Community Chat

[gloriajean]

Good is always coming to you. No matter what is happening in your life,

you can bless it with prayer and be peaceful. Lord, You give me the courage

to face any situation confidently and victoriously.

Scripture for the day:

"Other seed fell into good soil and brought forth grain, growing up

and increasing and yielding thirty and sixty and a hundred-fold." And

he said, 'Let anyone with ears to hear listen!'" ~Mark 4:8-9

Meditation for the day:

God's kingdom on earth is growing slowly, like a seed in the ground.

In the growth of God's kingdom there is always progress among the few

who are out ahead of the crowd. We can keep striving for something

better and there does not need to be stagnation in our lives. Eternal

life, abundant life can be ours for the seeking. We need not misspend

time over past failures. We can count the lessons learned from

failures as rungs upon the ladder of progress. We can press onward

toward the goal.

Prayer for the day:

I pray that I may be willing to grow. I pray that I may keep stepping

up on the rungs of the ladder of life.

Hello my friends! Hurrah! I got Sammy to eat his meds today - with chicken!!

It doesn't take much to make me happy!! He ate more chicken today, so that's

good he's eating again, and drinking, I think I'll wait awhile before

contacting the other vet, the holistic one which is farther away. What all

we do for our beloved pets! They are such a blessing to us, aren't they?

Keep the prayers coming - they are being answered! St. Francis is there for

him, too, I'm sure! As I've been thinking lately of that post that this is

all about me, I just want to say, my motive is that it's all about Jesus,

and His Mother, and has been from the very start and that hasn't changed one

bit. That's what makes this positive, uplifting words, prayers, prayers for

each other and showing our care and love for each other. If I come about

differently, friends, then I'm very, very sorry because that is not my

intent at all. Praying for you all - daily, thanks for your prayers for us.

God is here for us all - God bless you!

The Gift

Many of us say we would die for our children

We claim we would face torture to protect our children

But would we?

Could we?

Could we do for our children, what JESUS did for HIS?

For us?

Would you have the courage to choose the nails?

Would you have the strength to die on the cross

so your children might live?

These are easy words to say

Easy claims to make,

but if you had to do it, could you?

Could you be mocked and crucified to save your children's souls?

JESUS did

JESUS did not just say the words, but HE died for us

JESUS did not just make the claims, but HE was crucified for us

So, that we would be forgiven

So, that we might know eternal life

JESUS did not just say the words

JESUS sacrficied HIMSELF for HIS children

For you and for me

Would you have the courage?

Do you have the strength to do for your children

what JESUS did for HIS?

Could you give your children such a gift?

Thank God, JESUS had the courage and the love

to choose the nails

Thank God, JESUS had the strength to die on the cross

Thank God for the gift of HIS son, Jesus Christ

by LJ Rogers

For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us,

leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin,

neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not

again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him

that judgeth righteously: Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on

the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by

whose stripes ye were healed.

1 Peter 2:21-24

When Your Hut's On Fire

The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited

island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him. Every day he

scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming. Exhausted,

he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect

him from the elements, and to store his few possessions. One day, after

scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames,

with smoke rolling up to the sky. He felt the worst had happened, and

everything was lost. He was stunned with disbelief, grief, and anger.

He cried out, "God! How could you do this to me?"

Early the next day, he was awaken ed by the sound of a ship approaching

the island!

It had come to rescue him! "How did you know I was here?" asked the

weary man of his rescuers. "We saw your smoke signal," they replied.

The Moral of This Story:

It's easy to get discouraged when things are going bad, but we

shouldn't lose heart, because God is at work in our lives, even in the

midst of our pain and suffering. Remember that the next time your

little hut seems to be burning to the ground, it just may be a smoke

signal that summons the Grace of God.

P. S. You may want to consider passing this on, because you never know

who feels as if their hut is on fire today.

Here's an old favorite of mine:

A GLASS OF MILK

One day, a poor boy who was selling goods from door to door to pay his way

through school, found he had only one thin dime left, and he was hungry. He

decided he would ask for a meal at the next house. However, he lost his

nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door. Instead of a meal he asked

for a drink of water. She thought he looked hungry so brought him a large

glass of milk. He drank it slowly, and then asked, "How much do I owe you?"

"You don't owe me anything," she replied. "Mother has taught us never to

accept pay for a kindness." He said... "Then I thank you from my heart." As

Howard Kelly left that house, he not only felt stronger physically, but his

faith in God and man was strong also. He had been ready to give up and quit.

Year's later that young woman became critically ill. The local doctors were

baffled. They finally sent her to the big city, where they called in

specialists to study her rare disease. Dr. Howard Kelly was called in for

the consultation. When he heard the name of the town she came from, a

strange light filled his eyes. Immediately he rose and went down the hall of

the hospital to her room. Dressed in his doctor's gown he went in to see

her. He recognized her at once. He went back to the consultation room

determined to do his best to save her life. From that day he gave special

attention to the case. After a long struggle, the battle was won. Dr. Kelly

requested the business office to pass the final bill to him for approval. He

looked at it, and then wrote something on the edge and the bill was sent to

her room. She feared to open it, for she was sure it would take the rest of

her life to pay for it all. Finally she looked, and something caught her

attention on the side of the bill. She read these words... "Paid in full

with one glass of milk" Signed: Dr. Howard Kelly. Tears of joy flooded her

eyes as her happy heart prayed: "Thank You, God, that Your love has spread

abroad through human hearts and hands.”

“Now you have two choices. You can send this page on and spread a positive

message, or ignore it and pretend it never touched your heart.

Closing prayer:

MY DAILY OFFERING

(As each day begins,

please try to lift your mind and heart

to your heavenly Father,

and offer to Him the new day He has given you.)

Most loving Father,

I thank You for the gift of this new day.

Please help me to use it for your honor and glory.

By Your grace,

may all my thoughts, words, and actions

be pleasing today in Your sight.

In Your great kindness,

Lord Almighty,

preserve me this day without sin,

and protect all people from every evil.

May the ever-blessed Virgin Mary,

Mother of our Savior,

keep us under her protection and by her prayers,

and the aid of all your Saints,

keep us ever intent on doing good today for your sake.

We ask these blessings through Your Son,

Jesus Christ,

our Redeemer.

Amen.

(At times throughout the day,

it is well to pause briefly in the midst of your work

to renew your daily offering.

This can be done without words,

but simply by lifting the mind and heart

to your Father in heaven.

A simple external gesture of touching the heart

will confirm and strengthen your interior intentions.

As opportunity permits,

you may wish to pray verbally in this way.)

Again I thank You,

Father in heaven,

for the blessings and graces you have given me this day.

Once more I entreat Your continuing protection.

Conscious of my own weaknesses and frailty,

of my many faults,

I entrust myself and all dear to me to Your care.

(This prayer has been taken from a pamphlet written by the Good

Franciscan Mission Associates, PO Box 598, Mount Vernon, NY 10551-0598)