Community Chat

[gloriajean]

Hello my friends!! It was nice visiting with Darla most of the day today until she left to go visit a friend. Feeling sorry for her as her back hurts her so much! She never would have made the trip if Linus wouldn't have been there for her. She wants to get a new car - hers is such a piece of junk and every bump hurts her - very uncomfortable driving and riding, so Monday Linus takes her car shopping. It was a blessing today to visit a couple who we've been friends with for many years and they live 4 hours away up north, they called that they are here and wanted us to have dinner with them at Perkins so we had a nice two hour visit there - they are here for our friend, Jeremy's Ordination to the priesthood!! We cannot go because Linus has to work, but they will greet everyone for us at the reception. Linus gets off work at 2 and then we'll drive to my 91 year old sister,Deil's and bring her here for overnight and in the morning go to my old hometown for Father Jerry's Jubillee Mass there! He'll take her back Monday sometime. He only works at 4 Monday to 8. Praying for you all!

Holding on to hurts causes us to live the pain over and over.

Lord, may I forgive so that I may heal.

Scripture for the day:

"Yet, O LORD, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our

potter; we are all the work of your hand." ~Isaiah 64:8

Meditation for the day:

Molding our lives means cutting and shaping our material into

something good, something which can express the spiritual. We have

been given the clay out of which we can mold something spiritual. We

can first recognize the selfishness in our desires and motives,

actions and words, and then mold that selfishness until it is

sublimated into a spiritual tool for good. As the work of molding

proceeds, we can see more and more clearly what must be done to mold

our lives into something even better.

Prayer for the day:

I pray that I may mold my life into something useful and good. I pray

that I may not be discouraged by the slow progress that I make.

THROWING IT ALL AWAY

By Rich McLawhorn

"He who neglects the present moment throws away all he has." That

observation by Johann Friedrich von Schiller, a great German historian

and playwright, holds much truth for all of our lives.

Early one morning fire broke out in a house on a narrow street. The

fire spread quickly, and flames were leaping high into the air before

the fire engines could get to the scene.

A young man appeared at an upper window in his pajamas. Firefighters

quickly placed a ladder against the burning building, but the man

refused to come down. Instead, he yelled that he had to get dressed

first. The firefighters pleaded, "Come as you are! Come as you are!,

but to no avail.

The firefighters tried to climb the stairs from below, but they were

turned back by the flames. When a rescuer tried to enter through a

lower window, the heat and smoke forced him away.

Suddenly the walls and roof fell in. The man waited too long, and was

buried under the ruins.

How Does This Apply to Our Lives?

The man refused to immediately do what was best for himself because of

what someone might say about his appearance later. Thus, the young man

literally threw his life away.

We can make the same foolish mistake. I read about an experiment in

which a rat was placed in a box and shocked until it huddled in a

particular corner. To avoid future shocks, the rat soon learned to run

to that corner as soon as it was placed in the box.

How much of your life is spent avoiding the disapproving "shocks" of

those around you? Do you disregard your own beliefs, and compromise

who you are as a person, so others will like you?

That is easy to do, especially in matters of faith. Many people do not

live according to their beliefs because they are concerned about what

others will think or say. If that includes you, then in effect you are

throwing away the most significant part of yourself--your spiritual

life.

Instead of trying to become someone others will like in the future,

focus on God's love for you right now. Live each day according to

God's standards, no matter how people may react. Because some things

are too important to throw away--including yourself..

"Your love is ever before me, and I walk continually in your truth."

Psalm 26:3

"You Must Blossom"

Where God has planted you, you must blossom. It is not everything to live

resigned where God has placed you. You must BLOSSOM - that is, live there

happily and make others happy.

To blossom means for you to show that you are happy for all the good God has

done for you, for the services that are rendered you, and the devotedness

you are called upon to give to others.

To blossom is to tell everyone, around you that you are happy; to tell them

this by a simple manner and a happy face. Indeed I am well off to be here

and grateful to God for all His kindness.

To blossom is to be at the disposal of everybody; willing to be disturbed;

to submit willingly in everything that would be agreeable to others, and

never show weariness or annoyance.

What strength, what peace, what self-abnegation and holiness, too, are

contained in these words: "Where God has planted you, you must blossom."

Burdens Give Us Wings

An old legend relates that long ago God had a great many burdens which he

wished to have carried from one place to another on earth, so he asked the

animals to lend a hand. But all of them began to make excuses for not

helping: the elephant was too dignified; the lion, too proud; and so on.

Finally the birds came to God and said, "If you will tie the burdens into

small bundles, we'll be glad to carry them for you. We are small but we

would like to help."

So God fastened upon the back of each one a small bundle, and they all set

out walking across the plain to their destination. They sang as they went,

and did not seem to feel the weight of their burdens at all. Every day the

burdens seemed lighter and lighter, until the loads seems to be lifting the

birds, instead of the birds carrying the burdens.

When they arrived at their destination, they discovered that when they

removed their loads, there were wings in their place, wings which enabled

them to fly to the sky and the tree tops.

They had learned how to carry their burdens, and their loads had become

wings to carry them nearer to God. Burdens we carry for others may become

wings of the spirit, to lift us into happiness such as we have never known.

Jesus and Alexander

Jesus and Alexander died at 33.

One lived and died for self; one died for you and me.

The Greek died on a throne; the Jew died on a cross;

One's life a triumph seemed; the other but a loss.

One led vast armies forth; the other walked alone.

One shed a whole world's blood; the other gave His own.

One won the world in life and lost it all in death;

The other lost His life to win the whole world's faith.

Jesus and Alexander died at 33.

The Greek made all men slaves; the Jew made all men free;

One built a throne on blood; the other built on love.

The one was born of earth; the other from above.

The one won all this earth, to lose all earth and heaven;

The other gave up all, that all to Him be given.

The Greek forever died; the Jew forever lives.

He loses all who gets; he wins all things who gives.

Charles Ross Weede

And a prayer:

Heavenly Father,

We Thank You for the constant gifts that you place before us.

May we be ever thankful for the gift of friendship,

For blessing us with people around us that we can call true friends.

For those that challenge us, and make us think beyond the square.

For those that listen to us, and share our concerns.

For those that laugh with us, and make our hearts burst with joy.

For those that teach us to be better people.

For these people we are ever grateful.

For we see the God in them... a true reflection of You.

Amen.

A WALK IN THE RAIN

Author Unknown

She must have been 6 years old, this beautiful brown haired, freckled-faced

Image of innocence. Her Mom looked like someone from the Walton's or a

moment captured by Norman Rockwell. Not that she was old-fashioned. Her

brown hair was ear length with enough curl to appear natural. She had on a

pair of tan shorts and light blue knit shirt. Her sneakers were white with a

blue trim. She looked like a Mom. It was pouring outside. The kind of rain

that gushes over the tops of rain gutters, so much in a hurry to hit the

Earth it has no time to flow down the spout. Drains in the nearby parking

lot were filled to capacity and some were blocked so that huge puddles made

lakes around parked cars. We all stood there under the awning and just

inside the door of the WalMart. We waited, some patiently, others irritated

because nature messed up their hurried day. I am always mesmerized by rain

fall. I get lost in the sound and sight of the heavens washing away the dirt

and dust of the world. Memories of running, splashing so carefree as a child

come pouring in as a welcome reprieve from the worries of my day. Her voice

was so sweet as it broke the hypnotic trance we were all caught in. "Mom,

let's run through the rain," she said.

"What?" Mom asked.

"Let's run through the rain!" she repeated.

"No, honey. We'll wait until it slows down a bit," Mom replied.

This young child waited about another minute and repeated her statement.

"Mom. Let's run through the rain."

"We'll get soaked if we do," Mom said.

"No, we won't, Mom. That's not what you said this morning," the young girl

said as she tugged at her Mom's arm.

"This morning? When did I say we could run through the rain and not get

wet?"

"Don't you remember? When you were talking to Daddy about his cancer, you

said, "If God can get us through this, He can get us through anything!"

The entire crowd stopped dead silent. I swear you couldn't hear anything but

the rain. We all stood silently. No one came or left in the next few

minutes. Mom paused and thought for a moment about what she would say.

Now some would laugh it off and scold her for being silly. Some might even

ignore what was said. But this was a moment of affirmation in a young

child's life. A time when innocent trust can be nurtured so that it will

bloom into faith.

"Honey, you are absolutely right. Let's run through the rain. If God lets us

get wet, well maybe we just needed washing," Mom said. Then off they ran. We

all stood watching, smiling and laughing as they darted past the cars and

yes through the puddles. They held their shopping bags over their heads just

in case. They got soaked. But they were followed by a few believers who

screamed and laughed like children all the way to their cars. Perhaps

inspired by their faith and trust. I want to believe that somewhere down the

road in life, Mom will find herself reflecting back on moments they spent

together, captured like pictures in the scrapbook of her cherished memories.

Maybe when she watches proudly as her daughter graduates. Or as her Daddy

walks her down the aisle on her wedding day. She will laugh again. Her heart

will beat a little faster. Her smile will tell the world they love each

other.

But only two people will share that precious moment when they ran through

the rain believing that God would get them through. And Yes, I did. I ran. I

got wet. I needed washing.

To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under the

heaven." Ecclesiastes 3:1

Hail Mary

Hail Mary, full of grace, the lord is with you.

Blessed are you among women,

and blest is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God,

Pray for us sinners

now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Gentle woman, quiet light,

Morning star, so strong and bright.

Gentle Mother, peaceful dove,

teach us wisdom, teach us love.

You were chosen by the Father;

You were chosen for the Son.

You were chosen from all women,

and for woman, shining one.

Blessed are you among women,

Blest in turn all women, too.

Blessed they with peaceful spirits.

Blessed they with gentle hearts.

DEVELOP THE RIGHT (SELF) ATTITUDE

Author Unknown

Here are 10 suggestions to help you develop and maintain a healthy

self-image. Read them slowly. Meditate on them regularly.

1. Hate your sin, but never hate yourself.

2. Be quick to repent.

3. When God gives you light, walk in it.

4. Stop saying negative things about yourself. God loves you and it's

wrong to hate what He loves. He has great plans for you, so you're in

conflict with Him when you speak negatively concerning your future.

5. Never be afraid to admit that you've made a mistake and don't

always assume that when things go wrong, it must be 'my fault'.

6. Don't meditate excessively on what you've done, right or wrong;

both of these activities keep your mind on you! Center your thoughts

on Christ.

7. Take good care of yourself physically. Make the best of what God

gave you to work with, but don't be obsessed with your appearance.

8. Never stop learning but don't allow your education to become a

point of pride. God doesn't use you because of what's in your head: He

uses you because of what's in your heart.

9. Realize that your talents are a gift, not something you have

manufactured yourself; never look down on people who can't do what you

do.

10. Don't despise your weaknesses they keep you dependent on God.

[Bobbi sue]

Please pray for my son Sam. He is in great need of prayer. Thank you...

[lovestopaint]

Hobbies will pray for Sam.

Counting my blessings.

Harlene(lovestopaint)