Community Chat

[gloriajean]

Unhappiness within comes out in an emotional reaction, unlike the happy
person
who is slow to anger. Lord, help me to glow in Your presence so that the
heat of
the moment doesn't get to me.

Scripture for the day:

"Teach me your way, O LORD, that I may walk in your truth; give me an
undivided heart to revere your name." ~Psalm 86:11

Meditation for the day:

I believe that life is a school in which I can learn spiritual things.
I can trust in God and God will teach me. I can listen to God and God can
speak through my mind. I can commune with God in spite of all opposition
and every obstacle. There will be days when I will hear no voice in my mind
and when there will come no intimate heart-to-heart communion. But if I
persist, and make a life habit of schooling myself in spiritual things, God
can be revealed to me in many ways.

Prayer for the day:

I pray that I may regularly go to school in things of the spirit. I pray
that I may grow spiritually, by making a practice of all these things.

Hello my friends - all you grateful gals and positive pals! Hope you all
had a nice Valentine's Day! He worked today but his knee was good again and
I thank God for that for answering our prayers again!! Now he has off until
Saturday. I made a whole chicken in the crock pot today, just put a little
onion flakes on top with some salt and pepper, and some sweet potatos around
it. Turned out delicious! I don't make whole chickens very much, so was
hoping it would be good. We had some red wine with it, maybe with chicken,
it should be white wine, but I don't care - red is better for us so it was
red melbac - and it was good. I called Sister LaDonna tonight - had a real
nice visit and her leg is healing and not so painful anymore - praise God!
She is really busy there - today they had a nice Valentine's party - lots of
food and some wine, also some non-alcoholic drinks too. Sunday at Mass she
did a reading and got complements on it! She busys herself making all
occasion cards and maybe she'll sell them at their gift store. She does
this on her computer. So I was so shocked last night to find out that Joe
died of a heart attack instead of the carbon mon. poisoning - Erma said he
did have some heart problems years ago - but he probably didn't know how
severe. Lori and I talked about that tonight - she was shocked too. Then
we talked about how he ate, lots of greasy burgers at the bar - and other
fried foods - he fished a lot too, and that probably all clogged his
arteries. Wish I would have known and I could have given him tips on how to
eat right.

PLANTING A SEED
By Marion Smith
Feb 3 2009


1 Cor 3:6
I am sure you have seen this – weeds or little flowers pushing their
way up to the sunshine in a crack of a sidewalk, driveway or road.
Sometimes I wonder how they thrive so well, when things I have planted
intentionally do so poorly! Today I noticed a wonderful gift from God
in our cement patio area. The spot where the bird dropped the
sunflower seed was almost invisible to the eye. There was no obvious
dirt to nurture its growth, and no water to sustain it. Despite all
odds, and because I didn’t pull it up when it looked so ugly and
weedy, it grew and blossomed into a beautiful sunflower which I
enjoyed.

When we share our love for the Lord with someone, or when we tell them
how God has helped and sustained us in our need, we are planting a
seed in that person’s mind. It is a seed of love that will grow into
full bloom, in God’s perfect time. We don’t have to feel responsible
to nurture, fertilize and water this seed to death. All we have to do
it plant it. God will take care of the rest. The most important thing
for Christians is - do not pull the seed of love as it grows. Do not
discourage or make fun of anyone searching for the truth. They may ask
questions or do things which look like a weed- unattractive and
annoying, but…… it is our responsibility to pray for that person and
watch God do His marvelous miracle as He draws the unbeliever into His
divine presence. Do you agree?

What a privilege to remember, once again, that God is in control.

DON'T GIVE UP
Author Unknown
Jan 16 2009


One day I decided to quit...

I quit my job, my relationship, my spirituality. .. I wanted to quit
my life.
I went to the woods to have one last talk with God.
"God", I asked, "Can you give me one good reason not to quit?"

His answer surprised me...

"Look around", He said. "Do you see the fern and the bamboo?"

"Yes", I replied.

"When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care
of them.

I gave them light.

I gave them water.

The fern quickly grew from the earth.

Its brilliant green covered the floor.

Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the
bamboo.

In the second year the Fern grew more vibrant and plentiful.

And again, nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on
the bamboo.

He said.

"In year three there was still nothing from the bamboo seed.
But I would not quit.
In year four, again, there was nothing from the bamboo seed. I would
not quit."

He said.

"Then in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged from the earth. Compared
to the fern it was seemingly small and insignificant. ...But just 6
months later the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall.
It had spent the five years growing roots. Those roots made it strong
and gave it what it needed to survive. I would not give any of my
creations a challenge it could not handle."

He asked me. "Did you know, my child, that all this time you have been
struggling, you have actually been growing roots".

"I would not quit on the bamboo.
I will never quit on you."

"Don't compare yourself to others."

He said.

"The bamboo had a different Purpose than the fern.
Yet they both make the forest beautiful."

"Your time will come", God said to me.

"You will rise high"

"How high should I rise?"

I asked.

"How high will the bamboo rise?" He asked in return.

"As high as it can?" I questioned.

"Yes." He said, "Give me glory by rising as high as you can."

I left the forest and brought back this story.
I hope these words can help you see that God will never give up on
you.

Never, Never, Never Give up.
For the Christian Prayer is not an option but an opportunity.
Don't tell the Lord how big the problem is, tell the problem how Great
the Lord is!

And some Mother Teresa quotes:

In Christ, who died on the cross for us, we can definitely confirm the fact
that suffering can transform itself into a great love and an extraordinary
generosity.

+++

To love and to serve the poor presupposes something that has nothing to do
with giving them our leftovers, or giving them the food we do nor like. It
has nothing to do with giving them the clothes we no longer wear just
because the clothes are no longer in fashion or because we no longer like
them.

Is this sharing the poverty of the poor? Of course it is not.

+++
There are thousands-millions-of people who die for lack of bread.

There are thousands-millions-of human beings who grow weak for lack of a
little love because they would like to be recognized, even if just a little.

Jesus becomes weak and dies in them.

+++

Once more, today and yesterday, Jesus comes to his own and his own refuse to
welcome him (John 1:11).

He comes in the broken bodies of the poor.

He also comes in the rich who are drowning in the loneliness of their own
riches. He also comes in their lonely hearts, when there is no one to offer
them love.

+++
What we say does nor matter, only what God says to souls through us.

+++

Good works are links that form a chain of love.

+++



God's Valentine


For God so loV ed the world,
That He gA ve
His onL y
Begott E n
So N
T hat whosoever
Believeth I n Him
Should N ot perish,
But have E verlasting life."
John 3:16

The Empty Chair

A man's daughter had asked the parish priest to come and pray with her
father. When the priest arrived, he found the man lying in bed with his head
propped up on two pillows. An empty chair sat beside his bed. The priest
assumed that the old fellow had been informed of his visit.

"I guess you were expecting me," he said.

"No, who are you?" said the father.

The priest told him his name and then remarked, "I see the empty chair; I
figured you knew I was going to show up."

"Oh yeah, the chair," said the bedridden man. "Would you mind closing the
door?"

Puzzled, the priest shut the door.

"I have never told anyone this, not even my daughter," said the man. " But
all of my life I have never known how to pray. At church I used to hear the
pastor talk about prayer, but it went right over my head.

I abandoned any attempt at prayer, until one day about four years ago my
best friend said to me, `Johnny, prayer is just a simple matter of having a
conversation with Jesus. Here is what I suggest.' Sit down in a chair; place
an empty chair in front of you, and in faith see Jesus on the chair. It's
not spooky because he promised; `I'll be with you always.' Then just speak
to him in the same way you're doing with me right now."

So I tried it and I've liked it so much that I do it a couple of hours every
day. I'm careful though. If my daughter saw me talking to an empty chair,
she'd either have a nervous breakdown or send me off to the funny farm.

The priest was deeply moved by the story and encouraged the old man to
continue on the journey. Then he prayed with him, anointed him with oil, and
returned to the church. Two nights later the daughter called to tell the
priest that her daddy had died that afternoon.

"Did he die in peace?" he asked.

"Yes, when I left the house about two o'clock, he called me over to his
bedside, told me he loved me and kissed me on the cheek. When I got back
from the store an hour later, I found him dead. But there was something
strange about his death. Apparently, just before Daddy died, he leaned over
and rested his head in the chair beside the bed. What do you make of that?"

The priest wiped a tear from his eye and said, "I wish we could all go like
that."

Valentine Prayer

I said a Valentine prayer for you
and asked the Lord above
to fill your heart and bless your soul
With the precious gift of love.

I asked Him for sincere love
The kind that's meant to stay
Just like the generous love
You give to those you touch each day.

I prayed for love from family
And from every cherished friend
Then I asked the Lord to give you
His love that knows no end.

Author Unknown

May you all have a very blessed ordinary day tomorrow - with lots of hugs
and blessings!!