Community Chat

[gloriajean]

Think good and wise thoughts over and over again until you make them
your own. Lord, You have given me a strong foundation and the strength
to stand firm for what I believe.


Scripture for the day:

"Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another
with whatever gift each of you has received." ~1 Peter 4:10

Meditation for the day:

We can try to be thankful for whatever vision we have. We can try to
perform, in the little things, faithful service to God and others. We
can do our small part every day in a spirit of service to God. We can
be doers of God's word, not hearers only. In our daily life we can
try to keep faith with God. Every day can bring a new opportunity to
be of some use. Even when we are tempted to rest or let things go or
to evade the issue, we can make it a habit to meet the issue squarely
as a challenge and not to hold back.

Prayer for the day:

I pray that I may perform each task faithfully. I pray that I may
meet each issue of life squarely and not hold back.

The Lord be with you all! Hello my friends! Today started out cool, but it
got warmer throughout the day - I wore a sweater for Mass this morning. My
blessings this day was all what God gave us from the garden - I picked
raspberries, finished digging all the potatoes, picked lettuce, froze more
tomatoes, cut up beans for tomorrow's use, checked the peppers, one is
almost all yellow now, lots of them out there. Don't know how to tell when
the cantaloupe is ripe or the acorn squash. Thanks be to God for all these
blessings of food! It was nice again to go to puppy school with Lori and
Ollie, I find out how to do things with him when I have him all day which
will be on Tuesday again. He is learning but it takes a lot of patience and
practice, and Lori's so busy. A week from tomorrow is the Wedding - we ate
supper at the place the reception will be and did some work for her there
with the manager, we'll have some vegetarian dishes and herbed chicken.
Wednesday they start driving again from Texas for the Wedding. Everything
should be in control now. We have to provide all the food for the gift
opening and it will be at the groom's parent's house - more room, and we've
decided it will be simple. Lori's been to a lot of those and she said the
food was always very simple. Again, I remember you all in my prayers each
day - thank you for praying for us.

I FOUND JESUS THERE
Author Unknown
Jul 17, 2009

The surgeon sat beside the boy's bed; the boy's parents sat across
from him. "Tomorrow morning," the surgeon began, "I'll open up your
heart..."

"You'll find Jesus there," the boy interrupted.

The surgeon looked up, annoyed. "I'll cut your heart open," he
continued, "to see how much damage has been done..."

"But when you open up my heart, you'll find Jesus in there." The
surgeon looked to the parents, who sat quietly.

"When I see how much damage has been done, I'll sew your heart and
chest back up and I'll plan what to do next."

"But you'll find Jesus in my heart. The Bible says He lives there. The
hymns all say He lives there. You'll find Him in my heart."

The surgeon had had enough. "I'll tell you what I'll find in your
heart. I'll find damaged muscle, low blood supply, and weakened
vessels. And I'll find out if I can make you well."

"You'll find Jesus there too. He lives there."

The surgeon left. The surgeon sat in his office, recording his notes
from the surgery: "...damaged aorta, damaged pulmonary vein,
widespread muscle degeneration. No hope for transplant, no hope for
cure. Therapy: painkillers and bed rest. Prognosis:" here he paused,
"death within one year."

He stopped the recorder, but there was more to be said. "Why?" he
asked aloud.

"Why did You do this? You've put him here; You've put him in this
pain; and You've cursed him to an early death. Why?" The Lord answered
and said, "The boy, My lamb, was not meant for your flock for long,
for he is a part of My flock, and will forever be. Here, in My flock,
he will feel no pain, and will be comforted as you cannot imagine. His
parents will one day join him here, and they will know peace, and My
flock will continue to grow."

The surgeon's tears were hot, but his anger was hotter. "You created
that boy, and You created that heart. He'll be dead in months. Why?"

The Lord answered,

"The boy, My lamb, shall return to My flock, for he has done his duty:
I did not put My lamb with your flock to lose him, but to retrieve
another lost lamb."

The surgeon wept.

The surgeon sat beside the boy's bed; the boy's parents sat across
from him. The boy awoke and whispered, "Did you cut open my heart?"

"Yes," said the surgeon.

"What did you find?" asked the boy.

"I found Jesus there," said the surgeon.



WHEN I PRAY THE LORD'S PRAYER:

I cannot say OUR if I am selfish and do not think of others.
I cannot say FATHER if I do not treat my parents with respect.
I cannot say WHOM ART IN HEAVEN if all I care about are material things.
I cannot say HALLOWED BE THY NAME if I do not say the Lord's name with
reverence.
I cannot say THY KINGDOM COME, THY WILL BE DONE if I am more interested in
the things my own way.
I cannot say ON EARTH, AS IT IS IN HEAVEN if I am not ready to do His will
here on earth.

I cannot say GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD without being willing to share
what I have with others.
I cannot say FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO TRESPASS
AGAINST US if i hold grudges and will not forgive others.
I cannot say DELIVER US FROM EVIL if I am not willing to walk away from
those things that are wrong and ask the Lord's help through prayer.

I cannot say THINE IS THE KINGDOM if I am not willing to accept God as a
Ruler of my Life.
I cannot say THINE IS THE POWER if I do not remember that my gifts and
talents come from God not from myself.
I cannot say THINE IS THE GLORY if I only seek my own glory and recognition.
I cannot say FOREVER AND EVER if I am only interested in what is happening
in my life right now.
I cannot say AMEN unless I can say "WHATEVER HAPPENS IN MY LIFE, THIS MY
PRAYER."

May the Good Lord bless and keep you.
May His love shine upon you.
May He hold you in the palm of His hand.

(The Lord's Prayer can be found in the bible in Matthew 6:9-13 and Luke
11:2-4.)



God used an important divine inspiration to prove to us that our Holy
Scriptures contains truth... God used prophecy; this is the ability predict
the future. Nobody else can do this, because only God is the creator of
time and only God is above time to know what will happen in the future.

The Old Testament was written hundreds, even thousands, of years before the
time of Jesus.

Arguably, the most important prophecy given to us was the prediction that
Jesus will come to earth to save us. There are hundreds of biblical
predictions concerning the birth, life, and death of Jesus in the Old
Testament and which have been realised and confirmed in the New Testament.
Below are just a few of them which you may find familiar...

In the Old Testament, we read about
a virgin who will become pregnant and it will be a sign that God is with us.
(Isaiah 7:14)
In the New Testament, we are told that
the Virgin Mary, will give birth to Jesus, the Son of the Most High God.
(Luke 1:31-32)

In the Old Testament, we read about
a star that will annouce the birth of a king. (Numbers 24:17)
In the New Testament, we are told that
wise men followed the star that led them to baby Jesus. (Matthew 2:2)

In the Old Testament, we read about
a ruler that will be born in Bethlehem. (Micah 5:2)
In the New Testament, we are told that
Jesus was born in Bethlehem. (Luke 2:4-6)

In the Old Testament, we read about
a King who will be known as the Son of God. (Psalms 2:7)
In the New Testament, we are told that
heaven announces Jesus as the Son of God. (Matthew 3:17)

In the Old Testament, we read about
one being betrayed by a close friend for 30 silver coins. (Psalms 41:9 and
Zechariah 11:9,12)
In the New Testament, we are told that
Jesus was betrayed by one of His apostles, Judas, for 30 silver coins.
(Matthew 26:14-15 and Matthew 27:4)

In the Old Testament, we read about
a servant who is treated harshly and yet remaining silent. (Isaiah 53:7)
In the New Testament, we are told that
Jesus kept quiet during harsh accusations. (Matthew 26:63)

In the Old Testament, we read about
one being rejected by one's own people. (Isaiah 53:3)
In the New Testament, we are told that
the crowds chanted for the death of Jesus. (Luke 23:18)

In the Old Testament, we read about
the cry and anguish of a man and the pains of his hands and feet. (Psalms
22:16)
In the New Testament, we are told that
Jesus had his hands pierced by nails. (John 20:25)

In the Old Testament, we read about
a man calling out for God and being humiliated by other people who shook
their heads at him. (Psalms 22:7)
In the New Testament, we are told that
people hurled insults, shook their heads at Jesus, and humiliated him.
(Matthew 27:39 and Luke 23:35)

In the Old Testament, we read about
God's servant who is numbered amongst the criminals. (Isaiah 53:12)
In the New Testament, we are told that
Jesus was crucified with bandits. (Mark 15:27)

In the Old Testament, we read about
God's servant who is being harshly treated and yet still praying that they
might be forgiven. (Isaiah 53:12)
In the New Testament, we are told that
Jesus prays for forgiveness to those who are killing Him. (Luke 23:34)

In the Old Testament, we read about
a victim whose clothes were gambled for and divided up amongst evil men.
(Psalms 22:18)
In the New Testament, we are told that
the soldiers who killed Jesus threw dice and gambled for Jesus' clothes.
(Luke 23:34)

In the Old Testament, we read about
a suffering man who is felt forsaken by his father. (Psalms 22:1)
In the New Testament, we are told that
Jesus felt abandoned by God. (Matthew 27:46)

In the Old Testament, we read about
the good man whom the Lord preserves completely and none of his bones will
be broken. (Psalms 34:20)
In the New Testament, we are told that
the soldiers did not break the legs of Jesus, as they did to the others who
were crucified. (John 19:33)

In the Old Testament, we read about
the one who was stabbed to death and they mourn for him like those who mourn
for an only child. (Zechariah 12:10)
In the New Testament, we are told that
Jesus, the only Son of God, had his side pierced by a soldier's spear. (1
John 4:9 and John 19:34)

In the Old Testament, we read about
a devoted servant who would bear the punishment of many. (Isaiah 53:11)
In the New Testament, we are told that
Jesus died for our sins. (1 Corinthians 15:3)

In the Old Testament, we read about
an innocent man who was buried with the rich. (Isaiah 53:9)
In the New Testament, we are told that
Jesus was taken by a rich man to be buried in the rich man's tomb. (Matthew
27:59-60)

In the Old Testament, we read about
a wise man who is saved from the power of death. (Psalms 49:15)
In the New Testament, we are told that
Jesus rises from the dead. (Luke 24:34)

Prophecy is God's signature on the scriptures. So christians can rejoice,
because God came to earth to save us. And we knew He would... We knew a
thousand years before it happened.

No other book in the history of the world can approach the impact of the
Bible. It has transformed countless lives. It has inspired great works of
art, music and literature. The very wealthy have drawn success secrets from
its pages; the most poor have found comfort and challenge in its words. And
it is the basis for much of "civil" society in many parts of the globe.


Discover the 90/10 Principle: It will change your life The 90/10 principle
is
incredible! Very few know and apply this principle. The Result? Millions of
people are suffering undeserved stress, trials, problems, and heartache.
They
never seem to be a success in life. Bad days follow bad days. Terrible
things
seem to be constantly happening. Theirs is constant stress, lack of joy, and
broken relationships. Worry consumes time, anger breaks friendships, and
life
seems dreary and is not enjoyed to the fullest. Friends are lost. Life is a
bore and often seems cruel. Does this describe you? If so, do not be
discouraged.
You can be different! Understand and apply the 90/10 principle. It will
change
your life!

What is this principle? 10% of life is made up of what happens to you. 90%
of
life is decided by how you react. What does this mean? We really have no
control
over 10% of what happens to us. We cannot stop the car from breaking down.
The
plane may be late arriving, which throws our whole schedule off. A driver
may
cut us off in traffic. We have no control over this 10%. The other 90% is
different. You determine the other 90%! How? By your reaction. You cannot
control a red light, but you can control your reaction. Don't let people
fool
you; YOU can control how you react!

Let's use an example. You're eating breakfast with your family. Your
daughter
knocks over a cup of coffee onto your business shirt. You have no control
over
what just happened. What happens next will be determined by how you react.
You
curse. You harshly scold your daughter for knocking the coffee cup over. She
breaks down in tears. After scolding her, you turn to your spouse and
criticize
them for placing the cup too close to the edge of the table. A short verbal
battle
follows. You storm upstairs and change your shirt. Back downstairs you find
your
daughter has been too busy crying to finish breakfast and get ready for
school.
She misses the bus. Your spouse must leave immediately for work. You rush to
the
car and drive your daughter to school. Because you are late, you drive 40
miles
an hour in a 30 mph speed limit. After a 15-minute delay and throwing $60
(traffic fine) away, you arrive at school. Your daughter runs to the
building
without saying good-bye. After arriving at the office 20 minutes late, you
find
you forgot your briefcase. Your day has started terrible. As it continues,
it
seems to get worse and worse. You look forward to going home. When you
arrive
home you find small wedge in your relationship with your spouse and
daughter.
Why? Because of how you reacted in the morning. Why did you have a bad day?
A) Did the coffee cause it?
B) Did your daughter cause it?
C) Did the Policeman cause it?
D) Did you cause it?
The answer is D. You had no control over what happened with the coffee.
How you reacted in those 5 seconds is what caused your bad day.

Here is what could have and should have happened. Coffee splashes over you.
Your
daughter is about to cry. You gently say, "It's OK honey, you just need to
be
more careful next time". Grabbing a towel you rush upstairs. After grabbing
a
new shirt and your briefcase. You come back down in time look through the
window
and see your child getting on the bus. She turns and waves. You and your
spouse
kiss before you both go to work. You arrive 5 minutes early and cheerfully
greet
the staff. Your boss comments on how good the day you are having. Notice the
difference. Two different scenarios. Both started the same. Both ended
different.
Why? Because of how you REACTED. You really do not have any control over 10%
of
what happens. The other 90% is determined by your reaction.

Here are some ways to apply the 90/10 principle. If someone says something
negative
about you, do not be a sponge. Let the attack roll off like water on glass.
You do
not have to let the negative comment affect you! React properly and it will
not
ruin your day. A wrong reaction could result in losing a friend, being
fired,
getting stressed out, etc.

How do you react if someone cuts you off in traffic? Do you lose your
temper? Pound
the steering wheel? (A friend of mine had the steering wheel fall off!) Do
you
curse? Does your blood pressure skyrocket? Do you try and bump them? WHO
CARES if
you arrive ten seconds later at work? Why let the cars ruin your drive.
Remember
the 90-10 principle, and do not worry about it!

You are told you lost your job. Why lose sleep or get irritated? It will
work out.
Use your "worrying" energy and time into finding another job.

The plane is late. It is going to mangle your schedule for the day. Why take
out
your frustration on the flight attendant? She has no control over what is
going on.
Use your time to study, get to know the other passenger, etc. Why get
stressed out?
It will just make things worse.

Now you now know the 90-10 principle. Apply it and you will be amazed at the
results.

PRAYER FOR
TRUE FRIENDSHIP
Jesus, loving companion of Your children,
You have extended Your friendship to all.
You opened Your arms without discrimination,
Offering Your warmth to those seeking comfort.
Endow me with the virtue of such a friendship,
To know, love and trust all on an equal basis;
To share my patronizing without favorism,
And to be pleasant towards the destitute.
Fashion my heart to reflect Your qualities,
Those befitting of a cordial association.
Jesus, You showed me the way to true friendship:
Blessed is Your amazing and warm Person!