Community Chat

[gloriajean]

In your search for peace, look within. If you are looking elsewhere,
you are looking in the wrong place. Lord, help me to open my heart
to Your gift of peace and refuse to let anything in that disturbs it.


Scripture for the day:

"Strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all
these things will be given to you as well." ~Matthew 6:33

Meditation for the day:

"Strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all
these things will be given to you as well." We need not seek material
things first, but seek spiritual things first and material things will
come to us, as we honestly work for them. Many of us seek material
things first and think they can then grow into knowledge of spiritual
things. We cannot serve God and earthly things at the same time. The
first requisites of an abundant life are spiritual things: honesty,
purity, unselfishness and love. Until we have these qualities,
quantities of material things are of little real use to us.


Prayer for the day:


I pray that I may put much effort into acquiring spiritual things. I
pray that I may get right spiritually and enjoy the many gifts around
me.

Hello my friends! Now I'm starting over with our starter here, sorry I
cannot get new ones anymore. Please bear with me. Today again was another
nice, warm day, a little thunder showers tonight, not much. I might rain
more during the night. We talked to Darla tonight with speaker on, Greg's
son is going to Alaska after his training is finished - he's in the Air
Force. Good for him! He's seeing the world! Today was just an ordinary
day - but they are always special, too. Today was St. Joseph's day - the
husband of Mary.

Prayer to Saint Joseph
We come to you, O blessed Joseph, in our distress. Having sought the aid of
your most blessed spouse, we now confidently implore your assistance also.
We humbly beg that, mindful of the affection which bound you to the
Immaculate Virgin Mother of God, and of the fatherly love with which you
cherished the child Jesus, you will lovingly watch over the heritage which
Jesus Christ purchased with His blood, and by your powerful intercession
help us in our urgent need. Prudent guardian of the Holy Family, protect
chosen people of Jesus Christ; drive far from us, most loving father, all
error and corrupting sin. From your place in heaven, most powerful
protector, graciously come to our aid in this conflict with the powers of
darkness, and as of old you delivered the Child Jesus from danger of death,
so now defend the holy Church from the snares of the enemy and from all
adversity. Extend to each one of us your continual protection, that, led on
by your example, and borne up by your strength, we may be able to live and
die in holiness and obtain everlasting happiness in heaven. Amen.


St. Joseph, Pray for Us

Help us to trust as Joseph did.
Enable us to be a link in passing faith
and the gospel on to future generations.

from Daily Reflections for Lent

March 19, 2011

Feast of St. Joseph,

Husband of Mary

"Behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said,
'Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt. Joseph rose and took
the child and his mother by night and departed for Egypt."

Matthew 2:13- 14

For Reflection:

St. Joseph responded to the word of God immediately. How quickly do I
respond to God's word and the promptings of the Holy Spirit? St. Joseph's
obedience to God saved his family from calamity. Can I remember a time when
my obedience to God saved me from some disaster or unfortunate situation? To
what extent will this help me to promptly obey God today and in the future?

TRAVELING ON YOUR KNEES

Last night I took a journey
To a land across the seas.
I didn't go by ship or plane
I traveled on my knees.

I saw so many people there
In bondage to their sin,
And Jesus told me I should go,
That there were souls to win.

But I said "Jesus, I can't go
To lands across the seas."
He answered quickly, "Yes, you can
By traveling on your knees."

He said, "You pray, I'll meet the need.
You call, and I will hear.
It's up to you to be concerned
For lost souls far and near."

And so I did; knelt in prayer,
Gave up some hours of ease,
And with the Savior by my side,
I traveled on my knees.

As I prayed on, I saw souls saved
And twisted persons healed,
I saw God's workers strength renewed
While laboring in the field.

I said, "Yes Lord, I'll take the job.
Your heart I want to please.
I'll heed Your call and swiftly go
By traveling on my knees."

Eternal Ink

I dreamed I was in heaven where an angel kept God's book.
He was writing so intently, I just had to take a look.
It was not, at first, his writing that made me stop and think
But the fluid in the bottle that was marked eternal ink.
This ink was most amazing, dark black upon his blotter
But as it touched the parchment paper it became as clear as water.
The angel kept on writing, but as quickly as a wink
The words were disappearing with that strange eternal ink.
The angel took no notice, but kept writing on and on.
He turned each page and filled it till all its space was gone.
I thought he wrote to no avail, his efforts were so vain
For he wrote a thousand pages that he'd never read again.
And as I watched and wondered that this awesome sight was mine,
I actually saw a word stay black as it dried upon the line.
The angel wrote and I thought I saw a look of satisfaction.
At last he had some print to show for all his earnest action.
A line or two dried dark and stayed as black as black can be,
But strangely the next paragraph became invisible to see.
The book was getting fuller, the angel's records true,
But most of it was blank, with just a few words coming through.
I knew there was some reason, but as hard as I could think,
I couldn't grasp the significance of that eternal ink.
The mystery burned within me, and I finally dared to ask
The angel to explain to me of his amazing task.
And what I heard was frightful as the angel turned his head.
He looked directly at me, and this is what he said
''I know you stand and wonder at what my writing's worth
But God has told me to record the lives of those on earth.
The book that I am filling is an accurate account
Of every word and action and to what they do amount.
And since you have been watching I must tell you what is true.
The details of my journal are the strict accounts of YOU.
The Lord asked me to watch you as each day you worked and played.
I saw you as you went to church, I saw you as you prayed.
But I was told to document your life through all the week;
I wrote when you were proud and bold, I wrote when you were meek.
I recorded all your attitudes whether they were good or bad.
I was sorry that I had to write the things that make God sad.
So now I'll tell the wonder of this eternal ink,
For the reason for its mystery should make you stop and think.
This ink that God created to help me keep my journal
Will only keep a record of things that are eternal.
So much of life is wasted on things that matter not
So instead of my erasing, smudging ink and ugly blot -
I just keep writing faithfully and let the ink do all the rest
For it is able to decide what is useless and what is best.
And God ordained that as I write of all you do and say
Your deeds that count for nothing will just simply disappear away.
When books are opened someday, as sure as heaven is true;
The Lord's eternal ink will tell what mattered most to you.
If you just lived to please yourself the pages will be bare,
And God will issue no reward for you when you get there.
In fact, you'll be embarrassed and you'll hang your head in shame
Because you didn't give yourself to love in Jesus' Name.
Yet, maybe there will be a few recorded lines that stayed
That showed the times when you truly cared, sincerely loved and prayed.
But you will always wonder as you enter heaven's door
How much more glad you would have been if only you'd done more.
For I record as God sees; I don't stop to think
Because the truth is written with God's eternal ink.''
When I heard the angel's story I fell down and wept and cried
For as yet I was still dreaming and I hadn't really died.
And I said: ''Oh Angel tell the Lord that as soon as I wake up
I'll live my life for Jesus and do all for His dear sake.
I'll give in full surrender; I'll do all He wants me to;
I'll turn my back on self and sin and whatever isn't true.
And though the way seems long and rough I promise to endure.
I'm determined to pursue the things that are holy, clean and pure.
If not for me - then for my children or spouse or mate in life
With Jesus as my helper, I will win lost souls and gain great might
For I know that they will live with Christ for all eternity.
And that's what really matters when my life on earth is gone
That I will stand before the Lord and hear Him say, ''Well done!''
For is it really worth it as my life lies now at the brink?
As I realize in my dream that God keeps books with eternal ink.

Author Unknown

SECOND CHANCE
Author Unknown
March 19, 2012


If we might have a second chance
To live the day once more,
And rectify mistakes we've made
To even up the score.

If we might have a second chance
to use the knowledge gained,
Perhaps we might become at last
As fine as God ordained.

But though we can't retrace our steps,
However stands the score,
Tomorrow brings another chance
For us to try once more

May you all have many blessings awaiting you tomorrow! God bless you all!