Community Chat

[gloriajean]

Love and trust are the solutions for the worries and frets of life.
Lord, I pray for Your gift of Faith which is all that I need for Your
power to work within me.

S C R I P T U R E F O R T H E D A Y

"It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words
that I have spoken to you are spirit and life." ~John 6:63

M E D I T A T I O N F O R T H E D A Y

I can discipline myself. I can do this disciplining now. I can turn
out all useless thoughts. I know that the goodness of my life is a
necessary foundation for its usefulness. I can welcome this training,
for it opens me to receive the power God wants to give me. I can
believe that this power is a mighty power when it is used in the right
way.

P R A Y E R F O R T H E D A Y

I pray that I may face and accept whatever discipline is necessary. I
pray that I may open myself to receive God's power in my life.

Peace of the New Year be yours, one and all! Love that first paragraph - I need to love and trust more and more in my life. Hope your day went well. It went fine here, even got some sunshine and that felt good for a change! I made beef barley soup for supper! Other than Linus' feet hurting, he had a good day. The thing about his feet is that it's structural, he has flat feet and need those orthodics. I don't know how to spell it, but my computer has it outlined. Anyway you know what I mean. Did I mention to you already that workmen's comp might pay for them? He was told that. That would be great as they are costly. But Dr. Mike is helping him. No more knee problems. Praise God!
Sammy and I had a nice nap today - he snuggled up to me! I mentioned this in my last thread - at closing, about my sister, Deil, and her only daughter left, Terri. Terri hasn't spoken to her in years and Deil is hurt, she keeps praying for her every day without fail. She calls her on her birthday, leaves a birthday message, never any return calls. Please pray for a reconciliation between them before it's too late. It seems hopeless, but more things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of. We have to have hope.
Thanks for caring and listening and most of all, your prayers. I want you all to notice that I'm actually early tonight for a change!! I like that!


Homily of the Day


January 5, 2011


Make No Place for Fear in Your Life
by Monsignor Dennis Clark, Ph.D.

1 Jn 4:11-18 / Mk 6:45-52

This world can be a scary place to live. With terrorists blowing up buildings at random and drive-by shooters menacing the innocent, with global warming imperiling future generations and nuclear weapons in the hands of unstable regimes, with carcinogens and good cholesterol and bad cholesterol confusing and threatening us, and with our retirement accounts looking pathetically small, the temptation to give in to fear is powerful indeed.

What, if anything, is there to prevent us from succumbing to paralyzing fear? One thing only, and that is absolute and total confidence that the Lord walks at our side at all times and never wanders away. If we listen carefully in our moments of uncertainty, we can hear him speak to us as he did to the apostles in today’s gospel, “Get hold of yourself. It is I. Do not be afraid.”

If we trust in the Lord’s loving presence at our side, we will find that we have both the confidence and the energy to live wholeheartedly in the now and to face, one at a time, the challenges that life inevitably brings our way. And we’ll even enjoy the process.

The Lord has promised that with each new day he will give us whatever we need for that day. Trust his promise and his sun will shine on you every day.


Words of Encouragement


January 5, 2011


The Twelfth Day of Christmas!
by Mark Shea

Deuteronomy 11:18-21

You shall therefore lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul; and you shall bind them as a sign upon your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. And you shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. And you shall write them upon the doorposts of your house and upon your gates, that your days and the days of your children may be multiplied in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers to give them, as long as the heavens are above the earth.

By the time you get to the "Twelve Drummers Drumming" in the Twelve Days of Christmas you pretty much feel like you know this song. It has been (ahem) drummed into you. Repetition has a way of doing that. It's why we teach our children to parrot "Please" and "Thank you." Not because we are raising our children to be parrots, but because we are raising them to have civilization be second nature to them. It was the same in ancient Israel. You hammer away at the basic truths of the covenant God made with your people so that your children would have it encoded in their breath and bone and the faith would not be a one-generation wonder but a heritage for all time. For the same reason, the Church drums into us the Twelve points of the Creed so that it will be second nature to us and so that, when we are gone, our children will carry the torch of faith to their children.

Mother Teresa Said...

Prayer unites us with Christ.
Simply open your hearts to Him.
Also, simply accept what He sends you.
With a big smile, generously give Him what He asks of you.
God will do the rest, never fear.

The Adoration of the Magi

Having sighted the divinely-moving star, the Magi followed its radiance; and holding it as a lamp, by it they sought a powerful King; and having reached the Unreachable One, they rejoiced, shouting to Him: Alleluia!
The sons of the Chaldees saw in the hands of the Virgin Him Who with His hand made man. And knowing Him to be the Master, even though He had taken the form of a servant, they hastened to serve Him with gifts, and to cry to Her Who is blessed:
Rejoice, Mother of the Unsetting Star:
Rejoice, dawn of the mystic day!
Rejoice, Thou Who didst extinguish the furnace of error:
Rejoice, Thou Who didst enlighten the initiates of the Trinity!
Rejoice, Thou Who didst banish from power the inhuman tyrant:
Rejoice, Thou Who didst show us Christ the Lord, the Lover of mankind!
Rejoice, Thou Who redeemest from pagan worship:
Rejoice, Thou Who dost drag us from the works of mire!
Rejoice, Thou Who didst quench the worship of fire:
Rejoice, Thou Who rescuest from the flame of the passions!
Rejoice, guide of the faithful to chastity:
Rejoice, gladness of all generations!
Rejoice, O Bride Unwedded!

Having become God-bearing heralds, the Magi returned to Babylon, having fulfilled Thy prophecy; and having preached Thee to all as the Christ, they left Herod as a babbler who knew not how to sing: Alleluia !

Akathist Hymn
Attributed to Romanos the Melodist (+ 560)

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of death.
Amen.

SHOULD YOU...

Should you find it hard to get to sleep tonight;
Just remember the homeless family who has no bed to lie in.
Should you find yourself stuck in traffic; don't despair.
There are people in this world for whom driving is an unheard of privilege.
Should you have a bad day at work;
Think of the man who has been out of work for the last three months.
Should you despair over a relationship gone bad;
Think of the person who has never known what it's like to love and be loved in return.
Should you grieve the passing of another weekend;
Think of the woman in some third world country,working twelve hours a day, seven days a week, for $15.00 to feed her family.

Should your car break down, leaving you miles away from assistance;
Think of the paraplegic who would love the opportunity to take that talk.
Should you notice a new gray hair in the mirror;
Think of the cancer patient in chemo who wishes she had hair to examine.
Should you find yourself the victim of other people's bitterness, ignorance, smallness or insecurities;
Remember, things could be worse. You could be them!!!

Alphabet of Happiness...


A--Accept
Accept others for who they are and for the choices they've made even if you have difficulty understanding their beliefs, motives, or actions.


B--Break Away
Break away from everything that stands in the way of what you hope to accomplish with your life.

C--Create
Create a family of friends whom you can share your hopes, dreams, sorrows, and happiness with.


D--Decide
Decide that you'll be successful and happy come what may, and good things will find you. The roadblocks are only minor obstacles along the way.


E--Explore
Explore and experiment. The world has much to offer, and you have much to give. And every time you try something new, you'll learn more about yourself.


F--Forgive
Forgive and forget. Grudges only weigh you down and inspire unhappiness and grief. Soar above it, and remember that everyone makes mistakes.


G--Grow
Leave the childhood monsters behind. They can no longer hurt you or stand in your way.


H--Hope
Hope for the best and never forget that anything is possible as long as you remain dedicated to the task.


I--Ignore
Ignore the negative voice inside your head. Focus instead on your goals and remember your accomplishments. Your past success is only a small inkling of what the future holds.


J--Journey
Journey to new worlds, new possibilities, by remaining open-minded. Try to learn something new every day, and you'll grow.


K--Know
Know that no matter how bad things seem, they'll always get better. The warmth of spring always follows the harshest winter.


L--Love
Let love fill your heart instead of hate. When hate is in your heart, there's room for nothing else, but when love is in your heart, there's room for endless happiness.


M--Manage
Manage your time and your expenses wisely, and you'll suffer less stress and worry. Then you'll be able to focus on the important things in life.


N--Notice
Never ignore the poor, infirm, helpless, weak, or suffering. Offer your assistance when possible, and always your kindness and understanding.


O--Open
Open your eyes and take in all the beauty around you. Even during the worst of times, there's still much to be thankful for.


P--Play
Never forget to have fun along the way. Success means nothing without happiness.


Q--Question
Ask many questions, because you're here to learn.


R--Relax
Refuse to let worry and stress rule your life, and remember that things always have a way of working out in the end.


S--Share
Share your talent, skills, knowledge, and time with others. Everything that you invest in others will return to you many times over.


T--Try
Even when your dreams seem impossible to reach, try anyway. You'll be amazed by what you can accomplish.


U--Use
Use your gifts to your best ability. Talent that's wasted has no value. Talent that's used will bring unexpected rewards.


V--Value
Value the friends and family members who've supported and encouraged you, and be there for them as well.


W--Work
Work hard every day to be the best person you can be, but never feel guilty if you fall short of your goals. Every sunrise offers a second chance.


X--X-Ray
Look deep inside the hearts of those around you and you'll see the goodness and beauty within.


Y--Yield
Yield to commitment. If you stay on track and remain dedicated, you'll find success at the end of the road.



Z--Zoom
Zoom to a happy place when bad memories or sorrow rears its ugly head. Let nothing interfere with your goals. Instead, focus on your abilities, your dreams, and a brighter tomorrow.

"Alphabet of Happiness," written and designed by Bobette Bryan, 2000

Hope

Hope opens doors where despair closes them.

Hope discovers what can be done instead of grumbling about what cannot.

Hope draws its power from a deep trust in God.

Hope "lights a candle" instead of "cursing the darkness."

Hope regards problems, small or large, as opportunities.

Hope cherishes no illusions, nor does it yield to cynicism.

Hope sets high goals and is not frustrated by repeated difficulties or setbacks.

Hope pushes ahead when it would be easy to quit.

Hope puts up with modest gains, realizing that "the longest journey starts with one step."

Hope looks for the good in people instead of harping on the worst.

- Author Unknown

SAILING INTO THE NEW YEAR
Author Unknown
January 5, 2010


God built and launched this year for you;

Upon the bridge you stand;

It's your ship, aye, your own ship,

And you are in command.

Just what the twelve months? trip will do

Rests wholly, solely, friend, with you.

Your logbook kept from day to day

My friend, what will it show?

Have you on your appointed way

Made progress, yes or no?

The log will tell, like guiding star,

The sort of captain that you are.

For weal or woe this year is yours;

Your ship is on life's sea

Your acts, as captain, must decide

Whichever it shall be;

So now in starting on your trip,

Ask God to help you sail your ship.

Closing Prayer:

Epiphany Prayer

Dear Jesus, as You led the Three Kings to You by the light of a star, please draw us ever closer to You by the light of Faith. Help us to desire You as ardently as they did. Give us the grace to overcome all the obstacles that keep us far from You. May we, like them, have something to give You when we appear before You. Mary, Our Mother, help us to know Your Son. Amen.

Good night everyone - hope you have a good evening yet and sweet dreams tonight. It feels good to get this out early for a change and hope you like it early also.
May God bless your every desire and grant you happiness and good health. Those of you who are struggling with whatever, know that you are Among Friends here and know that God is blessing you right now and has a listening ear - waiting for you to talk to him in prayer.

May God's Will be done in our lives. God bless you! Enjoy the Gift of God's night and Day!