Community Chat

[gloriajean]

Add excitement to the day by meeting everything as though it is your
very first time. Lord, give me the ability to change the ordinary into
something special, to do more than just slide through the moments of
the day and take time to notice that my life really is terrific most of
the time.


Scripture for the day:

"And he will destroy on this mountain the shroud that is cast over all
peoples, the sheet that is spread over all nations; he will swallow up
death forever. Then the Lord GOD will wipe away the tears from all
faces, and the disgrace of his people he will take away from all the
earth, for the LORD has spoken. It will be said on that day, Lo, this
is our God; we have waited for him, so that he might save us. This is
the LORD for whom we have waited; let us be glad and rejoice in his
salvation." ~Isaiah 25:7-9

Meditation for the day:

We can live today in the consciousness of God's contact, upholding us
in all good thoughts, words and deeds. If sometimes there seems to be
a shadow on our lives and we feel out of sorts, we can remember that
this is not the withdrawal of God's presence, but only our own
temporary unwillingness to realize it. The quiet gray days are the
days for doing what we must do, but we can know that the consciousness
of God's nearness will return and be with us again, when the gray days
are past.

Prayer for the day:

I pray that I may face the dull days with courage. I pray that I may
have faith that the bright days will return.

Hello my friends! How was your day! Hope it went well. Today it was very cold, but we still did venture out to our 8:00 AM Mass and glad we did, too. It was nice to be there, and we got to visit with some friends afterwards too. Then home to our coffee and breakfast!! Today at Supper Linus told me that Justin, his manager, told him that he has the highest selling record for the year of all the part timers at Northern Tool in the Nation! Wow!! He gave Justin the Workman's Comp paper and tomorrow he'll start with Dr. Mike hoping he can help his knee get healed. He has this thermagraph machine that detects everything and then he shows him what the machine found. His methods are truly amazing! When he's finished there, and on his way to work, he can take me to Lori's office which is just a block away. My blessings today is hearing that news and a little chat on Facebook with Lori.
It's been a laid back day again today. Made a chicken meal for our supper and left over scalloped potatoes that he made yesterday. I scheduled card club for the 29th over here.
It's a blessing to have a nice, warm house in this cold weather. It's a blessing to have our health, and our Faith!



Homily of the Day


December 13, 2010


Don´t Let Fear Close Your Mind or Your Heart
by Monsignor Dennis Clark, Ph.D.

Nm 24:2-7, 15-17 / Mt 21: 23-27

In a world filled with too much talk, the art of listening is one of the most valuable habits we can ever acquire. Listening can give us access to ideas we’ve never conceived of and insights that might never have occurred to us in a thousand years. And it can open for us the innermost doors of many hearts.

However, despite its manifest and myriad advantages, listening is a skill in short supply. And that is so for many reasons. Sometimes we’re just too full of our own ideas and agendas to make room for anyone else’s. Sometimes we’re too distracted by all the “noise” inside our own heads to listen attentively and peacefully. But worst of all, sometimes we’re afraid to listen, afraid we might hear some valid challenge to our way of living and thinking. We might hear something that would require us to move, to change, to give up one thing and take on something else quite different.

It was that kind of fear that closed the ears and the hearts of the chief priests and elders to whom Jesus spoke. They didn’t want to change, so they attacked Jesus, plotted against Him, and ultimately killed Him.

It’s a dire warning to us all, to see the lengths to which fear can drive ordinary human beings. And it poses an important question: Is fear of any sort causing me to close my mind or my heart to anyone? If it is, it’s time to give that fear to God, so that my heart may be free and open and listening to every single one of God’s creatures, and, indeed, to God Himself.

THE FIRST CRIB

St.Francis of Assisi assembled the first crib in a cave on an Italian hillside in 1223. His aim was to make the Christmas story come alive for the shepherds and farmers of the locality.

On Christmas eve the friars and the people assembled with candles and torches to illuminate the night. Then Francis arrived and was very happy when he saw the preparations they had made.

The crib was put in place.
The hay was brought in.
The ox and donkey were led forward.
The woods rang with their prayers.
The rocks echoed with their hymns.


Francis spoke to them about God's Son coming among us to help us to realize our splendid dignity as sons and daughters of the same Father.

At the end of the vigil they all returned to their homes, full of peace and joy, feeling very close to GOD and to ONE ANOTHER.

Blessed Christmas!
(Author Unknown)

Finding God Within and Without

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... or to you.

Glad to Meet You God.

Author Unknown

THE BEST GIFTS ARE TIED WITH "HEARTSTRINGS!"

What is the thought of Christmas? GIVING
What is the hope of Christmas? LIVING
What is the joy of Christmas? LOVE

No silver or gold is needed for giving
If the heart is filled with Christmas love,
For the hope of the world is kindly living,
Learned from the joy of God above.

- Laura Hooker

GRANDMA'S HANDS
Author Unknown


This is good; I'll never look at my hands the same!

Grandma, some ninety plus years, sat feebly on the patio bench. She
didn't move, just sat with her head down staring at her hands. When I
sat down beside her she didn't acknowledge my presence and the longer
I sat I wondered if she was OK.

Finally, not really wanting to disturb her but wanting to check on her
at the same time, I asked her if she was OK. She raised her head and
looked at me and smiled. "Yes, I'm fine, thank you for asking," she
said in a clear voice strong.

"I didn't mean to disturb you, grandma, but you were just sitting here
staring at your hands and I wanted to make sure you were OK," I
explained to her.

"Have you ever looked at your hands," she 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 she was making.

Grandma 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 husband and wiped my tears when he 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 newborn son. Decorated with
my wedding band they showed the world that I was married and loved
someone special. They wrote my letters to him and trembled and shook
when I buried my parents and spouse.

"They have held my children and grandchildren, 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
life. But more importantly it will be these hands that God will reach
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 grandma's hands and led her home.

When my hands are hurt or sore or when I stroke the face of my
children and husband I think of grandma. I know she 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.



Gifts You Can Give Year Round


The Gift of Praise
Appropriate mention, right in front of the other
fellow, of superior qualities or of a
job or deeds well done.

The Gift of Consideration
Putting yourself in the other's shoes and
thus providing your genuine understanding
of his side of the case.

The Gift of Concession
Humbly saying at just the right point,
"I am sorry, you are right and I am wrong."

The Gift of Gratitude
Never forgetting to say "Thank You"
and never failing to mean it.

The Gift of Attention
When the other fellow speaks, listen attentively.
If his words are directed to you
personally, meet his eye squarely.

The Gift of Inspiration
Plant seeds of courage and action
in the other person's heart.

The Gift of Personal Presence
In sickness, in trouble, or in great joy,
there is nothing quite equal to your
personal expression of sympathy or
congratulations. Resolve to give these gifts
each day. You will be pleasantly surprised
at what you will receive in return.


Christmas Is A Time For Love And Fun

Christmas is a time for love and fun,
A time to reshape souls and roots and skies.

A time to give your heart to everyone
Freely, like a rich and lavish sun,
Like a burning star to those whose lonely sighs.

For those who show the need of such a time for love and fun.
For children first, whose pain is never done, whose bright white fire of anguish never dies.

It's time to give your heart to every one,
That not one angel fall, to hatred won
For lack of ears to listen to her cries,
Or arms to carry him towards love and fun,

Or friends to care what happens on the run
To adult life, where joy or sadness lies.
It's time to give your heart to everyone,

For God loves all, and turns His back on none, good or twisted, ignorant or wise.

Christmas is a time for love and fun,
A time to give your heart to everyone.

Good night everyone and sweet dreams to all! May you all have a wonderful, faith-filled, positive and peaceful Tuesday! My you all find some blessings along the way!
Enjoy the Gift of God's Day!!

Closing Prayer:

Praying Through Exhaustion

Oh Lord, I am so tired. It seems like the lists of to-do's get longer each day. Help me, dear Jesus. Let me feel your loving arms wrap me tightly in the warm embrace of your endless love. Teach me to make choices about my time, to remember what is important this season and to say "NO" whenever my Yes would take me away from your peace. Fill me with patience, love and a sense of humor. Remind me of your deep love for me and let the fire of that love be something I can share with everyone around me.