Community Chat

[gloriajean]

To reach Heaven, we must sail. Sometimes we sail with the wind and sometimes against the wind,

but we must sail, not drift or be anchored. Lord, Thy Will be done so that I will stay on course all

the days of my life.

Scripture for the day:

"Prepare your minds for action; discipline yourselves; set all your hope on

the grace that Jesus Christ will bring you when he is revealed. Like

obedient children, do not be conformed to the desires that you formerly had

in ignorance. Instead, as he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in

all your conduct; for it is written, 'You shall be holy, for I am holy.'"

~1 Peter 1:13-16

Meditation for the day:

No work is of value without preparation. Every spiritual work needs to have

behind it much spiritual preparation. If we cut short times and prayer and

times of spiritual preparation, many hours of work may be profitless. One

poor tool working all the time, but doing bad work because of lack of

preparation is of small value compared with the sharp, keen, perfect

instrument working for only a short time, but which turns out perfect word

because of long hours of spiritual preparation.

Prayer for the day:

I pray that I may spend more time alone with God. I pray that I may get

more strength and joy from such times, so that they will add much to my

work.

Hello to all you positive pals and grateful gals out there! Today we got two blessing calls - first Darla called to say she got a call from Metro State U in Mpls. they want another interview and will fly her there at their campus. When, it isn't decided yet, maybe after Easter. She is one of the finalists. Please pray that she gets this job according to God's Will. Then the next call was from the doctor who did the MRI on Linus - nothing wrong there! All was clear so that's a relief! Two good calls within an hour of each other on our way home from taking Sammy to my sister's. We spent some time with Deil, my 90 year old sister, and she made us a great taco soup for lunch, she and Sammy get along so well, he loves her. Please pray nothing happens with her, she plans on carrying him downstairs when she has to iron etc. and she's 90! He cannot do the steps down. I just hope and pray she doesn't fall. May her Guardian Angel be the one to carry Sammy. It was quite a day and now I need to let Nadine know who's on all my lists so she can take over when I'm gone. She's in Finland and I call her my Secretary - for 12 years!! She always takes over my list for me when I leave. Tomorrow's thread will be titled just "Daily Positive Thread" and you can just keep it going until I come back, and you can add inspirations here and there too. I can send you some. Praying for you all, thanks for your prayers for us!

Prayer before a Crucifix

Behold, O Kind and most sweet Jesus, before Thy face I humbly kneel, and with the most fervent desire of soul, I pray and beseech Thee to impress upon my heart lively sentiments of faith, hope and charity, true contrition for my sins and a firm purpose of amendment. With deep affection and grief of soul, I ponder within myself, mentally contemplating Thy five wounds, having before my eyes the words which David the Prophet spoke concerning Thee: "They have pierced my hands and my feet, they have numbered all my bones."

Soul Searching Prayer

Does my life please You as I live each day?

Do I glorify You, Lord, in everything I say?

Do I show others Your love in all that I do?

When others see me do they also see You?

Are my motives pure-- I know that You see?

Would I want other Christians to be just like me?

You understand my thoughts-- You're the only One Who can.

When I'm all by myself am I a God pleasing man?

I don't mean am I perfect, for without Christ I know I'm not,

But am I doing doubtful things hoping that I won't be caught?

Are there any hidden issues in the depths of my heart

That, as a born again Christian, I should bid to depart?

If there's any thought or action that's bringing You shame,

Help me to surrender it in Jesus' blessed Name.

I don't want to continue anything that displeases You,

And I want to do everything that You would have me do.

Dear God, in Your wisdom, You know how to keep me straight,

If You ever see me straying correct me before it's too late.

By Your grace You have saved me and forgiven all my sin,

I love You, I thank You, and I praise You. Amen.

The Four Candles

The Four Candles burned slowly.

Their Ambiance was so soft you

could hear them speak...

The first candle said, "I Am Peace, but these days, nobody wants to keep me lit."

Then Peace's flame slowly diminishes and goes out completely.

The second candle says, "I Am Faith, but these days, I am no longer indispensable."

Then Faith's flame slowly diminishes and goes out completely.

Sadly the third candle spoke, "I Am Love and I haven't the strength to stay lit any longer."

"People put me aside and don't understand my importance. They even forget to love those who are nearest to them."

And waiting no longer, Love goes out completely.

Suddenly...

A child enters the room and sees the three candles no longer burning.

The child begins to cry, "Why are you not burning? You are supposed to stay lit until the end."

Then the Fourth Candle spoke gently to the little boy, "Don't be afraid, for I Am Hope, and while I still burn, we can re-light the other candles."

With Shining eyes the child took the Candle of Hope and lit the other three candles.

Never let the Flame of Hope go out of your life.

With Hope, no matter how bad things look and are...Peace, Faith and Love can Shine Brightly in our lives.

Author Unknown

Mother Teresa's Rules & Beliefs to incorporate

The dying, the cripple, the mental, the unwanted, the unloved they are Jesus in disguise.

Little things are indeed little, but to be faithful in little things is a great thing.

It is not how much we do, but how much love we put in the doing. It is not how much we give, but how much love we put in the giving.

Nakedness is not only for a piece of clothing; nakedness is lack of human dignity, and also that beautiful virtue of purity, and lack of that respect for each other.

There is a terrible hunger for love. We all experience that in our lives - the pain, the loneliness. We must have the courage to recognize it. The poor you may have right in your own family. Find them. Love them.

Before you speak, it is necessary for you to listen, for God speaks in the silence of the heart.

Speak tenderly to them. Let there be kindness in your face, in your eyes, in your smile, in the warmth of your greeting. Always have a cheerful smile. Don't only give your care, but give your heart as well.

The more you have, the more you are occupied, the less you give. But the less you have the more free you are. Poverty for us is a freedom. It is not a mortification, a penance. It is joyful freedom. There is no television here, no this, no that. But we are perfectly happy.

If you are humble nothing will touch you, neither praise nor disgrace, because you know what you are.

Do not allow yourselves to be disheartened by any failure as long as you have done your best.

There is only one God and He is God to all; therefore it is important that everyone is seen as equal before God. I've always said we should help a Hindu become a better Hindu, a Muslim become a better Muslim, a Catholic become a better Catholic.

If we really want to love we must learn how to forgive.

It is a poverty to decide that an unborn child must die so that you may live as you like.

If we pray, we will believe; If we believe, we will love; If we love, we will serve.

We can do no great things; only small things with great love.

You and I, we are the Church, no? We have to share with our people. Suffering today is because people are hoarding, not giving, not sharing. Jesus made it very clear. Whatever you do to the least of my brethren, you do it to me. Give a glass of water, you give it to me. Receive a little child, you receive me. Clear.

Only in heaven will we see how much we owe to the poor for helping us to love God better because of them.

Make us worthy, Lord, to serve those people throughout the world who live and die in poverty and hunger. Give them through our hands, this day, their daily bread, and by our understanding love, give them peace and joy.

Give me courage.

I must do something.

Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.

Let's do something beautiful for God.

Meditation for Tuesday of Holy Week

"I tell you solemnly; one of you will betray me!" (John 13:21)

Throughout Jesus' ministry He always spoke of love without limits, forgiveness instead of revenge, and service over domination. In our gospel, Jesus struggles with His own commitment to live those words that He has spoken so often and so fervently. We see that Jesus is "deeply troubled," His depression arising from the betrayal of Judas and the lying of Peter. Now Jesus must forgive the betrayal and deceit that has torn and ripped apart the fabric of love between Him and His friends. Jesus realizes that He must stand alone to face his sufferings and death. It will not be His disciples or His friends that see Him through, but only His trust in God. Jesus believes God will not fail Him.

The words of Isaiah give Jesus hope that there is an anchor in this sea of deceit: "The Lord called me from birth, from my mother's womb he gave me my name. God is now my strength." (Isaiah 49:1, 5).

We also are not free from the disciples' flaws. How often have we been like Judas, rejecting the call to love and entering the darkness, or like Peter, lying to protect our own skins? We ask forgiveness and renew our fidelity to the Lord Who walks alone.