Community Chat

[gloriajean]

Praise accomplishes great things. Lord, let me be your instrument
in touching lives and changing hearts.

Scripture for the day:
"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that
you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." ~Romans 15:13

Meditation for the day:
The power of God's spirit is the greatest power in the universe. Our
conquest of each other, the great kings and conquerors, the conquest of
wealth, the leaders of the money society, all amount to very little in the
end. But the one that conquers him or herself is greater than the one who
conquers a city. Material things have no permanence. But God's spirit is
eternal. Everything really worthwhile in the world is the result of the
power of God's spirit.

Prayer for the day:
I pray that I may open myself to the power of God's spirit. I pray that my
relationships with others may be improved by this spirit.

Hello my friends! Hope you all had a good Saturday. We went to the neighborhood we used to live for 27 years tonight for the small town's River Lake Days, the town has lots of lakes around it! Big Parade that when we lived there it was right by our house, but my hubby's sister lives just two houses down from our old house, so we all sat in her lawn to watch the parade. They were having festivals etc. down town, but we visited with his cousin a bit, and went home instead of watching the fireworks. Hot and muggy all day!! Last year for their River Lake Days they had a bad storm and good sized hail so the parade and fireworks were cancelled. It was nice seeing his family and cousin again, and we also went over to our neighbors next door to our house - and surprised them that we were there!! Had a nice visit there too!!! They were very good neighbors and we had them for 26 years until we moved here. So God blessed us with lots of blessings tonight!

Homily of the Day
July 16, 2011
Forget
by Monsignor Dennis Clark, Ph.D.
Wis 12:13,16-19 / Rom 8:26-27 / Mt 13:24-33
When a boss is at a dead end with an employee, it can inspire some real eloquence. Here are a few samples of frustrated bosses’ evaluations of their less than competent employees:
1) This employee is a few fries short of a “Happy Meal.”
2) If he were any more passive, we’d have to water him twice a week.
3) When she opens her mouth, it’s only to change feet.
4) Some people drink from the fountain of wisdom and knowledge. He only gargles.
5) This employee is depriving some village of an idiot.
6) It takes her an hour and a half to watch “60 Minutes.”
7) And finally: I would not allow this employee to breed!
+ + +
We can only imagine what those employees must have been like. Yet there’s not one of us who hasn’t merited a similar evaluation at some time or other. Not one of us! How can that be? We’re smart, well motivated, and good hearted. It’s the very same question the farmers were asking in Sunday’s gospel: “Where did those weeds come from?
It’s the mystery that we face every day of our lives, as we look at ourselves, our kids, our spouses, our friends! How can such good people strive so hard and still s crew up so badly? It’s the human condition: God made us good, but we’re just not done yet — not near done.
That’s not the best of news! But if we come to terms with it, we know what we have to do: Forget the word “perfect” forever! There is no perfect husband, wife, child, friend, or golf pro. No perfect marriage, no perfect family, no perfect anything — and there never will be. So what are we going to do with the messy reality of life, with all the loose ends and gravelly parts of our relationships — all the stuff that frustrates and makes us angry?
Jesus showed us what to do. He had a very clear fix on every one of the people around him. He knew that Peter was something of a blowhard, but he saw something more in him. He knew Judas was a thief, but he saw something more in him too. So Jesus focused on that “something more.” He walked with them both, and day by day tried to bring out the good in them — it was there in both. With Peter he succeeded in drawing it out. With Judas he failed.
That’s all that Jesus asks of us as we struggle with the frustrations of our own weaknesses and those of our spouses, kids, and friends. Instead of attacking or ridiculing or walking away from them, focus on that “something more” in them. Walk with them, gently, as Jesus walked with his people. Walk patiently as Jesus walks with you and me. We owe it to them, precisely because Jesus is doing it for us every day.
The marvel is that as we walk with folks and leave our judgments and verdicts behind, they’ll get better — slowly. They’ll get better because we’re walking with them and hoping in them. And, almost miraculously, we’ll get better too.
So let us walk kindly and humbly, remembering our own endless need for forgiveness and understanding. Hope and healing are the gifts we have to give. Let us give them with understanding hearts!

The I Am's of Jesus
JOHN 6:35
JESUS SAID: "I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE;
anyone who comes to me shall not hunger, and anyone who believes in me shall never thirst.
JOHN 8:12
JESUS SAID: "I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD;
anyone who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
JOHN 8:58
JESUS SAID: "Truly, truly I say to you, BEFORE ABRAHAM WAS, I AM."
JOHN 10:11
JESUS SAID: "I AM THE GOOD SHEPHERD.
The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep."
JOHN 11:25
JESUS SAID: "I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE;
anyone who believes in me, even though they die, yet shall they live."
JOHN 14:6
JESUS SAID: "I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE;
no one comes to the Father, but by me."
JOHN 15:1
JESUS SAID: "I AM THE VINE,
and my Father is the Vine dresser."
JOHN 18:4
"Then Jesus, knowing all that would befall Him, came forward and said to them, "Whom do you seek?" They answered Him, "Jesus of Nazareth." JESUS SAID to them, "I AM". When He said to them "I AM," They drew back and fell to the ground.
ALL HE HAD TO OFFER
Author Unknown

Here is a story, about a nine year old boy who lived in a rural town
in Tennessee. His house was in a poor area of the community. A church
there had a bus ministry that came knocking on his door one Saturday
afternoon.
The child came to answer the door and greeted the bus pastor.
The bus pastor asked if his parents were home and the small boy told
him that his parents take off every weekend and leave him at home to
take care of his little brother. The bus pastor couldn't believe what
the child said and asked him to repeat it. The youngster gave the same
answer and the bus pastor asked to come in and talk with him. They
went into the living room and sat down on an old couch with the foam
and springs exposed. The bus
pastor asked the child, "Where do you go to church?"
The young boy surprised the visitor by replying, "I've never been to
church in my whole life." The bus pastor thought to himself about the
fact that his church was less than three miles from the child's house.
"Are you sure you have never been to church?" he asked again.
"I'm sure I haven't," came his answer.
Then the bus pastor said, "Well, son, more important than going to
church, have you ever heard the greatest love story ever told?" and
then he proceeded to share the Gospel with this little nine year old
boy.
The young lad's heart began to be tenderized and at the end of the
bus pastor's story, the bus pastor asked if the boy wanted to receive
this free gift from God. The youngster exclaimed, "OF COURSE!"
The child and the bus pastor got on their knees and the lad invited
Jesus into his little heart and received the free gift of salvation.
They both stood up and the bus pastor asked if he could pick the child
up for church
the next morning.
"Sure," the nine year old replied.
The bus pastor got to the house early the next morning and found the
lights off. He let himself in and snaked his way through the house and
found the little boy asleep in his bed. He woke up the little boy and
his brother and
helped get them dressed. They got on the bus and ate a doughnut for
breakfast on their way to church.
Keep in mind that this boy had never been to church before.
The church was a real big one. The little child just sat there,
clueless of what was going on. A few minutes into the service, these
tall unhappy guys walked down to the front and picked up some wooden
plates. One of the men
prayed and the child, with utter fascination, watched them walk up
and down the aisles. He still didn't know what was going on. Suddenly,
like a bolt of lightning, it hit the child what was taking place.
These people must be giving money to Jesus. He then reflected on the
free gift of life he had received just twenty-four hours earlier. He
immediately searched his pockets, front and back, and couldn't find a
thing to give
Jesus.
By this time the offering plate was being passed down his aisle and,
with a broken heart, he just grabbed the plate and held on to it. He
finally let go and watched it pass on down the aisle. He turned around
to see it passed
down the aisle behind him.
And then his eyes remained glued on the plate as it was passed back
and forth, back and forth all the way to the rear of the sanctuary.
Then he had an idea. This little nine year old boy, in front of God
and everybody, got up out of his seat. He walked about eight rows
back, grabbed the usher by the coat and asked to hold the plate one
more time. Then he
did the most astounding thing I have ever heard of. He took the
plate, sat it on the carpeted church floor and stepped into the center
of it.
As he stood there, he lifted his little head up and said, "Jesus, I
don't have anything to give you today, but just me. I give you me!"

A Prayer To Spend the Day Well
My dear and sweet Mother Mary, Co-redemptrix of the human race, keep me in your holy protection. Guard my mind, my heart and my senses, that I be not stained by sin.
Sanctify my thoughts, desires, words, and actions, that I may please you and your Jesus, my God, and gain paradise with you. Jesus and Mary, give me Your most holy blessing. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, One God, forever and ever. Amen.

Good night everyone - sweet dreams! Wishing you all a very blessed Sunday! God bless you all!