Community Chat

[gloriajean]

God's blessings come in packages both large and small. Sometimes
they are expected and sometimes not. Sometimes they are recognized
and sometimes not. Lord, thank you for the joy You light in me, even
in times of sorrow. Please use me to bless someone else.

S C R I P T U R E F O R T H E D A Y

"But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and
tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you--you of
little faith! And do not keep striving for what you are to eat and what you
are to drink, and do not keep worrying. For it is the nations of the world
that strive after all these things, and your Father knows that you need
them. Instead, strive for his kingdom, and these things will be given to
you as well." ~Luke 12:28-31

M E D I T A T I O N F O R T H E D A Y

When we seek to follow the way of the spirit, it frequently means a complete
reversal of the way of the world which we had previously followed. But it
can be a reversal that leads to happiness and peace.
Do the aims and ambitions that a person usually strives for bring peace?
Do the world's awards bring heart-rest and happiness? Or do they turn to
ashes in the mouth?

P R A Y E R F O R T H E D A Y

I pray that I may not be weary, disillusioned or disappointed. I pray that
I may not put my trust in the ways of the world, but in the way of the
spirit.
Peace of Jesus to you all! I don't know when I used this last but I have to say that I really do like this one - God's blessings come in packages both large and small. How true! And He's full of surprises too! Have you noticed that yet? I have. Another day of searching - printing things, and when Linus said he got a call from his Nurse Practioner's nurse saying that they are mailing out to us lots of information on the low glycemic diet plan - and after staying up until after 1 AM reading the Paleo Diet book, I am patiently awaiting the material from Carol, The NP. She is really nice and we trust her completely. The Paleo diet sounds like the Aitkin's diet. Ground rules are: lean meats and fish and seafood, eat as much as you want, vegetables that are non starch, eat as much as you want. No legumes, no dairy products, no cereals, no processed foods. The processed foods would be easy since I don't buy them anyway. But no breads, it looks like, and I still want to make my homemade breads - so I'll go with Carol's plan. She told Linus I'll be able to make great breads with this.
This will not be gluten free, though, we are back to wheat. For supper tonight he made hamburgers on the grill - and a salad - do you have those skinny buns there? We buy them and they are just perfect for our hamburger buns, so we had that. It's all the carbs he had today. I'm happy today that Linus with working 8 hours, it was fine for him with his new orthodics. They work wonders for him. Now he is off tomorrow, and the weekend including Monday! I like that and so does he. His brothers are coming over tomorrow morning to make a real old recipe called kritchworst - it's made with 5 lbs. pork hocks, pickling spices, 5 lbs. buckwheat pancake mix etc. and it is hard to make. We made it before we had the girls and I remember it being so hard to sir - so they - the men - are going to do it in our garage in the morning, with a gas burner of one of the brothers. When it's done you put in five bread pans, leave overnight then wrap in wax paper, freeze or use up - slice and fry for a breakfast treat. They will all share this.
This is NOT on the low glycemic plan. Moderation is the key.

Homily of the Day

January 27, 2011
Would You Rather Be Rich or Poor?
by Monsignor Dennis Clark, Ph.D.
Heb 10:19-25 / Mk 4:21-25
The ending of today’s Gospel sounds like a cynical commentary on modern society. “To those who have, more will be given; from those who have not, what little they have will be taken away.” It seems to say that the rich will get richer and the poor will get poorer. But that’s not at all what this text is about.
So what is it that people have and then either get more of or lose all of? Jesus isn’t talking about money or wealth in any form. He’s talking about the extent and depth of our connectedness to God. If we are already deeply rooted in God, our spirits will grow larger, richer, and fuller by the day. But if our connection to the Lord is only superficial, it certainly won’t grow, and it probably won’t last at all.
So here’s our question for the day: Does your God-connection have growing power? Is it changing your life day by day? Or is it anemic and able to do little more than stumble through a memorized prayer? If it’s the former, you’ve got an enviable future ahead of you for sure. If your God-connection is the latter, be prepared for a future you’d never choose.
That’s the equation, and there are no exceptions. Why not be rich through and through?

Good Angels
When it seems to you that you are alone and abandoned,
don't complain that you are without a friend
to whom you can open your heart.

from Quiet Moments With Padre Pio: 120 Daily Readings

Blessed Be Life

I tell you it's good to be alive
Blessed is she who bore me and tenderly nurtured me
Blessed is the fruitful seed in the womb
Blessed is the growing embryo destined to be born this Day
Blessed is every child of God come to full term
Blessed are all the children of the universe
Blessed is every Mother who brings her baby to birth
Blessed be every Father who supports bone of his bone-flesh of his flesh
Blessed be every doctor who refuses to abort life, but seeks to save life
Blessed be the miracle of LIFE and the God of LIFE who provides for every living creature
Blessed be the Virgin Mary who did not refuse to bear the Son of God
Blessed be the Lord Jesus who did not despise being a fetus in the sanctuary of the Womb.
Brother Martin

I Will Never Forget My People

"I will never forget you my people... I have carved you on the palm of my hand..." (Is. 49:16)
Lord, The worst feeling in the world is the feeling of loneliness.
Through loneliness we experience, loss, hurt, self-pity, rejection
and the lack of love in our lives.
Lord we offer our prayers for those people that are feeling lonely.
We pray that they may see that they are not alone
and that You oh, Lord are with them.
Lord, we pray for those with big hearts,
we pray that they may see the loneliness in the eyes of those suffering
and may be inspired by the Holy Spirit to come to those lonely people
and bring hope into their lives, through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Prayer to Mary for a Good Mind
A. Hanrion, S.J.
O Mary, my Mother,
I offer you my soul, my mind, and my heart.
Make of me God's instrument.
Give me a penetrating mind to discover,
firm to judge,
open to understand,
free to serve the truth;
an honest mind in telling what it sees rather than what it wants to see;
a tolerant mind which does not dictate to other people,
but which explain what it sees clearly;
a mind infused by the light and the truth of your Son Jesus,
patient in faith,
while waiting for the vision of eternal life.
Amen.
Translated and adapted from Fernand Lelotte, S.J., Rabboni, Consignes et prieres pour mieux servir (Paris, Casterman, 1958), by Chau T. Phan, Rider University Catholic Campus Ministry.

Closing Prayer - I chose the God's Will prayer for tonight. No matter how much I pray, and state my desires, I only want His Will to be done, as He knows best.

God's Will Prayer

Dear Lord God Almighty
We know that You are Jesus, and that You died for us.
Give us Your Holy Spirit, to live in us forever, and thus bless us with
Eternal Life. Let Your Holy Spirit Testify through us and speak the Truth through us.
Let Your Holy Spirit Love through us- a perfect unselfish Holy Love; so that we
lay down all worldly ambitions, give up our wills, and do Your Holy Will.
Take our thoughts away from making money, or finding business opportunities.
Take our desire away from seeking worldly wealth or fame. Take our eyes away from
looking on vain worldly appearances, which deceive and mislead us. Keep our thoughts
on doing Your Holy will, not on seeking worldly material things, or vain worldly status.
Let Your Holy Spirit give us our ONE desire and ONE purpose. To do Your Holy Will. If You desire us to walk paths of poverty, then so be it. If You desire us to lose everything, that we think is important or valuable, then so be it. If You Desire us to sacrifice everything we have and our lives, then so be it. If You desire us to endure pain and seasons of harsh conditions, then so be it. If You desire us to live or die, then so be it. Let Your Holy Will be done in our lives. For, even our lives are not our own. We owe everything to You.
Keep us from looking in the mirror and admiring our own beauty, which is not beauty at all. Let the True Beauty be is us- Your Holy Spirit of Truth and Grace. Keep us from pride and love of self, which is our enemy. Bless us with absolute, total, unselfish Love. Which is only possible through Your Holy Spirit.
We give You our lives. Do with us as You Will. Make our lives useful to Your Service. The only ambition we have is to humbly, and honestly do Your Will. We want to lift up Your Name Jesus, not our names. We want to make known the power of Your Holy Spirit, Jesus. We want You to claim us for Yourself, and use us according to Your Divine purpose. And no matter the job or task that You assign to us, we will be contented, and full of Joy, to do Your Holy Will, Jesus.
Let Your Holy Spirit, Jesus, Live in us forever, and give us Purpose, Hope, and Peace and Joy, and Eternal Life. For without You, we perish.
In Your Holy Spirit, Jesus, we Pray!
Amen Amen

Good night everyone and Sweet Dreams to all. It's great to do this early tonight so the rest of the night I can prepare things I printed for the diet and hopefully go to bed early.
May no one have any problems sleeping - and see you all here bright and early!! I love it when I get up and there's already people posting! That really is a morning blessing!