Community Chat

[gloriajean]

Today ask God for anything that is in line with His will for you. Plead with Him
and Tell Him your needs and keep praying.


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

"Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are
those who have not seen and yet have come to believe." ~John 20:29

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

God can help make us truly grateful and humble. Since we cannot see God, we
can believe in God without seeing. What we can see clearly is the change in
a human being when that person sincerely asks God for the strength to
change. We can cling to faith in God and in God's power to change our ways.
Our faith in God can be rewarded by a useful and serviceable life. God can
show us the way we should live, when in real gratitude and true humility we
turn to God.

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

I pray that I may believe that God can change me. I pray that I may be
always willing to be changed for the better.

Peace of the Lord be with you! Hello my friends - hope your day went well. We got about 9 inches of snow from last night till this noon. Linus had the day off, so he spent it blowing out our driveway again, hoping this is the last time. He helped our neighbor, Pat, out of her driveway, she was stuck - and she said that the triplets are back in the hospital, one has a respiratory problem so they wanted them all in - Pat is the grandmother of the triplets and our next door neighbor. In talking to Darla today on the phone - she has 80 degrees in Texas! She called to talk to her Dad but he was busy blowing out the snow. But now he's talking to her. I didn't go out of the house today - our Sammy is so tired of the snow - he even pouted about going out today - but he went reluctantly. For lunch today we had leftovers from last night - and they were great!! Supper I made us a really good salad, and afterwards I used the food processor and processed cabbage, carrots, some broccoli, some cauliflower, some celery, cut up some Italian parsley and kale and mixed them all together to put with letter for more meals, got the cukes sliced too, all we need is to add the tomatoes in there. I made the dressing by equal amounts of olive oil and balsamic vinegar with a little bit of stevia in it and it's really delicious! Friday is in two days and I haven't heard anything yet about my volunteer job, so I don't think this week yet. It'll come, I know, I just have to be patient.

Homily of the Day


March 23, 2011


The Truth Will Set You Free
by Monsignor Dennis Clark, Ph.D.

Jer 18:18-20 / Mt 20:17-28

When people get really angry about something, they are almost always revealing something about themselves and about their needs, and quite often they neither know nor intend to reveal it! And so it is with today’s Old Testament reading. The prophet Jeremiah was not just another eccentric outsider. He was the ultimate insider in the government of the kingdom of Judah. He was a nobleman and a leader in the government, and he had been telling the truth to his colleagues and to the people for a long time.

But they just didn’t want to hear the truth, because it called for a painful re-thinking of their country’s destiny and of their own personal careers. Those in power were not about to give up their privileged status so easily, so in their fury they threw Jeremiah in prison to shut him up. But the truth that Jeremiah had spoken couldn’t be silenced, and the nation collapsed as he had predicted.

Many things can move us to ignore or deny the truth, but fear and ego are the prime culprits. We can never grow whole, we can never grow into our best selves, until we face the truth and embrace the whole of it, whatever it may be. But there’s no way that we can face the truth alone — ego and fear are too powerful. Fortunate for us, we don’t have to face it alone. The Lord will walk us through the fire and out the other side, step by step.

Trust that and you’ll know what they mean when they say, “The truth will set you free.”

Looking for God

Lord,
my God,
my one hope,
hear me,
that I be not unwilling, through weariness,
to seek you,
but that I may always ardently seek your face.

Give me the strength to seek,
since you have made me in order to find you,
and have given me the hope of finding you more and more.

My strength and my weakness are known to you:
preserve the one
and heal the other.

My knowledge and my ignorance are known to you:
where you have opened to me,
receive me as I enter;
where you have closed to me,
open to me as I knock.

May I remember you,
understand you,
love you.

Increase these things in me
until you have wholly renewed me.

St Augustine



"BE A P.E.S.T."
with Vonette Bright
-------------------------------------

Today, I'd like you to be a PEST to strangers. That's right, a pest. Here's what I mean. As you go about your day, be very sensitive to people around you, whether it be family, friends, or strangers.

Look carefully at people and ask the Lord what they need. Some people will need you to offer up a PRAYER on their behalf. That's the "P" in PEST. You don't even have to know someone or their name to pray for them.

Second, you may need to offer an EAR - be a good listener. Others might need a SHOULDER cry on - friendly comfort for their heart. Some will need a tangible TOUCH. or another type of encouragement.

Dear one, be a PEST God's way! Offer PRAYER, an EAR, a SHOULDER, or THE TOUCH OF JESUS.

A PILLOW AND A BLANKET
Author Unknown

A long time ago, a young, wealthy girl was getting ready for bed. She
was saying her prayers when she heard a muffled crying coming through
her window. A little frightened, she went over to the window and
leaned out.

Another girl, who seemed to be about her age and homeless was standing
in the alley by the rich girl's house. Her heart went out to the
homeless girl, for it was the dead of winter, and the girl had no
blanket, only old newspapers someone had thrown out.

The rich girl was suddenly struck with a brilliant idea. She called to
the other girl and said, "You there, come to my front door, please."

The homeless girl was so startled she could only manage to nod.

As quick as her legs could take her, the young girl ran down the hall
to her mothers closet, and picked out an old quilt and a beat up
pillow. She had to walk slower down to the front door as to not trip
over the quilt which was hanging down, but she made it eventually.
Dropping both the articles, she opened the door. Standing there was
the homeless girl, looking quite scared.

The rich girl smiled warmly and handed both articles to the other
girl. Her smile grew wider as she watched the true amazement and
happiness alight upon the other girl's face. She went to bed
incredibly satisfied.

In mid-morning the next day a knock came to the door. The rich girl
flew to the door hoping that it was the other little girl there. She
opened the large door and looked outside. It was the other little
girl. Her face looked happy, and she smiled. "I suppose you want these
back."

The rich little girl opened her mouth to say that she could keep them
when another idea popped into her head. "No, I want them back."

The homeless girl's face fell. This was obviously not the answer she
had hoped for. She reluctantly laid down the beat up things, and
turned to leave when the rich girl yelled, "Wait! Stay right there."

She turned in time to see the rich girl running up the stairs and down
a long corridor. Deciding whatever the rich little girl was doing
wasn't worth waiting for she started to turn around and walk away. As
her foot hit the first step, she felt someone tap her on the shoulder,
turning she saw the
rich little girl, thrusting a new blanket and pillow at her. "Have
these." she said quietly.

These were her own personal belonging made of silk and down feathers.

As the two grew older they didn't see each other much, but they were
never far from each other's minds. One day, the Rich girl, who was now
a Rich woman got a telephone call from someone. A lawyer, saying that
she was requested to see him.

When she arrived at the office, he told her what had happened. Forty
years ago, when she was nine years old, she had helped a little girl
in need. That grew into a middle-class woman with a husband and two
children. She had recently died and left something for her in her
will. "Though," the lawyer said, "it's the most peculiar thing. She
left you a pillow and a blanket."

A Love Letter from Jesus

(Insert your name in the blank)


__________,I love you! I shed my own blood for you to make you clean.
You are clean now, so believe that it is true.

You are lovely in my eyes, and I created you to be just as you are.
Do not criticize yourself or get down for not being perfect in your own eyes.
This leads only to frustration. I want you to trust Me - one step
one day at a time. Dwell in My power and in My love and be free!
Be yourself! Don't allow other people to run you.
I will guide you, if you let Me. Be aware of My presence in everything.
I give you patience, love, joy, peace and life. Look to Me for your answers.
I am your shepherd and will lead you. Follow me only! Do not ever forget this.
Listen to Me and I will tell you My will.

Let My love flow from you and spill over to all you touch.
Do not be concerned with yourself. You are My responsibility. I will change you,
and you will hardly know it is happening. You are to
love yourself and love others simply because I love you.
Take your eyes off yourself! Look only at Me!
I change...I create..., but not when you are trying. I won't fight your efforts.
You are Mine. Let Me give you joy, peace, and kindness. No one else can!

Love,
Jesus

OTHERS MAY YOU CANNOT!


If God has called you to be really like Jesus, He will draw you into a life of crucifixion and humility, and put upon you such demands of obedience, that you will not be able to follow other people, or measure yourself by other Christians, and in many ways He will seem to let other people do things which He will not let you do.

Other Christians and ministers who seem very religious and useful, may push themselves, pull wires, and work schemes to carry out their plans, but you cannot do it, and if you attempt it, you will meet with such failure and rebuke from the Lord as to make you sorely penitent.

Others may boast of themselves, of their work, of their successes, of their writings, but the Holy Spirit will not allow you to do any such thing, and if you begin it, He will lead you into some deep mortification that will make you despise yourself and all your good works.

Others may be allowed to succeed in making money, or may have a legacy left to them, but it is likely God will keep you poor, because He wants you to have something far better than gold, namely, a helpless dependence upon Him, that He may have the privilege of supplying your needs day by day out of an unseen treasury.

The lord may let others be honored and put forward, and keep you hidden in obscurity, because He wants to produce some choice, fragrant fruit for His coming glory, which can only be produced in the shade. He may let others be great, but keep you small. He may let others do a work for Him and get the credit for it, but He will make you work and toil on without knowing how much you are doing; and then to make your work still more precious, He may let others get credit for the work which you have done, and thus make your reward ten times greater when Jesus comes.

The Holy Spirit will put a strict watch over you, with a jealous love, and will rebuke you for little words and feelings or for wasting your time, which other Christians never feel distressed over. So make up your mind that God is an infinite Sovereign and has a right to do as He pleases with His own. He may not explain to you a thousand things which puzzle your reason in His dealings with you, but if you absolutely sell yourself to be his love slave, He will wrap you up in a jealous love, and bestow upon you many blessings which come only to those who are in the inner circle.

Settle it forever, then, that you are to deal directly with the Holy Spirit, and that He must have the right to tie your tongue, or chain your hand, or close your eyes, in ways that He does not seem to use with others. Now, when you are so possessed with the living God that you are, in your secret heart, pleased and delighted over this peculiar, personal, private, jealous guardianship and management of the Holy Spirit over your life, you will have found the vestibule of Heaven.

Closing Prayer:

Heavenly Father, I thank You most sincerely for all Your gifts to me, and us here on the thread. For all the friends You provide for us, for all the support You give us through your wonderful people, and I praise You and give You all the Glory and Honor! I come to ask of You, for healing for all who are in such need - physical and inner healings.
For all those who do not believe in the power of prayer - may they come to believe - this all I ask for in the Name of your Son, Jesus. We ask you, Mary, for your intercession. Amen.