Most often a gentle approach is the best resolution to a conflict.
Lord, I have been given today to improve myself and make life
better for others. Help me walk in the way that You lead me.
Scripture for the day:
"For we are God's servants, working together; you are God's field,
God's building." ~1 Corinthians 3:9
Meditation for the day:
We are God's servants. We can serve God cheerfully and readily.
Nobody likes a servant who avoids extra work, who complains about
being called from one task to do one less enjoyable. A master would
feel that he was being ill served by such a servant. But is that not
how we so often serve God? We can view our day's work in this light.
We can try to do our day's work the way we believe God wants us to do
it, never shirking any responsibility and often going out of our way
to be of service.
Prayer for the day:
I pray that I may be a good servant. I pray that I may be willing to
go out of my way to be of service.
Hello my friends! Another beautiful warm day here in MN!! So much to be
grateful for!! At Mass at noon at the Cathedral, there was ahead of us a
couple who had a seeing eye dog in Church! I never saw that before! He was
such a well behaved one, looked like a black lab.
Just finished talking to my sister, Sister LaDonna on the phone - it's
always a pleasure to visit with her! Her leg is still sore sometimes,
nothing is to be seen what is wrong, even with the MTI, so she'll just have
to live with it, and offer it up. She says sometimes it spasms. Other than
that, her back is fine now - and that's great. She will start to volunteer
at craft place there, she has so much talent to give!
Spent time out in the patio today - it was so warm and sunny there! Linus
got all the bird feeders up and feed in them now! He had a busy day today.
The Smallest Piece
A fourteenth-century Italian stained-glass artist was summoned to design and
create a huge portrait for the window of a cathedral in Chartres France, a
place well known for its stained-glass work.
He laid all of the pieces he was going to use out on the floor of the
cathedral. They were beautiful to behold; most of them were large and
colorful. Some of the colors from that time cannot even be reproduced today.
Among these awesome pieces of glass was a small, clear piece about as big as
your fingernail. As the stained-glass portrait was assembled, that little
piece remained on the floor. Only the big colorful pieces of glass were
used.
On the day of the window's completion, the tiny piece of clear glass was
still lying on the ground. The entire city gathered to witness the unveiling
of the brilliant and beautiful stained-glass portrait. The artist stood in
front of the crowd, made his speech, and dramatically pulled down the cloth
cover. The crowd gasped at the beauty of the colorful window glowing in the
sunlight. After a few seconds, however, the crowd grew silent. They sensed
that something was missing, that the portrait was unfinished.
The great artist then walked over to where the little clear piece of glass
lay, picked it up, and placed it in the portrait, right in the center of
Jesus' eye. As the sun hit that little piece, it gave off a dazzling
sparkle.
The magnificent stained glass window still draws visitors. The first thing
they see is that sparkle in Jesus' eye.
Do you ever feel like that little piece of clear glass? You doubt you can
ever do anything for God. Let the story of that last little piece remind you
that God thinks of you as the apple of his eye.
Take Me Too
I was driving to the grocery store just thinking of everything on
my list to do today. Taking the kids to soccer practice, cleaning the
house, getting groceries, getting the oil changed in the car, the list
went on and on. I was feeling overwhelmed and was already tired
before I had even gotten started.
On my way to the store I saw something horrible happen, a
train had run into a car that was crossing the tracks. I thought
"Oh no! This is horrible, there is no way the driver of that car
could have lived!!"
I was the closest car to the tracks so I put my car in
park and got out. I ran over to the car and looked in and could
not believe what I was seeing. Tears came to my eyes and I
just couldn't take it. Inside the car was a woman driving that
was obviously dead. In the backseat was a baby in it's car
seat bleeding everywhere and next to the baby was a little
girl who I guessed to be about 4 years old and she was bleeding also.
Just then the little girl spoke. She said, "Is my mommy and
baby sister okay?" I just looked at her and said, "Honey I
don't know. There is a doctor on his way right now."
Just then the little girl started crying saying, "Don't take my mommy
and my baby sister. Take me with you too!! Please!!" She was
pleading at who knows what to take her - but take her where???
I asked the little girl who she was talking to and she said,
"Don't you see? That Angel is taking my mommy and my baby
sister! I want to go with them too! My mommy is waving goodbye
to me and she is holding my baby sister and she is smiling!"
The little girl started to cry because she did not want to
stay, she wanted to go with her mommy and her baby sister.
I felt so sorry for her. I didn't believe in God and I thought to
myself, where did an Angel come from? What kind of God would
take a mommy and a baby but not the little sister?
At that moment I saw the little girl start to smile so big
as she held her arms out to something, someone to pick
her up. I thought to myself that she must be delirious and
maybe she is hurt worse than I thought. Just then the little girl
closed her eyes and slumped over in her seat. She was dead!
I couldn't be sad even though this was a 4-year-old little
girl that had just died. You wouldn't be sad either if you could see
that beautiful smile on her face! I guess her mommy and baby
sister came back to get her. That was also the day that God
came to get me - as that was the day that I became a
believer and turned my life over to the Living God.
Jesus said, " if you are ashamed of me, I will be ashamed
of you before my Father."
Yes, I do love God.
He is my source of existence and Savior and
keeps me functioning each and
everyday. Without Him, I will be nothing.
Without Him, I am nothing but with Him
I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me. (Phil 4:13)
Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will
honor me. Psalm 50:15
The Best Knot Name
In the Florida Keys there’s a landmark bait and tackle shop named
Capt. Hook’s. It’s crammed full of fishing items and eclectic
paraphernalia. Small signs dot the walls, like “I’ve only got one
nerve left, and you’re on it.” For some reason that came to mind back
when I was dealing with issues regarding my aging father, mainly about
his driving the car. If you have an older parent, maybe you can relate
to this: we didn’t want him driving any longer. His eyesight was not
too good and he had some senile dementia. He was determined to keep
driving. Only around town, of course. “Just to church, and the
cemetary, maybe the bank or grocery, but only in the daytime.”
One afternoon we got a call to come and get him in a town about an
hour away. Apparently he had been driving around, gotten disoriented,
and was confused why he wasn't at his local grocery store. I don’t
know who I was more worried about, him or someone in another car he
might hit. I did know I was coming to the end of my rope with the
driving situation. I prayed a little bit about it, but actually I was
trying to figure it out on my own. Many solutions formed in my
thoughts; some were actually implemented, to no avail. He simply was
not buying anything we did or said to convince him to give up driving.
There’s a saying, “When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot in
it.” It is best to go to the Lord first when we have problems. When we
don't, though, and all else fails and we’re at the end of our rope,
it’s good to remember the knot’s got a name. Jesus.
We prayed and I turned my dad and the whole situation over to the
Lord. Not long after that, he did make a decision to give up driving
and give the car to someone needing transportation.
The plan is to remember to go to the Lord in prayer before getting to
the end of the rope, and more importantly, that Jesus is the best knot
name.
Loving God,
I hear your invitation, "Come back to me"
and I am filled with such a longing to return to you.
Show me the way to return.
Lead me this day in good works I do in your name
and send your Spirit to guide me and strengthen my faith.
I ask only to feel your love in my life today.
May you all have a blessed Saturday and enjoying the weekend. God bless
you!
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