Community Chat

[gloriajean]

When your burden seems heavier than usual, know that your blessings

are more than usual. Lord, I call on you for the strength, the wisdom

and the confidence that I will need today.

Scripture for the day:

"When they saw him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost and cried

out; for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to

them and said, 'Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.'" ~Mark 6:49-50

Meditation for the day:

I can take the most crowded day without fear. I believe that God is with me

and controlling all. I can let confidence be the motif running through all

the crowded day. I need not be worried, because I know that God is my

helper. Underneath are the everlasting arms of God. I can rest in them,

even though the day be full of things crowding in upon me.

Prayer for the day:

I pray that I may be calm and let nothing upset me. I pray that I may not

let material things control me and choke out spiritual things.

Hello my friends! Many more blessings today came my way - we went to the Cathedral for Mass at noon, and here was Father Jerry saying the Mass!! Talked to him a little after Mass and got a hug!! Then we went for a little food shopping at Good Earth, and ate at the Deli there - good food and delicious! Took a nap - and we went to Confession at five, and then Lori called and invited us for soup so we went there to discuss the trip, what to bring along etc. etc.. It was a good God-Filled day!! So what are your blessings? I’m sure there are many. Praying for all of you for your needs - thanks for your prayers for us.

THE APPLE BASKET

Author Unknown

One day an elderly man entered into a hospital. He was grumpy from

being on medication and the nurses thought him to be insane, as he

yelled for his wife to get the apple basket. By the time they had

checked him into his room the nurses were exhausted from the fight he

was putting up.

"Sir you have to calm down we are doing everything we can for you"

they would try to explain.

"I don't need your help" the grumpy man would yell "I want my apple

basket". He finally slept. The nurses sighed with relief and talked

among themselves whether they should call the hospital psychologist

about the old man and his obsession with the apple basket.

As they talked and laughed about the situation the wife came in

carrying the basket of apples. They looked kind of stunned as she

asked if she could see her husband and deliver his basket. Sure, they

agreed as they watched her slip past into his room.

Curiosity consumed them over the next few weeks as they tended to the

elderly man. He was eaten with cancer and the doctors had given him no

hope of survival. He turned out to be a very calm, happy man once he

had his basket. His wife, they noticed, would come in with apples and

go out with apples and the curiosity grew even more till one nurse

couldn't stand the suspense.

One night as he was nearing the end, the nurse sat down in a chair by

the wife." May I ask why do you have that apple basket? I just don't

understand the significance."

"I am an apple farmer by trade he sighed. From the time I was 20 till

the day I do die I will forever have my apples." The nurse nodded

thinking she understood. He just likes his work, she thought, assured

now he was a little bit crazy.

As she started to leave, the old man asked her to sit down. "At age 20

I was saved, I accepted the Lord as my Savior." Oh no, the nurse

thought. Here comes the lecture on religion. The old man continued.

"The day I accepted the Lord as my Savior I got this basket, and each

time I had a problem or concern that I could not handle, I put an

apple in the basket un-shined."

"Why?" the nurse said shaking her head.

"Because it reminded me to give those problems to the Lord for him to

shine. See my basket now, he stated. As my problems disappear so do

the apples. As I get new problems, ones I cannot handle alone, I put

an apple in."

The humble nurse looked into the basket...only one apple was there.

With that, he took a big breath and grabbed his wife by the hand and

faded into eternal sleep. The wife paused for a moment and got up from

her place to take from the basket the last remaining apple. She

whispered in his ear that his reward awaits him in heaven.

The nurse stayed still and asked with tears in her eyes, "what do you

think his riches will be?"

The wife knew what they were, eternal life with Jesus Christ. But she

could see the concern and sadness upon the young nurses' face and

handed her the apple and said "the biggest apple pie you can

imagine!"

That was the day the young nurse was saved, and from that day on she

always had a basket by her bed.

A BOUQET FOR GOD

By Gail Rodgers

Do you ever wonder how to accept compliments when you have simply done

what God asked you to and know He empowered you to do it?

Jesus said that we cannot bear fruit unless we are connected to Him. Our

own best efforts, without the power of the Holy Spirit, will have no effect

for eternity.

He told us that having fruit in our lives shows that we are Jesus'

followers. When we see results for God's kingdom...God gets the credit.

Jesus said" This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing

yourselves to be my disciples" (John 15:7).

So what do you do when people want to give you the credit and you feel

uncomfortable with it?

A wise lady once told me to graciously say "thank you" and receive each

compliment as you would accept a beautiful rose. Honor the giver with

heartfelt gratitude. Enjoy each blossom that is handed to you and in your

heart praise God for the beauty His fruit has brought to your own life.

Then, at the end of each day, offer all the flowers up to God as a bouquet

of praise and thankfulness to Him.

Giving everything back to God, whether it is your compliments, your

accomplishments, your riches or your influence keeps them from taking root

in your own heart. It keeps you mindful of God's work through the power of

His Holy Spirit and safeguards you from having unwanted seeds of pride take

root.

Don't rob God by casting aside the kind words of those whose lives are

touched by what God is doing through you. Gather the lovely flowers and

carry them to your Heavenly Father as your praise offering.

What a lovely picture...bouquets for God.

~ Father God,

Thank You for Your empowering Holy Spirit who works through me to touch

lives around me. Please help me to graciously accept the flowers of

gratitude that come my way and to gather them together as a bouquet for You,

the Giver of all good gifts. Keep my heart free of self pride that stifles

Your Spirit and use me to bear much fruit for Your kingdom. With

thanksgiving I pray in Jesus' strong name, amen.