Hello my friends! Hope your day was great! Our was for the most part - Mass this morning, good way to start out the day with Jesus, and Ray and Ann were there, visiting with them after Mass always a plus! They are such great friends! Thanks be to God for them! Blessings today - nice day - not windy, and Linus got a lot of yard work done, fertilized the lawn, and will be planting some garden vegetables soon. Tomorrow and for the next 3 days it seems like the forecast is rain. No more snow here! Had a nice visit with Darla on the phone this afternoon, long one! We'll be meeting with her and Greg at AppleBees in a town an hour away 9 PM after they land Thursday night. Please pray for all those who are sick - at least one is sick who posts here, I sure know what that's like to try to get over it. Praying for you all - and for good health to return.
God is always at work in your life. Notice His light on the events of your
day.
Lord, I sometimes look without really seeing. Help me to pause and notice.
Scripture for the day:
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses,
let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely,
and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us."
~Hebrews 12:1
Meditation for the day:
Spiritual development can be achieved by daily persistence in living
the way we believe God wants us to live. Like the wearing away of a
stone by steady drops of water, so can our daily persistence wear away
all the difficulties and gain spiritual success for us. We need never
falter in our daily, steady persistence. We can go forward boldly and
unafraid. God can help and strengthen us, as long as we are trying to
do God's will.
Prayer for the day:
I pray that I may persist day by day in gaining spiritual experience.
I pray that I may make this a lifetime work.
Prayers in Times of Weakness, Trial, Tribulation
O Heart of Love, I place all my trust in Thee, for I fear all things from my
own weakness, but I hope for all things from Thy goodness.
St. Margaret Mary
I live through the mercy of Jesus, to whom I owe everything and from whom I
expect everything.
Pope John the 23rd
Yet, O Lord, though I have no feeling of confidence in You, nevertheless, I
know that You are my God, that I am all Yours, and that I have no hope but
in your goodness; so, I abandon myself entirely into Your hands.
St. Francis de Sales
You make a root below the soil flourish and you can make fruitful the
darkness in which you keep me.
Jean-Pierre de Caussade
I adore all Thy purposes without knowing them; I am silent; I offer myself
in sacrifice; I yield myself to Thee; I would have no other desire than to
accomplish Thy will. Teach me to pray; pray Thyself in me.
Fenelon
May I be patient! It is so difficult to realize what one believes, and to
make these trials, as they are intended, real blessings.
John Henry Cardinal Newman
My own heart let me more have pity on.
Gerard Manley Hopkins, S.J.
WELCOMING THE HOLY SPIRIT
-
Holy Spirit, you are welcome in my mind.
Holy Spirit, please transform my mind.
Bring my every thought into alignment with God's perfect plan for my life.
-
Holy Spirit, you are welcome in my heart.
Holy Spirit, please transform my heart.
Erase every feeling, memory and experience that is not a reflection of God's
love for me.
-
Holy Spirit, you are welcome in my life.
Holy Spirit, please transform every condition, situation and circumstance of
my life.
Make my life a living reflection of the goodness and glory of God.
-
Holy Spirit, transform every part of me that is not in keeping with God's
love, God's goodness, God's purpose
and God's perfect plan for me to live a life of joy, peace, wholeness, ease,
harmony and abundance.
-
Holy Spirit, help me to be all that God created me to be. For Your Presence
I Am So Grateful!
A BOUQUET 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.
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