Community Chat

[gloriajean]

God's promises are not for those who walk through life with no obstacles,
but for those who overcome their obstacles. Lord, I pray, not to overpower
others, but to overcome my own weaknesses and strengthen my trust in You.

S C R I P T U R E F O R T H E D A Y
"Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you." ~James 4:8

M E D I T A T I O N F O R T H E D A Y
"Draw near to God, and God will draw near to you." When we are faced
with a problem beyond our strength, we can turn to God by an act of
faith. It is that turning to God in each trying situation that we can
cultivate. The turning may be one of glad thankfulness for God's grace
in our life. Or our appeal to God may be a prayerful claiming of God's
strength to face a situation and finding that we have it when the time
comes. Not only the power to face trials, but also the comfort and joy
of God's nearness and companionship are ours for the asking.

P R A Y E R F O R T H E D A Y
I pray that I may try to draw near to God each day in prayer. I pray
that I may feel God's nearness and God's strength in my life.

Greetings to you all!! Hope you all had a good Monday today! I got a lot done today - and after Linus got home we did some grocery shopping at the Good Earth Food Store. It's always good to have fresh veggies and fruits and know it's healthy! On this diet - Linus has lost 5 pounds in two weeks, and I lost two. The pounds are supposed to go off slow. We have a chart that I copied from the book, that we write in. Every Monday morning we weigh in before our coffee. I'm glad the diet is going well - and the results make us feel we're doing okay. Tomorrow Linus will sign us up at the Whitney Center - that's for Senior Citizens for exercise equipment and weight lifting. It's really cheap compared to gyms.
Today my exercise was walking around Sam's Club after we shopped at the Good Earth. We didn’t' buy much there at all. Today had all kinds of blessings - our weather was so nice ice was melting all around - our patio got up to 60 degrees!! Today and tomorrow Linus only works four hours!!! Not much money is coming in! God will provide, He always does.

Homily of the Day
February 14, 2011
Am I My Brother´s Keeper?
by Monsignor Dennis Clark, Ph.D.
Gen 4:1-15, 25 / Mk 8:11-13
Like so many of us, Cain tried to bluff his way out of a tight spot when the Lord himself called him to account. His brazen response to God’s question as to the whereabouts of his brother whom he’d just killed is astonishing: ‘Am I my brother’s keeper?’ He thought he could fool God, but he couldn’t, and neither can we.
Few of us will ever have to face the consequences of fratricide, but all of us will have to give a detailed answer to the question that Cain posed so cynically. The correct answer is that we are indeed our brothers’ keepers — and our sisters’ keepers too.
But what exactly does that mean in the practical order? A massive welfare state in which all the needs of everyone are fully provided for but nobody works? Not quite! Being one another’s keepers means doing our best to see to it that everyone has the chance to build a decent life and to develop their talents. It’s about opening up opportunities for people to thrive.
Even the poorest and humblest of us have the chance to do that for one another many times every day, opening doors instead of closing them. They may be doors to new ideas or insights, doors to a warm meal, doors to a little rest or comfort. So many doors that need opening for so many people, and we have the keys to more of them than we’d suspect.
Don’t hide those keys or keep them locked away. Use them regularly. As you do, you’ll find yourself looking more and more like Jesus every day.

Five Ploys of Satan:
Doubt - Tempts us to question God's Word and his goodness, forgiveness, and love

Discouragement - Tempts us to focus intently on our problems rather than entrusting them to God's care

Diversion - Tempts us to see the wrong things as attractive so that we will want them more than the right things

Defeat - Tempts us to feel like failure so that we don't even try

Delay - Tempts us to procrastinate so that things never get done

Application:
Reflect on these ploys of Satan, and if you find that he has darkened your life on any of these counts, lift up the situation to Our Lady in prayer.
Recall her advice on binding the evil one: "Put on the armor of battle. With the rosary in your hand, defeat him!"

Special Valentine Wish
I'd like to hang a valentine
Upon the world's front door...
With hearts of love and peace entwined
To last forevermore.
With love to guide our daily path,
There'd be no one in need;
God's blessings would be shared by all
Of every race and creed.
Peace would come to all the world
As nations great and small,
Would put aside their selfish aims
To work for the good of all.
If I could have my wish today,
I'd wish for nothing more
Than to hang a great big valentine
Upon our world's front door.
Happy Valentines Everyone!

THE FAMILY BIBLE
Author Unknown
Old brother Higgins built a shelf
for the family bible to rest itself
lest a sticky finger or grimy thumb
might injure the delicate pages some.
He cautioned his children to touch it not
and it rested there with never a blot
though the Higgins tribe were
a troublesome lot.
His neighbor, Miggins, built a shelf,
"Come children," he said, "and help yourself."
His book is old and ragged and worn,
with some of the choicest pages torn,
where children have fingered
and thumbed and read.
But of the Miggins tribe I've heard it said,
each carries a bible in their head.

Valentine Prayer
I said a Valentine prayer for you
and asked the Lord above
to fill your heart and bless your soul
With the precious gift of love.
I asked Him for sincere love
The kind that's meant to stay
Just like the generous love
You give to those you touch each day.
I prayed for love from family
And from every cherished friend
Then I asked the Lord to give you
His love that knows no end.
Author Unknown

POCKETS
By Sally I. Kennedy
February 14, 2011
you are precious and honored in my sight,
.. I love you Isaiah 43:4
See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands. Isaiah 49:16
I love pockets. When clothes shopping, I think twice about purchasing
pants that have no pockets. I like aprons with pockets. And terry
cloth bathrobes that have roomy pockets. They are handy for everything
from paper towels to hamsters.
When one of our sons was young, he had a miniature hamster. He would
carry him around in his shirt pocket and it was the cutest thing to
see Butterball’s tiny nose and twitching whiskers peeking out the top.
Sometimes I go with our grandkids on treasure hunt walks. All the
interesting and cool things we find, like rocks or snail shells, go
into - yup, our pockets.
The Bible says that we are carried around in the palm of God’s hand.
I like to think we’re in His pocket, the one that’s real close to His
heart.
Pockets can - and do -hold priceless treasures...... like you.

Closing Prayer:

Everyday I need you Lord...

Every day I need you Lord
But this day especially,
I need some extra strength
To face what ever is to be.
This day more than any day
I need to feel you near,
To fortify my courage
And to overcome my fear.
By myself, I cannot meet
The challenge of the hour,
There are times when humans help,
But we need a higher power
To assist us bear what must be borne,
and so dear Lord, I pray -
Hold on to my trembling hand
And be near me today.
~ Author Unknown ~

Good night everyone and hope you all have a good night's sleep and sweet dreams! Praying this for Darla, too! May your Tuesday be full of God's wonderful surprises! We don't know that tomorrow will bring but we do know of His Love For Us and that is GREAT!!