Community Chat

[gloriajean]

Hello my friends! It's been a nice, but cool day today. Many ordinary blessings came our way. Darla says that those injections for her back are too costly for her, even with insurance, like $2000 extra out of the pocket and it's not fool proof, would need another one in a month or so. So her doctor is saying that another route would be freezing the nerves and that should kill the pain. I know of a man that had that done, the husband of my friend, Linda's, and I called her tonight to ask her what she thought of that procedure and she said it was the best thing he ever did for himself was get that done! It's been a few years and his back is still good! So we told Darla and that's what we think she will be doing. Please do pray for her healing - this has been too long! I keep praying that she can live a normal life without pain pills and sleep without sleeping pills. I truly believe God will answer our prayers through Mary's intercession.

God did not intend that your life be about nothing but work. Lord,
there is so much beauty and joy in this world. Help me to reward
myself with a moment of enjoyment from time to time.


Scripture for the day:

"When they saw him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost and
cried out; for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he
spoke to them and said, 'Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.'" ~Mark
6:49-50

Meditation for the day:

I can take the most crowded day without fear. I believe that God is
with me and controlling all. I can let confidence be the motif running
through all the crowded day. I need not be worried, because I know
that God is my helper. Underneath are the everlasting arms of God.
I can rest in them, even though the day be full of things crowding in
upon me.

Prayer for the day:

I pray that I may be calm and let nothing upset me. I pray that I may
not let material things control me and choke out spiritual things.

How to Pray for Your Child

1. Pray nothing hinders your child from his relationship with Christ.
(Matthew 19:14)
2. Pray your child learns to know God and will have a deep desire to do
God's will for his life. (Psalms 119: 27, 30, 34, 35)

3. Pray your child hears stories from the Bible that will be a basis for his
decisions throughout life. (Ecclesiastes 12:1, Psalms 71:17)

4. Pray your child will develop a keen sense of right and wrong and that he
will truly abhor evil and cling to that which is good. (Psalms 139:23-4)

5. Pray your child will increase in wisdom (mentally) and age (physically),
and grace, with God (spiritually) and men (socially). (Luke 2:52)

This prayer covers his total development to his full potential.

6. Pray that your child will develop a thankful heart and a positive mental
attitude. (Psalm 126:2-3, Romans 8:31)

7. Pray that God protects your child from Satan and his wiles in every area
of his life. (John 17:55, Psalm 121)

8. Pray that God would destroy the enemies in his life whether they be
weaknesses, lying, selfishness etc. (Psalms 120:2; 140)

9. Pray that God would make him successful in the work God has for him to
do. (Psalm 118:25, 139:9-10)

10. Pray he have a strong sense of belonging to a family that is loving and
dwells together in unity (Psalms 133, Colossians 3:12-14)

11. Pray he will respect authority. (Romans 13:1, Ephesians 6:1-4)

12. Pray that his entire life will be a testimony of the greatness and love
of Christ. (Philippians 2:15-16 Thess 5:2-3)

If you pray one of these a month, you will have your child covered for a
year!

LEARNING CHRIST

Teach me, my Lord, to be sweet and gentle in all the events of life, in
disappointments, in the thoughtlessness of those I trusted, in the
unfaithfulness of those on whom I relied. Let me put myself aside, to think
of the happiness of others, to hide my little pains and heartaches, so that
I may be the only one to suffer from them. Teach me to profit by the
suffering that comes across my path. Let me so use it that it may make me
patient, not irritable. That it may make me broad in my forgiveness, not
narrow, haughty and overbearing. May no one be less good for having come
within my influence. No one less pure, less true, less kind, less noble for
having been a fellow traveler in our journey toward Eternal Life. As I go my
rounds from one distraction to another, let me whisper from time to time, a
word of love to Thee. May my life be lived in the supernatural, full of
power for good, and strong in its purpose of sanctity. AMEN!

Food For Thought:

PANCAKES AND LOVE
Author Unknown

Six year old Brandon decided one Saturday morning to fix his parents
pancakes. He found a big bowl and spoon, pulled a chair to the
counter, opened the cupboard and pulled out the heavy flour canister,
spilling it on the floor. He scooped some of the flour into the bowl
with his hands, mixed
in most of a cup of milk and added some sugar, leaving a floury trail
on the floor which by now had a few tracks left by his kitten. Brandon
was covered with flour and getting frustrated. He wanted this to be
something very good for Mom and Dad, but it was getting very bad. He
didn't know what to do next, whether to put it all into the oven or on
the stove, and he didn't know how the stove worked!

Suddenly he saw his kitten licking from the bowl of mix and reached to
push her away, knocking the egg carton to the floor. Frantically he
tried to clean up this monumental mess but slipped on the eggs,
getting his pajamas white and sticky. And just then he saw Dad
standing at the door. Big crocodile tears welled up in Brandon's eyes.
All he'd wanted to do was make them proud. He was sure a scolding was
coming, maybe even a spanking. But his father just watched him. Then,
walking through the mess, he picked up his crying son, hugged him and
loved him, getting his own pajamas white and sticky in the process.

That's how God deals with us. We try to do something good in life, but
it turns into a mess. Our marriage gets all sticky or we insult a
friend or we can't stand our job or our health goes sour. Sometimes we
just stand there in tears because we can't think of anything else to
do. That's when God picks us up and loves us and forgives us, even
though some of our mess gets all over Him. But just because we might
mess up, we can't stop trying to "make pancakes," for God or for
others. Sooner or later we'll get it right, and then they'll be glad
we tried...

Sightseeing things on our journey,

When I walk with the Lord He is constantly giving me a way of looking at
life from His view and urging me to remember my sense of sight is distorted
through human perspective, and must be given His truths before I will see
clearly.

We all could be given a scene to watch, and then, asked to give our
perspective on it. Each one of us would possible tell it with full
conviction that what we saw was 100 percent accurate. But, the Biblical
truth is....it often is based on our own personal knowledge, or lack of
knowledge, and rarely fully accurate. We make observations, and run them
through our past experiences, and come to conclusions reached by our human
reasoning which seems as truth to us, but may be far from how God sees it.
Satan also has a way of blinding us from seeing the truth.

God wants us to see from His perspective, and in order to do this, we need
to be examining ourselves in the light of His Word and making sure our lives
are expressing the fruit of His Holy Spirit mentioned in Galatians 5:22.
This is something we need to be doing on a daily basis, and for each
situation that we are confronted with. If we remain as King David was in
Psalms 51, we will be teachable and willing to submit our heart to be
changed so it will be pleasing to God.

David had a contrite heart, a sensitive conscience, which was eager to
repent and turn from any ways which sorrowed His God. We, too need to have
this if we want to see things from God's perspective.

Pray:
Heavenly Father, my vision is unclear and uncertain because I am seeing
things through my own human eyes and unhealed emotions. But, I want to be
able to see what is important to you. I desire to wear your lenses, and I
ask for your grace and power of the Holy Spirit to do so. I want to live as
a mature Christian, and represent you in a way that will glorify you. Thank
you for giving me a heart that is willing to repent and change. In the
precious name of your son, Jesus. Amen.

Woman and a Fork

There was a young woman who had been diagnosed with a terminal
illness and had been given three months to live. So as she was getting her
things 'in order,' she contacted her Pastor and had him come to her house
to discuss certain aspects of her final wishes.

She told him which songs she wanted sung at the service, what
scriptures she would like read, and what outfit she wanted to be buried in.

Everything was in order and the Pastor was preparing to leave when
the young woman suddenly remembered something very important to her.
'There's one more thing,' she said excitedly.

'What's that?' came the Pastor's reply.

'This is very important,' the young woman continued. 'I want to be
buried with a fork in my right hand.' ;

The Pastor stood looking at the young woman, not knowing quite what
to say.

'That surprises you, doesn't it? ' the young woman asked.

'Well, to be honest, I'm puzzled by the request,' said the Pastor.

The young woman explained. 'My grandmother once told me this story,
and from that time on I have always tried to pass along its message to
those I love and those who are in need of encouragement. In all my years of
attending socials and dinners, I always remember that when the dishes of
the main course were being cleared, someone would inevitably lean over and
say, 'Keep your fork.' It was my favorite part because I knew that
something better was coming...like velvety chocolate cake or deep-dish
apple pie. Something wonderful, and with substance!'

So, I just want people to see me there in that casket with a fork in
my hand and I want them to wonder 'What's with the fork?' Then I want you
to tell them: 'Keep your fork ..the best is yet to come.'

The Pastor's eyes welled up with tears of joy as he hugged the young
woman good-bye. He knew this would be one of the last times he would see
her before her death. But he also knew that the young woman had a better
grasp of heaven than he did. She had a better grasp of what heaven would be
like than many people twice her age, with twice as much experience and
knowledge.. She KNEW that something better was coming.


At the funeral people were walking by the young woman's casket and
they saw the cloak she was wearing and the fork placed in her right hand.
Over and over, the Pastor heard the question, 'What's with the fork?' And
over and over he smiled.

During his message, the Pastor told the people of the conversation he
had with the young woman shortly before she died . He also told them about
the fork and about what it symbolized to her. He told the people how he
could not stop thinking about the fork and told them that they probably
would not be able to stop thinking about it either.

He was right. So the next time you reach down for your fork let it
remind you, ever so gently, that the best is yet to come. Friends are a
very rare jewel, indeed. They make you smile and encourage you to succeed.
Cherish the time you have, and the memories you share. Being friends with
someone is not an opportunity but a sweet responsibility.


Send this to everyone you consider a FRIEND even if it means sending
back to the person who sent it to you......

And keep your fork