair. I closed my eyes briefly. God help me, I prayed. "I want to make you a promise. I will be a friend," I said. "I will treat you as you deserve to be treated, with respect and kindness. You deserve that," I said. "Everybody does." I slipped out of the chair and closed the door behind me.
Jack avoided me the rest of the week. Proposals, specs, and letters appeared on my desk while I was at lunch, and the corrected versions were not seen again. I brought cookies to the office one day and left a batch on Jack's desk. Another day I left a note. "Hope your day is going great," it read.
Over the next few weeks, Jack reappeared. He was reserved, but there were no other episodes. Co-workers cornered me in the break room.
"Guess you got to Jack," they said. "You must have told him off good."
I shook my head. "Jack and I are becoming friends," I said in faith.
I refused to talk about him. Every time I saw Jack in the hall, I smiled at him. After all, that's what friends do.
One year after our "talk," I discovered I had breast cancer. I was 32, the mother of three beautiful young children, and scared. The cancer had metastasized to my lymph nodes and the statistics were not great for long-term survival. After surgery, I visited with friends and loved ones who tried to find the right words to say. No one knew what to say. Many said the wrong things . Others wept, and I tried to encourage them. I clung to hope.
The last day of my hospital stay, the door darkened and Jack stood awkwardly on the threshold. I waved him in with a smile and he walked over to my bed and, without a word, placed a bundle beside me. Inside lay several bulbs. "Tulips," he said.
I smiled, not understanding.
He cleared his throat. "If you plant them when you get home, they'll come up next Spring." He shuffled his feet. "I just wanted you to know that I think you'll be there to see them when they come up."
Tears clouded my eyes and I reached out my hand. "Thank you," I whispered.
Jack grasped my hand and gruffly replied, "You're welcome. You can't see it now, but next Spring you'll see the colors I picked out for you." He turned and left without a word.
I have seen those red and white striped tulips push through the soil every Spring for over ten years now. In fact, this September the doctor will declare me cured. I've seen my children graduate from high school and enter college. In a moment when I prayed for just the right word, a man with very few words said all the right things. After all, that's what friends do.

Tools For Sale

It was advertised that the devil was going to put his tools up for sale. On the date of the sale, the tools were placed for public inspection; each tool being marked with its sale price.
They were a treacherous lot of implements...Hatred, Envy, Jealousy, Deceit, Lying, Pride, and so on.
Laid apart from the rest was a harmless looking tool, well worn and priced very high.
"What is the name of this tool?" asked one of the purchasers, pointing to it.
That is Discouragement", replied the devil.
"Why have you priced it so high?"
"Because it is more useful to me than the others. I can pry open and get inside a man's heart with that when I cannot get near him with my other tools. Once I get inside, I can make him do what I choose. It is badly worn because I use it on almost everyone, since very few people know that it belongs to me."
Author Unknown

Written by my friend, Mel:
RELEASED FROM PURGATORY
When I think of the Holy Souls in prayerful mode,
I see millions of lights float to the heavenly abode;
They speedily travel upward right before my eyes
Floating swiftly yet gently to the skies.
Surely their souls were Blood-bought
As they yearned and hungrily sought
To be cleansed of all of their sin
In that refining place they've been;
Their sufferings are not for nought!
God knows what our prayers have wrought.
Our prayers can help them attain the Goal
As one by one there is refined a precious soul
From life to death to purgative cleansing,
The Holy Souls purified begin ascending.
Freed at last from their painful load
Lighted souls float to the heavenly abode
Speedily traveling upward before the eyes
Floating swiftly...yet gently...to the skies.
© Mel Patterson, 11-4-08

HOUSE FOR SALE
Author Unknown
July 24, 2011
ADDRESS: Heaven
FEATURES:
Many rooms with a master suite
Spacious love
Open floor plan for peace
Large eat-in grace
Fenced in mercy with room for expansion
Son room with a marvelous view of salvation
Pool of milk and honey in the back
Pearly gates in front
DIRECTIONS:
The only way to the Father is through the Son
PRICE:
$0.00 - Calvary - Owner financing
COMMUNITY:
Friendly angellic neighbors.
Great family and friends.
Praise the Lord all day and night.
BONUS:
Crown of stars, new luxurious robe and golden slippers with matching
wings.
Bring a friend and get a reward.
For more information, call your local agent or representative -
Name, address and phone number listed below.
NAME: Jesus Christ
ADDRESS: Repent Highway and Streets of Gold
PHONE: Dial John 3:16

Mary's Song of Praise

"My heart praises the Lord:
my soul is glad because of God my saviour,
for he has remembered me,
his lowly servant!
From now on all people will call me happy,
because of the great things the Mighty God has done for me.
His name is holy;
from one generation to another
he shows mercy to those who honor him.
He has stretched out his mighty arm
and scattered the proud with all their plans.
He has brought down mighty kings from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away with empty hands.
He has kept the promise he made to our ancestors,
and has come to the help of his servant Israel.
He has remembered to show mercy to Abraham
and to all his descendants forever!"
- Luke 1:46-55