Community Chat

[gloriajean]

It is important to remember that different can be better. Lord, as I resist
change
and cling to the familiar, help me to remember that Your plan is perfect and
will
truly make me happy.


Scripture for the day:

"One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another,
and seeing that he answered them well, he asked him, 'Which commandment
is the first of all?' Jesus answered, 'The first is, 'Hear, O Israel:
the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with
all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with
all your strength.' The second is this, 'You shall love your neighbor as
yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." ~Mark
12:28-31

Meditation for the day:

To truly desire to do God's will , therein lies happiness for us. We
can start out wanting our own way. We want our wills to be satisfied.
We can take and not give. Gradually, we can find that we are not happy
when we are selfish, so we begin to make allowances for other peoples'
wills. But this again dos not give us full happiness, and we begin to
see that the only way to be truly happy is to try to do God's will. In
these times of meditation, we can seek to get guidance so that we can
find God's will for us.

Prayer for the day;

I pray that I may subordinate my will to the will of God. I pray that I
may be guided today to find God's will for me.

Greetings my friends! That prayer for the day says a lot, doesn't it? I
pray that prayer for me, for sure. How was your day? Nice day out -
yesterday was cold and windy, it wasn't bad today and my husband got a
massage this morning and this afternoon he went to Lori's and they put up
her Christmas lights - first time at her new house. Then he had an eye
appointment, where his eyes would be dilated, so Lori drove him. Good news
is that his eyes are fine and he won't need new glasses!! Praise the Lord
for that! We went out for a fish fry tonight, first time in a long time for
a fish fry! His suggestion. But to think of all that grease that went in
us - ick. Other than all that, just an ordinary day - but with lots of
blessings. Found out tonight that my sister had a good day today and that's
always good news. Hope she continues having good days without any more set
backs.
I had a good drink today that Lori introduced me to - it's butterscotch
snapps with hot chocolate - Yummm!!

I keep wanting to post the Homily of the Day in the mornings but seem to
forget to:

Homily of the Day


November 18, 2011


Happy Endings Are Only Temporary
by Monsignor Dennis Clark, Ph.D.

1 Mc 4:36-37, 52-59 / Lk 19:45-48

Today we get a happy ending to the dreadful story we’ve been hearing all
week, starting with the Greeks’ brutal imposition of their culture upon the
Jews, the revolt that followed, and finally the triumph of the Maccabees in
expelling the Greeks and restoring the temple and its worship.

It is a happy ending for awhile, but students of history know that it was
neither the first nor the last “ending.” There had been happy endings
before, when David first seized Jerusalem from the pagans and when his son
Solomon had built the first great temple. And then there was the time when
the Israelites came back from captivity in Babylon in the sixth century and
rebuilt the temple which had been burned to the ground. And long after the
Maccabees’ triumph in the second century before Christ, the temple would
need to be rebuilt and rededicated yet again by King Herod during Jesus’
childhood — awaiting its final destruction in 70 A.D.

In this life, sad or happy endings are rarely endings, but only moments on
the road. There’s always another chapter in the story. And that points to
the issue we need to focus on today. The journey we’re on is a very long
one, with many twists and turns, and inevitably with moments when we lose
our focus and lose connection with the Lord. It can happen at any time or
stage in our journey, whether we’re young or old. The temple got rebuilt and
rededicated so many times precisely because this was true about the
Israelites, as it is true about us. That’s reality.

We can face that reality by engaging each new day with open and listening
hearts, that are able to hear the Lord speaking to us when we’re wandering
into dark places. We can face that reality by making prudent course
changes — early and often. And each time, God will help us.


Friday, November 18, 2011
Short Meditation

Failures and Successes

Is it true, my dear Jesus?
That my failures are as dear to you as my successes?
Perhaps more dear?
I hardly dare believe it. And yet your desert times teach me,
your way of the cross declares to me,
that this is true.
Let me understand this, live it,
and even cherish it.

from Healing Troubled Hearts: Daily Spiritual Exercises


November 18, 2011

The Last Things


"Fast from bitterness - feast on forgiveness.
Fast from self-concern - feast on compassion for others.
Fast from personal anxiety - feast on eternal truth.
Fast from anger - feast on patience.
Fast from words that destroy - feast on words that build up.
Fast from discontent - feast on gratitude.
Fast from discouragement - feast on hope."
Susan Tassone

For Reflection:
What "fast" should I engage? What are three practical ways I can employ its
antidote today?


THE 7 UPS!
Author Unknown

1. Wake Up !!

Decide to have a good day.
"This is the day the Lord hath made;
Let us rejoice and be glad in it."
Psalms 118:24

2. Dress Up !!

The best way to dress up is to put on a smile.
A smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks.
"The Lord does not look at the things man looks at.
Man looks at outward appearance,
But the Lord looks at the heart."
I Samuel 16:7

3. Shut Up!!

Say nice things and learn to listen.
God gave us two ears and one mouth,
So He must have meant for us to do twice as much listening as
talking.

"He who guards his lips guards his soul."
Proverbs 13:3

4. Stand Up!!

. . . For what you believe in.
Stand for something or you will fall for anything.
"Let us not be weary in doing good; for at the proper time,
We will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good..."
Galatians 6:9-10

5. Look Up !!

. . . To the Lord.
"I can do everything through Christ who strengthens me".
Philippians 4:13

6. Reach Up !!
. . . For something higher.
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not unto your own understanding.
In all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He will direct your path."
Proverbs 3:5-6

7. Lift Up !!
. . . Your Prayers.
"Do not worry about anything; instead
PRAY ABOUT EVERYTHING."
Philippians 4:6

Gifts

Each of us brings to the world unique talents, gifts and abilities.
Even if you don't know what it is, or value what you do, someone, somewhere,
will benefit from your presence.

No one can do what you do exactly the way you do it.
It is this uniqueness that makes you valuable to the world.

We are each as unique and valuable as the other.
It was designed that way. A gift from God.

Gifts are not given on the basis of race or gender.
As a matter of truth, gifts come in many shapes, sizes and colors.

When you do what you do, exactly the way you do it,
You are sharing God's gifts, bestowed for the good of the world.

BEYOND DEATH
Author Unknown
November 18, 2011


A sick man turned to his doctor, as he was leaving the room after
paying a visit, and said, "Doctor, I am afraid to die. Tell me what
lies on the other side."

Very quietly the doctor said, "I don't know."

"You don't know? You, a Christian man, do not know what is on the
other side?"

The doctor was holding the handle of the door, on the other side of
which came a sound of scratching and whining, and as he opened the
door a dog sprang into the room and leaped on him with an eager show
of gladness.

Turning to the patient, the doctor said, "Did you notice that dog? He
had never been in this room before. He did not know what was inside.
He knew nothing except that his master was here, and when the door
opened he sprang in without fear.

I know little of what is on the other side of death, but I do know one
thing: I know my Master is there, and that is enough. And when the
door opens, I shall pass through with no fear, but with gladness.

Prayer In Time Of Need

Jesus, do not leave me alone in suffering.
You know, Lord, how weak I am.
I am an abyss of wretchedness,
I am nothingness itself;
So what will be so strange
If You leave me alone and I fall?

I am an infant, Lord,
So I cannot get along by myself.
However, beyond all abandonment I trust,
And in spite of my own feeling I trust,
And I am being completely transformed into trust,
Often in spite of what I feel.

Do not lessen any of my sufferings,
Only give me strength to bear them.
Do with me as You please, Lord,
Only give me the grace to be able to love You,
In every event and circumstances.


Lord, do not lessen my cup of bitterness,
Only give me strength
That I may be able to drink it all. Amen. (Diary, 1489)

*~Thank-You God~*
(author: unknown)

***

Thank-You God for being my Comforter,
When my soul was weak
and the tears wouldn't stop,
When my heart was aching with pain
and I was searching for refuge,
When my spirit was broken beyond repair
and I felt lost and hopeless,
Thank-You for Joy.
Thank-You God for being my Teacher,
When I was ignorant to the Lessons of Life
and rebuked wisdom,
When I was rebellious against your principles
and rejected morality,
When I was hindered by obstacles
and blinded by self-doubt,
Thank-You for Knowledge.
Thank-You God for being my Spiritual Guide,
When I chose the wrong path to tread
and lost sight of my purpose,
When I didn't know the power of faith, prayer,
and forgiveness,
When I didn't know how to surrender all my
anger, fears, and temptations,
Thank-You for your Guidance.
Thank-You God for being my Counselor,
When I didn't know how to acknowledge nor
express my feelings,
When I chose Sin over Self-Love,
Thank-You for Revelations, Awakenings, & Resolutions.
Thank-You God

Good night all - Sweet Dreams and may your Saturday be filled with lots of
blessings all thru the day! God bless you!!