Community Chat

[gloriajean]

Thoughts of the past can not hurt you without your consent. Lord,
help me to learn from my past, not live there by continually bringing
it into the present.


Scripture for the day:

"In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the
earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep,
while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. Then God
said, "Let there be light"; and there was light." ~Genesis 1:1-3

Meditation for the day:

God made the ordered world out of chaos and set the stars in their
courses and made each plant to know its season.. God can bring peace
and order out of our own private chaos if we let God. God is
watching over us, too, to bless us and care for us. Out of the darkness, God
is leading us to light, out of unrest to rest, out of disorder to
order, out of faults and failure to success. We belong to God and
our affairs are God's affairs and can be ordered by God if we are
willing.

Prayer for the day:

I pray that I may be led out of disorder into order. I pray that I
may be led out of failure into success.

Hello my friends! Hope your day was great and not too hot! We had it in the
upper 80's here, and humidity. But I hate the cold, so I'm not complaining.
Got a phone call from Darla and I called Sister LaDonna today too- so much
is happening with her! Also Lori called to tell me that Aaron won't need
surgery, the good thing, the bad thing is that he has degenerated disease
and it will stay there for his life. The only treatment would be Physical
Therapy or Cortesone shots, or both. He has trobbing neck pain. Let's
gather together in the Name of Jesus and ask for his healing and fool the
doctors, all according to God's will. I'll ask the Poor Clares to pray too.


Homily of the Day


July 8, 2011

God Helps Those Who Help Themselves!
by Monsignor Dennis Clark, Ph.D.

Gn 46:1-7,28-30 / Mt 10:16-23

Today’s gospel contains one of the most notoriously misused passages in all
the Bible, and the chief culprits are the clergy. Jesus said, “Don’t worry
about what you are going to say or how you will say it. When the hour comes
it will be given to you.” It doesn’t take too much imagination to guess how
that’s been used by preachers!

God has blessed every one of us with a broad array of talents and abilities,
but many of us have accomplished less than we might have hoped for. There
are lots of reasons, but one particular reason does stand out among
religious people, and that is the inclination to say our prayers and then
leave matters up to God. Think, for example, about the man who prayed for
patience for 60 years and is surprised that he never got it. The same man
wouldn’t think of starting a new enterprise without a business plan. Yet the
fact that across those 60 years he never once had a concrete plan for
growing toward patience. Praying without using our brains is mere wishing
and not praying at all.

God wants to be our partner as we grow toward wholeness, but He doesn’t
provide curb service. We have to meet Him half way, and we do that by using
to the fullest the tools He’s given us. Then He will indeed give what is
needed and fill in what is lacking.

So check your “business plan” first and assure yourself that you’ve used
everything that God put in your tool box. Then pray. You’ll be amazed at how
God helps those who help themselves.

Every Time I Say MARY

I offer to Almighty God through the Immaculate Heart and hands of our
Blessed Mother all the merits of reparation and propitiation contained in
all the Masses being said over the world for:

1. World-wide reparation to Mary's Immaculate Heart that she asked
for at Fatima.
2. For the conversion of sinners throughout the world
3. For the conversion of Russia, America, and World Peace

I will repeat as often as possible . . .MARY, MARY, MARY. . . . .

(With ecclesiastical approval)

Standing For What You Believe In


Standing for what you believe in,
Regardless of the odds against you,
And the pressure that tears at your resistance,
...means courage

Keeping a smile on your face,
When inside you feel like dying,
For the sake of supporting others,
...means strength

Stopping at nothing,
And doing what's in your heart,
You know is right,
...means determination

Doing more than is expected,
To make another's life a little more bearable,
Without uttering a single complaint,
...means compassion

Helping a friend in need,
No matter the time or effort,
To the best of your ability,
...means loyalty

Giving more than you have,
And expecting nothing
But nothing in return,
...means selflessness

Holding your head high,
And being the best you know you can be
When life seems to fall apart at your feet,
Facing each difficulty with the confidence
That time will bring you better tomorrow's,
And never giving up,
...means confidence.

- Author Unknown

GARBAGE TRUCK
Author Unknown


How often do you let other people's nonsense change your mood? Do you
let a bad driver, rude waiter, curt boss, or an insensitive employee
ruin your day? Unless you're the Terminator, for an instant you're
probably set back
on your heels. However, the mark of a successful person is how quickly
she can get back her focus on what's important.

Sixteen years ago I learned this lesson. I learned it in the back of a
New York City taxi cab. Here's what happened. I hopped in a taxi, and
we took off for Grand Central Station. We were driving in the right
lane when, all of a sudden, a black car jumped out of a parking space
right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his brakes,
skidded, and missed the other car’s back end by just inches!

The driver of the other car, the guy who almost caused a big accident,
whipped his head around and he started yelling bad words at us. My
taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was
friendly. So,
I said, "Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and
sent us to the hospital!" And this is when my taxi driver told me what
I now call, "The Law of the Garbage Truck."

Many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage,
full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As
their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it. And if you let
them, they'll dump it on you. When someone wants to dump on you, don't
take it personally. You just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on.
You'll be happy you did.

So this was it: The "Law of the Garbage Truck.” I started thinking,
how often do I let Garbage Trucks run right over
me? And how often do I take their garbage and spread it to other
people a work, at home, on the streets? It was that day I said, "I'm
not going to do anymore." I began to see garbage trucks.

Like in the movie "The Sixth Sense," the little boy said, "I see Dead
People." Well, now "I see Garbage Trucks." I see the load they're
carrying. I see them coming to drop it off. And like my Taxi Driver, I
don't make it a personal thing; I just smile, wave, wish them well,
and move on.

One of my favorite football players of all time, Walter Payton, did
this every day on the football field. He would jump up as quickly as
he hit the ground after being tackled. He never dwelled on a hit.
Payton was ready to make the next play his best.

Good leaders know they have to be ready for their next meeting. Good
parents know that they have to welcome their children home from school
with hugs and kisses. Leaders and parents know that they have to be
fully present, and at their best for the people they care about. The
bottom line is that successful people do not let Garbage Trucks take
over their day. What about you? What would happen in your life,
starting today, if you let more garbage trucks pass you by? Here's my
bet. You'll be happier. Life's too short to wake up in the morning
with regrets, so.. Love the people who treat you right. Forget about
the ones who don't.

The Master Called

The Master called my name one day because he needed someone to go. I
said "Lord, in my spare time, between school spending time with my
husband, working from 8 to 6, and trying to coordinate a program for
my community to help our children do better, I will help you look".
"See, I know I can't go right now cause I have so much to do". He said,
"Well where shall I find such a person? I thought I saw your name on
my list of available people".

"Well Lord, that was the prayer that I prayed last year, but since then,
things have changed".

He said "Like what?". "Well I'm working on my Ph.D. and I'm needed by so
many people and my husband is always wanting something done, and on top
of that my community Expects me to help and give to then so...".

"Well, seeing that you're busy, I'll let you go. But we will talk again
if You have some time".

I went on through the days, and the weeks, and the months completing my
tasks as always. One evening, while studying for my comp exams, I
received a call from the hospital concerning my husband. He had been in a
terrible accident and was in critical condition. I dropped everything
and ran to the hospital where I found my husband hanging on for dear life.
I immediately began to pray "Lord, don't take him now, I can't bare it"
but my prayer echoed off the wall and returned into my ear.

That next morning I left the hospital tired and weary, and walked in the
door of my classroom just in time to begin my comps. As the professors
begin asking me questions I opened my mouth to speak but nothing came out.

In my mind, I began praying, praying hard, but my prayer echoed again and
I found myself upset at the Lord because he was nowhere to be found. I
could not explain to them what was happening.

After leaving from my exams, I called in to work because I was so distraught
at all that was going on. I explained to my supervisor what had happened
and she demanded that I take some time off. After visiting my husband in
the hospital that evening, I went home and fell into a sunken state, crying
and despairing. Just then I heard someone calling my name.

"Lord, is that You?".

"Well yes it is. Do You have some time? I wanted to see if I could
just talk..."

Instead of waiting to hear His questions, I lashed out in anger and
resentment. "How is it that when I needed you today, You couldn't be found
and last night I cried and cried but all I heard were echoes from the
walls. My husband is dying, I'm flunking out of school, I may not have a
job and you can just sit and say You want to talk"?

The Lord interrupted me in my foolish speaking. "My child, I was busy, out
looking for someone to go and tell others about me when you cried. By the
time I came to answer, you had moved on to something else. So I decided
to let your husband rest, and keep you home for a few days.

That way Maybe you would get in touch with me, if You had some time. For
you see, before your husband, the community or your job needs you, I NEED
YOU. And if all these thing take you away from me, I have to almost take
them away from You, in order to get a moment".

I calmed down and began to cry. For I remembered my prayer of wanting
to go and do for the Lord.

He said "I just wanted to re-check with you to see if you knew of Anyone
that I could send to be a witness for me and tell others about me...
anyone at all..."?

With tears in my eyes and feeling so unworthy I said "Lord, send me, I'll
go".

The Lord should never have to ask us if we have some time. When He died on
the cross He put aside everything to insure us eternal life. We should be
more than Grateful to do service for the Lord, to witness, and to tell
ANYONE
we can about Jesus. Don't let your "things", WHATEVER they may be, get you
so tied up that the Lord has to become a meeting time in your yearly
planner.

He has more than enough time for us. The least we could do is have time for
Him.

Mother Teresa said...
Jesus, you have given everything, life, blood, all. Now it is my turn. I put
everything into the field also. The common soldier fights in the ordinary
lines, but the devoted one tries to be near the captain to share his fate.
This is the spirit of Christ.

PRAYER WHEN IN SUFFERING
Jesus, speak to me in these days of suffering to reveal to me, the will of
God. "You have kept count of my tossing; put my tears in your bottle."
(Psalm 56:8). "This I know, that God is for me" (Psalm 56:9). Come to my
help soon. Cut short the days of suffering. Deliver me from the present
adversities. Grant me long life and health to praise you in peace. Lift me
up to become a witness for you. Thank you Jesus. Praise you Jesus.
Hallelujah. (Praise God for 5 minutes to know the will of God in your
sufferings. Thus you will receive the strength and grace to suffer. God
willing, you will get immediate deliverance.)

Good night everyone - Sweet Dreams and may your Saturday be filled with
God's blessings!! God bless you!