Community Chat

[gloriajean]

Unhappiness within comes out in an emotional reaction, unlike the happy person

who is slow to anger. Lord, help me to glow in Your presence so that the heat of

the moment doesn't get to me.

Scripture for the day:

"Teach me your way, O LORD, that I may walk in your truth; give me an

undivided heart to revere your name." ~Psalm 86:11

Meditation for the day:

I believe that life is a school in which I can learn spiritual things.

I can trust in God and God will teach me. I can listen to God and God can

speak through my mind. I can commune with God in spite of all opposition

and every obstacle. There will be days when I will hear no voice in my mind

and when there will come no intimate heart-to-heart communion. But if I

persist, and make a life habit of schooling myself in spiritual things, God

can be revealed to me in many ways.

Prayer for the day:

I pray that I may regularly go to school in things of the spirit. I pray

that I may grow spiritually, by making a practice of all these things.

Hello my friends! Today's blessings for me would be 1) Sammy being more energetic, 2) calling my sister to wish her a happy birthday - she will be 88 tomorrow, nice visit with her, she's the one that has Parkinson's and had fallen and broke her collarbone - she's doing better and is walking now as before with her walker, 3) and always my family and my Faith, plus several more ordinary blessings. We're going out tonight to our favorite restaurant - I know we'll be blessed there, seeing Jim again. I'm feeling like pasta tonight. IT's been a long time since we were there. 'bourt time! Praying for you all for whatever your needs, and I thank you most sincerely for praying for us. God bless you!

PLANTING A SEED

By Marion Smith

Feb 3 2009

1 Cor 3:6

I am sure you have seen this – weeds or little flowers pushing their

way up to the sunshine in a crack of a sidewalk, driveway or road.

Sometimes I wonder how they thrive so well, when things I have planted

intentionally do so poorly! Today I noticed a wonderful gift from God

in our cement patio area. The spot where the bird dropped the

sunflower seed was almost invisible to the eye. There was no obvious

dirt to nurture its growth, and no water to sustain it. Despite all

odds, and because I didn’t pull it up when it looked so ugly and

weedy, it grew and blossomed into a beautiful sunflower which I

enjoyed.

When we share our love for the Lord with someone, or when we tell them

how God has helped and sustained us in our need, we are planting a

seed in that person’s mind. It is a seed of love that will grow into

full bloom, in God’s perfect time. We don’t have to feel responsible

to nurture, fertilize and water this seed to death. All we have to do

it plant it. God will take care of the rest. The most important thing

for Christians is - do not pull the seed of love as it grows. Do not

discourage or make fun of anyone searching for the truth. They may ask

questions or do things which look like a weed- unattractive and

annoying, but…… it is our responsibility to pray for that person and

watch God do His marvelous miracle as He draws the unbeliever into His

divine presence. Do you agree?

What a privilege to remember, once again, that God is in control.

DON'T GIVE UP

Author Unknown

Jan 16 2009

One day I decided to quit...

I quit my job, my relationship, my spirituality. .. I wanted to quit

my life.

I went to the woods to have one last talk with God.

"God", I asked, "Can you give me one good reason not to quit?"

His answer surprised me...

"Look around", He said. "Do you see the fern and the bamboo?"

"Yes", I replied.

"When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care

of them.

I gave them light.

I gave them water.

The fern quickly grew from the earth.

Its brilliant green covered the floor.

Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the

bamboo.

In the second year the Fern grew more vibrant and plentiful.

And again, nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on

the bamboo.

He said.

"In year three there was still nothing from the bamboo seed.

But I would not quit.

In year four, again, there was nothing from the bamboo seed. I would

not quit."

He said.

"Then in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged from the earth. Compared

to the fern it was seemingly small and insignificant. ...But just 6

months later the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall.

It had spent the five years growing roots. Those roots made it strong

and gave it what it needed to survive. I would not give any of my

creations a challenge it could not handle."

He asked me. "Did you know, my child, that all this time you have been

struggling, you have actually been growing roots".

"I would not quit on the bamboo.

I will never quit on you."

"Don't compare yourself to others."

He said.

"The bamboo had a different Purpose than the fern.

Yet they both make the forest beautiful."

"Your time will come", God said to me.

"You will rise high"

"How high should I rise?"

I asked.

"How high will the bamboo rise?" He asked in return.

"As high as it can?" I questioned.

"Yes." He said, "Give me glory by rising as high as you can."

I left the forest and brought back this story.

I hope these words can help you see that God will never give up on

you.

Never, Never, Never Give up.

For the Christian Prayer is not an option but an opportunity.

Don't tell the Lord how big the problem is, tell the problem how Great

the Lord is!

And some Mother Teresa quotes:

In Christ, who died on the cross for us, we can definitely confirm the fact

that suffering can transform itself into a great love and an extraordinary

generosity.

+++

To love and to serve the poor presupposes something that has nothing to do

with giving them our leftovers, or giving them the food we do nor like. It

has nothing to do with giving them the clothes we no longer wear just

because the clothes are no longer in fashion or because we no longer like

them.

Is this sharing the poverty of the poor? Of course it is not.

+++

There are thousands-millions-of people who die for lack of bread.

There are thousands-millions-of human beings who grow weak for lack of a

little love because they would like to be recognized, even if just a little.

Jesus becomes weak and dies in them.

+++

Once more, today and yesterday, Jesus comes to his own and his own refuse to

welcome him (John 1:11).

He comes in the broken bodies of the poor.

He also comes in the rich who are drowning in the loneliness of their own

riches. He also comes in their lonely hearts, when there is no one to offer

them love.

+++

What we say does nor matter, only what God says to souls through us.

+++

Good works are links that form a chain of love.

The Friend Who Just Stands By

When troubles come your soul to try,

You love the friend who just stands by.

Perhaps there's nothing she can do,

The thing is strictly up to you.

For there are troubles all your own,

And paths the soul must tread alone.

Times when love can't smooth the road,

Nor friendship lift the heavy load.

But just to feel you have a friend,

Who will stand by until the end.

Whose sympathy through all endures,

Whose warm handclasp is always yours.

It helps somehow to pull you through,

Although there's nothing she can do.

And so with fervent heart we cry,

God Bless the friend who just stands by.

- Author Unknown

THE "OUR FATHER" PRAYER

Author Unknown

Do I Really Mean What I Pray?

Examine how well you live what you pray as you meditate on the

following:

I cannot say OUR if I keep my faith only to myself and never share it

with others.

I cannot say FATHER if I do not trust in His loving and complete

concern for me, forgetting that He always answers prayers how and when

He knows is best.

I cannot say WHO ART IN HEAVEN if I am so attached to the ways of this

world that I neglect to seek God first in everything.

I cannot say HALLOWED BE THY NAME if I am unwilling to let His

holiness penetrate my life and help me grow in my own holiness.

I cannot say THY KINGDOM COME if I am not using my life to bring His

love into the world.

I cannot say THY WILL BE DONE if I live by my own ideas of morality or

choose to follow the world's standards.

I cannot say ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN if I am not devoting my life

to serving Him here on earth.

I cannot say GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD if I am not willing to

be generous with whatever God gives me.

I cannot say FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES if I don't want to put forth

enough effort to change.

I cannot say AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO TRESPASS AGAINST US if I still

hold a grudge, if I'm still angry, or if I still insist that other

people change.

I cannot say LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION if I deliberately or

knowingly place myself in a position to be tempted.

I cannot say DELIVER US FROM EVIL if I'm not actively fighting against

evil through deeds of love and service for everyone in my life,

especially those who cause problems.

By Your Holy Cross

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

By your holy cross, O Lord,

you have saved the universe

which has wandered from your love,

lost in darkness; now returned,

redeemed by your loving death upon the cross.

We adore your cross.

Cross of love and cross of life,

key of Heaven, path to light,

which leads to you, Lord,

leading to your Heavn'ly home.

May we follow you and worship you, O Lord,

you have saved us by your cross.

- - -

Syriac: Mshiho Natareh l'ldotkh.

Eng. Adap. G. Abdallah.

A Prayer for Lent

Father, through our observance of Lent, help us to understand the meaning of your Son's death and resurrection, and teach us to reflect it in our lives. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.