Hello my friends! How was your day today? Any blessings you'd like to share with us? Today was and is another snow day - tomorrow should be high winds and it has a blizzard warning, so we stay in. In spite of the bad weather, we still have many blessings all around us! My husband is home - I don't have to be concerned about him being out in the road. Sammy seems to be coughing less and for that I thank God! I made a really good chili for lunch today - a big batch of it so I can freeze some, emptying good stuff I had in the fridge, and it all turned out very delicious! I could never repeat it though! We're having a salad for supper. We are doing great in our food plan - and it's interesting trying new recipes etc. Lori wants me to go on Pinterest - is that the word? It has many recipes she says. May you all have another day full of God's blessings is my prayer for you all.
Often times that which we find difficult is that which teaches.
Lord, may I always be able to see the good that comes from
even my trials.
S C R I P T U R E S F O R T H E D A Y
And out of gloom and darkness, the eyes of the blind shall see. The lowly
will ever find joy in the LORD, and the poor rejoice in the Holy One of
Israel. ~Isaiah 29:17-24
Then he touched their eyes and said, "Let it be done for you according to
your faith." And their eyes were opened. Jesus warned them sternly,
See that no one knows about this." But they went out and spread word of
him through all that land. ~Matthew 9:27-31
M E D I T A T I O N F O R T H E D A Y
We are called to be people of hope, trusting that the unexpected and even
the impossible are possible with God. We can hope for justice and the
lasting peace that is its result.
P R A Y E R F O R T H E D A Y
I pray that I may trust that all things are possible with God. I pray
that I may work for the justice that can lead to lasting peace.
Today I'd like to share Patrick's Reflection for today:
From: Patrick Carnevale
Today's readings 1/15/14/
1Sam.3:1-10, 19-20; Ps.40:2, 5, 7-10; Mk.1:29-39
Like young Samuel we could easily remain lying in a quiet corner of our own
unique "temple" completely oblivious to God's call, and the sad reality is a
lot of good people do just that and never realize the "purpose" for which
they were created. Jesus could have done the same thing by remaining in
Capernaum and continuing to teach and heal where He and His disciples were
quite comfortable, but He knew He couldn't allow that to happen, and that's
because He spent time every day listening to His Father's Voice. There is no
reason why any of us can't experience the same thing in our prayer lives
too, in fact I believe God desires that more than anything else, all because
it is in growing familiar with His Voice that we become comfortable doing
the incredible things He wants to do through us just as He did through
Samuel and eventually His Beloved Son. Sure, there's no doubt we can stay
where we are and still serve God, He doesn't need us to do anything more
than believe in order to serve Him in some way, but when we step out in
faith like young Samuel did there's no limit to what He can accomplish in
and through our lives, and after all that is what we all want too, isn't it?
God bless you,
In Jesus - Pat
Once Upon A Pew I Sat
Once upon a pew I sat And heard the preacher ask,
"We need someone to teach a class, Now who will take this task?"
Then God sat down beside me there And said, "Son, that's for you."
"But, Lord, to stand before a class Is one thing I can't do.
Now Bill would be the man to call, There's nothing he won't do.
I'd rather hear the lesson taught From here upon my pew."
Once upon a pew I sat And heard the preacher ask, "We need someone to
lead the songs, Now who will take this task?"
Then God sat down beside me there And said, "Son, that's for you."
"But Lord, to sing before a crowd Is one thing I can't do.
Now Brother King will do the job, There's nothing he won't do.
I'd rather hear the music played From here upon my pew."
Once upon a pew I sat And heard the preacher ask, "I need someone to
keep the door, Now who will take this task?"
Then God sat down beside me there And said, "Son, that's for you."
"But saying things to strangers, Lord, Is one thing I can't do.
Now Tom can talk to people, Lord, There's nothing he won't do.
I'd rather someone come to me And greet me on the pew."
As years just seemed to pass me by, I heard that voice no more.
Until one night I closed my eyes And woke on heaven's shore.
'Twas four of us together there To face eternity.
God said, "I need just three of you To do a job for me."
"O Lord, I cried, "I'll do the job, There's nothing I won't do."
But Jesus said, "I'm sorry, Friend, In Heaven there's no pew."
- Author Unknown
Your Word, My Heart
Dear God,
I'll hide Your Word within my heart
To call upon each day
To calm me when the trials appear,
Or trouble comes my way.
I'll remember how You promised me
That all things work for good
I'll be steadfast in my prayers
And have faith, the way I should.
My very life is in Your hands,
My heart is Yours to mold
Each part of me belongs to You,
(A story to unfold).
Forgive me when I fail to live
The way You want me to
Restore in me, undying faith
And make me more like You.
Amen.
- Author Unknown
Finders Keepers
A wise woman who was travelling in the mountains found a precious stone in a
stream. The next day she met another traveller who was hungry, and the wise
woman opened her bag to share her food. The hungry traveller saw the
precious stone and asked the woman to give it to him. She did so without
hesitation.
The traveller left, rejoicing in his good fortune. He knew the stone was
worth enough to give him security for a lifetime. But a few days later he
came back to return the stone to the wise woman. "I've been thinking," he
said, "I know how valuable the stone is, but I give it back in the hope that
you can give me something even more precious: Give me what you have within
you that enabled you to give me the stone."
Prayer:
Grant O Lord, My God, a mind to know you,
a heart to seek you,
wisdom to find you,
conduct pleasing to you,
faithful perseverance in waiting for you
and a hope of finally embracing you.
- - -
Acts 20:35 - (Jesus said) "There is more happiness in giving than in
receiving."
Prayer Upon Arising from Sleep
O Master and holy God, who are beyond our understanding: at your word, light
came forth out of darkness. In your mercy, you gave us rest through
night-long sleep, and raised us up to glorify your goodness and to offer our
supplication to You. Now, in your own tender love, accept us who adore You
and give thanks to You with all our heart. Grant us all our requests, if
they lead to salvation; give us the grace of manifesting that we are
children of light and day, and heirs to your eternal reward. In the
abundance of your mercies, O Lord, remember all your people; all those
present who pray with us; all our brethren on land, at sea, or in the air,
in every place of Your domain, who call upon your love for mankind. Upon
all, pour down your great mercy, that we, saved in body and in soul, may
persevere unfailingly; and that, in our confidence, we may extol your
exalted and blessed Name, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, always, now and
forever. Amen.
Jesus and the Mud Puddle
Jesus and the Mud Puddle,, please read
A great story..........
Howard County Sheriff Jerry Marr got a disturbing call one Saturday
afternoon a few months ago. His 6-year-old grandson Mikey had been hit by a
car while fishing in Greentown with his dad. The father and son were near a
bridge by the Kokomo Reservoir when a woman lost control of her car, slid
off the bridge and hit Mikey at a rate of about 50 mph.
Sheriff Marr had seen the results of accidents like this and feared the
worst. When he got to Saint Joseph Hospital, he rushed through the emergency
room to find Mikey conscious and in fairly good spirits.
"Mikey, what happened?" Sheriff Marr asked.
Mikey replied, "Well, Papaw, I was fishin' with Dad, and some lady runned me
over, I flew into a mud puddle, and broke my fishin' pole and I didn't get
to catch no fish!"
As it turned out, the impact propelled Mikey about 500 feet, over a few
trees and an embankment and in the middle of a mud puddle. His only injuries
were to his right femur bone which had broken in two places. Mikey had
surgery to place pins in his leg. Otherwise the boy is fine.
Since all the boy could talk about was that his fishing pole was broken, the
Sheriff went out to Wal-mart and bought him a new one while he was in
surgery so he could have it when he came out.
The next day the Sheriff sat with Mikey to keep him company in the hospital.
Mikey was enjoying his new fishing pole and talked about when he could go
fishing again as he cast into the trash can. When they were alone, Mikey,
just a matter-of-fact, said, "Papaw, did you know Jesus is real?"
Well," the Sheriff replied, a little startled. "Yes, Jesus is real to all
who believe in him and love him in their hearts."
"No," said Mikey. "I mean Jesus is REALLY real."
"What do you mean?" asked the Sheriff.
"I know he's real 'cause I saw him." said Mikey, still casting in to the
trash can.
"You did?" said the Sheriff.
"Yep," said Mikey. "When that lady runned me over and broke my fishing pole,
Jesus caught me in his arms and laid me down in the mud puddle."
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