Community Chat

[gloriajean]

We are each a huge container of talents and abilities many of which
we have not yet discovered and recognized. Lord, increase my ability
to believe in myself and let the wonderful me burst out.


Scripture for the day:

"I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God
in Christ Jesus." ~Philippians 3:14

Meditation for the day:

"One thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and
reaching forth unto those things that are before, I press onward
toward the goal." We can forget those things which are behind us and
press onward toward something better. We can believe that God has
forgiven us for all our past sins. We can honestly try to live today
the way we believe God wants us to live. We can wipe clean the slate
of the past. We can start today with a clean slate and go forward
with confidence toward the
goal that has been set before us.

Prayer for the day:

I pray that I may drop off the load of the past. I pray that I may
start today with a light heart and a new confidence.

Greetings to you all! Hope you all had a good day! It was nice out, had rained last night, but a nice day today. No bad, fierce weather over here, thanks be to God! Today was another ordinary day for me except for a call from our realtor that our house will have a showing tomorrow noon for an hour so I'll be walking Sammy. Maybe I'll light a candle, have all the lights on, I've been instructed to do that. This is happening too quick for me. Lots to do again to get the place looking perfect again like the pictures.
My blessings today are the phone calls - our neighbor called that we can pick their rhubarb. Being that's usually made in desserts and we can't have sugar, thought I'll just use it in strips and eat it raw - with some stevia on it. I did an experiment today - our caberbet is not a sweet wine, so thought I'd put just a little stevia in it, and that made a whole lot of difference - tastes like Sangria now!! Now Lori should like it! Just a little bit goes a long way. Linus worked, but he made chicken on the grill, and we had a salad with it, and sweet potatoe fries which he did on the grill in foil and were they delicious!! So there are lots of blessings all over the place, just not hard to find.

Homily of the Day


May 23, 2011

It´s Not About You!
by Monsignor Dennis Clark, Ph.D.

Acts 14:5-18 / Jn 14:21-26

What a grand spectacle it must have been in that Greek town when St. Paul healed the crippled man. The crowd responded with such fervor, calling Paul and his companions “gods,” and trying to offer sacrifices to them! What a temptation it would be to relax and enjoy the glory of it all — just for a little while.

It’s the kind of temptation that comes to all of us at times, though usually in less glamorous forms. It’s the temptation to say, “This or that is about ME,” when in fact it’s not. The priest can know that temptation as he towers above the congregation at the pulpit or the altar. The teacher can know it in the classroom. The boss can know it; the parent can know it; the person with some special gift can know it. All of us can know the temptation to think that God’s gifts of life, talent, or power are our own, to be flaunted and used for our own gratification and exultation. It’s the sick temptation to say that this moment or this day is about me and not about God or the folks to whom he sent his gifts through me.
Paul had that temptation, and he knew how to respond to it, “We are only men” who were sent to bring you God’s gifts. So obvious, so right, but some folks never figure it out.

Give thanks to God for all the unearned gifts he’s given to you. Ask him to guide your hand in carrying them faithfully to those who need them. That’s a prayer he always answers.

Grandpa's Hands

Grandpa, some ninety plus years, sat feebly on the patio bench. He didn't move, just sat with his head down staring at his hands. When I sat down beside him he didn't acknowledge my presence and the longer I
sat I wondered if he was OK. Finally, not really wanting to disturb him but wanting to check on him at the same time, I asked him if he was OK.
He raised his head and looked at me and smiled. "Yes, I'm fine, thank you for asking," he said in a clear strong voice. "I didn't mean to disturb you, grandpa, but you were just sitting here staring at your hands and I wanted to make sure you were OK", I explained to him. "Have you ever looked at your hands," he asked. "I mean really looked at your hands?" I slowly opened my hands and stared down at them. I turned them over, palms up and then palms down. No, I guess I had never really looked at my hands as I tried to figure out the point he was making.

Grandpa smiled and related this story: Stop and think for a moment about the hands you have, how they have served you well throughout your years. These hands, though wrinkled, shriveled and weak have been the tools I have used all my life to reach out and grab and embrace life. They braced and caught my fall when as a toddler I crashed upon the floor. They put food in my mouth and clothes on my back. As a child my mother taught me to fold them in prayer. They tied my shoes and pulled on my boots. They held my rifle and wiped my tears when I went off to war.
They have been dirty, scraped and raw, swollen and bent. They were uneasy and clumsy when I tried to hold my wedding band they showed the world that I was married and loved someone special. They wrote the
letters home and trembled and shook when I buried my parents and spouse and walked my daughter down the aisle. Yet, they were strong and sure when I dug my buddy out of a foxhole and lifted a plow off of my best friends foot. They have held children, consoled neighbors, and shook in fists of anger when I didn't
understand. They have covered my face, combed my hair, and washed and cleansed the rest of my body. They have been sticky and wet, bent and broken, dried and raw. And to this day when not much of anything else of me works real well these hands hold me up, lay me down, and again continue to fold in prayer.
These hands are the mark of where I've been and the ruggedness of my life. But more importantly it will be these hands out and take when he leads me home. And with my hands He will lift me to
His side and there I will use these hands to touch the face of Christ. I will never look at my hands the same again.

But I remember God reached out and took my grandpa's hands and led him home. When my hands are hurt or sore or when I stroke the face of my children and wife I think of grandpa. I know he has been stroked and
caressed and held by the hands of God. I, too, want to touch the face of God and feel his hands upon my face.

When you receive this, say a prayer for the person who sent it to you and watch God's answer to prayer work in your life. Let's continue praying for one another.

TEN LITTLE CHRISTIANS
Author Unknown

Ten little Christians standing in a line,
One disliked the pastor, then there were nine.

Nine little Christians stayed up very late,
One slept in on Sunday, then there were eight.

Eight little Christians on their way to heaven,
One took the low road, then there were seven.

Seven little Christians chirping like chicks,
One disliked the music, then there were six.

Six little Christians seemed very much alive,
But one lost his interest, then there were five.

Five little Christians pulling for Heaven's shore,
But one stopped to rest, then there were four.

Four little Christians, each busy as a bee,
One got her feelings hurt, then there were three.

Three little Christians knew what to do,
One joined the sports crowd, then there were two.

Two little Christians, our rhyme is nearly done,
Differed with each other, then there was one.

One little Christian can't do much 'tis true;
Brought his friend to Bible study, then there were two.

Two earnest Christians, each won one more,
That doubled their number, then there were four.

Four sincere Christians worked early and late,
Each won another, then there were eight.

Eight little Christians, if they doubled as before,
In just a few short weeks, we'd have 1,024.

In this little jingle, there's a lesson true,
You belong to the building, or the wrecking crew.


How do I find You, God?

God is Love.
If you have ever loved,
If you have ever been loved,
You have experienced God
from Within and Without
God is Truth.
If you have ever told the truth,
If you have ever discovered Truth,
You have experienced God
from Within and Without


God is Beauty.
If you have ever helped to create something beautiful,
If you have ever witnessed beauty in any of it's myriad forms,
You have experienced God
from Within and Without


God is Good.
If you have ever done or thought something good,
If you have ever recognized goodness in or through another,
You have experienced God
from Within and Without


All of those experiences, those gifts,
of Love, Truth, Beauty and Goodness
were directly from God through you

My Second Father

My father died, when I was five. It was hard on us all. With time the wounds healed. My brother, who is eight years older than me, began to watch over my mother and me.

Taking on many more responsibilities than was expected of him, I remember he made sure the trash was taken out, and the yard mowed. He did this on his own, without being told to do so.

Because of my father's death, my mother was forced to get a full time job. My brother took it upon himself, to get up early every morning.

He would get me up for school, and make me breakfast. While I was eating he would lay out my clothes, make my bed, and gather my school books up.

Hand in hand we would walk to the bus stop. As we waited, he would play games my father used to play with me. He did his best to make me happy, and he succeeded every time.

When we arrived home from school, we were alone for about a half hour, until mom was home from work. He would sit me down with three cookies and a glass of milk. If I had home work then this was the time I would do it. My brother would start laundry, and do dishes if there were any. He would find something for supper, and have everything ready for mom, so she could start cooking.

Mom would greet us with a hug and kiss. This was our queue to go outside and have some fun. This was my brother's time to be a kid.

It was a Saturday in June a couple years later. My mother and I were at the store. They had the Father's day cards out. I stared at the rack of cards. My mom said "Honey, I know this is a hard time for you." I said "No, mom that's not it. Why don't they have Brother's day cards?"

She smiled and said, "You're right, your brother has definitely been a father to you. Go ahead pick out a card." So I did, and on Father's Day my mother and I sat my brother down and gave him the card.

As he read it, I saw the tears forming in his eye's. I felt a lump in my throat, as he threw his arms around me and my mother. I heard the crackling in mom's voice as she said, "Son, your father is proud of you, seeing that he raised a good man, and that you do your best to fill his shoes. We love you, and thank you."


Author unknown

Closing prayer with be this Email Prayer:

Dear Lord:

Every evening as I'm lying here in bed, this tiny little prayer keeps running thru my head.

God bless my Mom and Dad and bless my little pup and look out for my sister when things aren't looking up.

And God, there's one more thing - I wish that You could do - Hope You don't mind me asking but please bless my computer too?

I know it's not normal to bless a mother board but just listen a second while I explain to you, My Lord:

You see, that little metal box holds more to me than odds and ends. Inside those small compartments rest a hundred of my "Best Friends".

I know for sure they like me by the kindness that they give and this little scrap of metal is how I travel to where they live.

By Faith is how I know them much the same as You - I share in what life brings them from that our friendship grew.

Please take an extra minute from Your duties up above to bless this scrap of metal that's filled with so much love!

Amen.

God bless you and Good night all - Sweet Dreams - may you all have a very Sunny day tomorrow filled with many blessings!