Hello my friends, This morning was a blessing morning, my husband was able to do a lot of yard work before the rain, planted new strawberries, lawn cut, etc. Wish I could help him, but my legs and back won't let me but I can pick the strawberries and raspberries when they are ready, just not the weeding down in the gardens, and he doesn't mind doing it. I can in the risers though. Today I picked some of our kale and collard, put thru the food processor and added it to our home grown lettuce for a great salad with olive oil and plum vinegar, I added raisins and some nuts to it too. Can hardly wait for our strawberries to ripen - they would be great in salads too along with raspberries. More carrots were planted this morning. Those are my blessings - a good husband who does the yard work, now he's gone to work, and tomorrow he leaves for Texas to help Darla drive home on Wednesday for two days. She won't have time to get her injection in her neck for her migraines, please pray she won't get them anyway. She suffers so much with that, her back and insomnia. Thanks for your prayers in advance.
Apply God's promises to your daily lives and speak to Him from
the depths of your heart. Lord, the more time I spend with You,
the stronger You make my faith and the more blessings You place
in my life.
Scripture for the day:
"Jesus turned and said to Peter, 'Get behind me, Satan! You are a
stumbling block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine
things but on human things. 'Then Jesus told his disciples, 'If any
want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take
up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life
will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.'"
~Matthew 16:23-25
Meditation for the day:
We were born with the Divine within us. Living a selfish life can
hinder the Divine from being expressed and shared. The celestial fire
has to be tended and fed so that it will grow into a real desire to
live the right way. By trying to do the will of God, we grow more and
more in the new way of life. By thinking of God, praying to God and
having communion with God, we gradually grow more like God. The way
of our transformation from the material to the spiritual allows God to
work in and through us.
Prayer for the day:
I pray that I may tend the spark of the Divine within me so that it
will grow. I pray that I may be gradually transformed from the old
life to the new and fuller life.
Story of Edie
Some years ago, a tiny Korean orphan arrived in the United States to join
her adoptive family. She was nine months old and weighed only 9 ½ pounds.
She grew and blossomed in her new home, but remained a diminutive size.
Her new name was Edie.
One day when Edie was in second grade, she ran home from school, crying. She
was frightened. That day, three new girls had been enrolled in her class.
During the first recess, they picked the smallest girl in the class as the
object of their anger and frustration. They pinched, poked, and pushed tiny
Edie and threatened to beat her up.
Edie had spent an hour in the principal's office with the three girls and
was assured the teachers would be watching. The girls were given a warning.
Edie's mother held her little one and comforted her. She learned later,
after speaking with the principal, that the girls had been troublemakers at
several other schools. They were being given one more chance at anew
beginning.
"These girls must have been very hurt in their young lives to be so angry.
Her mother said. "The Bible tells us, "Be kind to your enemies, and pray for
those who persecute you. Edie, let's pray."
Then they prayed for the girls and asked the Lord for a plan of action.
A plan began to take shape. "I can't go to school with you everyday, so you
will need to stay close to a teacher when you are at recess or in line to go
into school." said Edie's mom.
"If the girls start to pick on you, tell them, "I'd really like to be your
friend Are you brave enough to do that?" Edie's mother asked. "The Lord
asks us to be kind to our enemies, let's see what happens, okay?
The tiny girl perked up, and with a smile, looked at her mother and said,
"Yes, Mom, I'll try."
The next morning, and everyday before Edie left for school, she and her mom
prayed for her to be safe and brave, and for the girls to be open to God's
love. Everyday, the girls shoved into line behind Edie and called her
names and tried to get in a poke or two.
Each time, Edie looked up at them and said, "I'd really like to be your
friend." She did have to look up at them since they were so much taller
than she was.
The teachers kept an eye on the proceedings, but did not need to interfere
as the girls were not hurting her.
After about two weeks, Edie came home looking so discouraged. She told her
mother that she didn't think it was working. After they talked about it
some more and prayed, she decided to keep trying and continued to faithfully
tell them, "I'd really like to be your friend."
One day the following week, Edie ran home as fast as she could and ran into
the house shouting, "Mom, Mom, guess what happened today? Just like I
always did, I said I'd really like to be your friend, and one of the girls
said, "Okay, Edie, we give up, we'll be your friend."
Edie and her mom thanked the Lord for His faithfulness.
A short time later, as the girls were trying to become friends, Edie asked
the teacher if she could sit at a table with these girls in the classroom.
She had noticed that they were disruptive because they didn't understand the
lessons. Edie became their tutor.
Toward the end of the school year, when Edie's parents went to school for a
parent teacher conference, the teacher told them, "Because of Edie's
kindness, those girl's have completely turned around and are productive
members of the class." She felt she had witnessed a miracle. And so did
Edie's mom and dad.
How many people go through life never experiencing kindness? They don't see
it in strangers, and some don't even find it in their own families.
Without experiencing kindness, it becomes impossible to express kindness
toward others. The result of this tragic lack is seen everywhere.
What a different society this would be if everyone who has received kindness
would be kind to others, especially the unlovely.
- Author Unknown
For the Presence of God
Through every moment of this day: Be with me, Lord.
Through every day of all this week: Be with me, Lord.
Through every week of all this year: Be with me, Lord.
Through every year of all this life: Be with me, Lord.
So that when time is past,
By grace I may at last,
Be with you, Lord.
God be in my head, and in my understanding.
God be in my eyes, and in my looking.
God be in my mouth, and in my speaking,
God be in my heart, and in my thinking,
God be at my end, and at my departing.
Mother Teresa said...
I always begin my prayer in silence, for it is in the silence of the heart
that God speaks. God is the friend of silence - we need to listen to God
because it's not what we say but what He says to us and through us that
matters. Prayer feeds the soul - as blood is to the body, prayer is the
soul - and it brings you closer to God. It also gives you a clean and pure
heart. A clean heart can see God, can speak to God, and can see the love of
God in others.
A Prayer for Loved Ones
Lord, be their Shepherd,
Keep them with the flock,
Watch them and tend him,
Be their solid rock.
Don't let them falter,
Don't let them fall,
Wait with them, Father,
Be there for their call.
Hold their hand firmly,
The path grows so steep,
Wipe their tears gently,
Should they start to weep.
Teach them to follow,
In Your humble way,
Help them to walk,
In Your shadow each day.
Strengthen their body,
Weaken their will,
Should they deny You,
Stay with them still.
Give them Your shoulder,
On which they may rest,
Embrace them warmly,
Next to Your breast.
Please place Your hand,
Upon their dear head,
And give them Your blessing,
As their spirit is fed.
Quiet their mind,
Comfort their soul,
Put peace in their heart,
Make their life whole.
Give them a vision,
Of Your tender smile,
Let them feel loved,
All of the while.
Prayer For Easing of Stress and Anxiety
Lord, there has been too much change in my life recently, and I feel
overwhelmed. Because I try to be a responsible person, I sometimes forget
that it is unwise for me to allow my sense of duty to override my common
sense.
Lord, help me to allow myself more time to rest, relax, and pray. Guide
me toward something spiritual to read every day and a quiet time
afterwards to reflect on what I have read and how it pertains to my
life. I truly want to simplify my life and live more as Christ did. Help
me remember that there is no loss or problem I must face alone. You are
always near, with Your love and compassion to comfort me. Amen.
Healing of the Spirit Special Intention
Gentle Jesus, with faith in Your healing powers and confidence in Your
constant compassion, I ask you to heal my suffering spirit. May my soul
find rest in Your comforting love and relief from sorrow and anguish.
Relying on Your love, I especially ask Your help in (name your concern.) I
place my trust in Your power to heal my spirit from feelings of
hopelessness, unrest, and despair. Amen.
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