Community Chat

[gloriajean]

Faith lifts us from the realm of the impossible to the possible. Lord,
thank you
for the gift of Faith. It fills the shadows in my life with sunshine and
removes
the despair of hopelessness.

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

"The high priest questioned them, saying, 'We gave you strict orders not to
teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching
and you are determined to bring this man's blood on us.' But Peter and the
apostles answered, "We must obey God rather than any human authority."
~Acts 5:27-29

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

Pride can stand sentinel at the door of the heart and shut out the love of
God. God dwells with the humble and the obedient. Obedience to God's will
is the key that unlocks the door. We cannot obey God to the best of our
ability without in time realizing God's love and responding to that love.
The rough stone steps of obedience can lead up to where the mosaic floor of
love and joy is laid. Where God's spirit is, there is our home.

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

I pray that God may make a home in my humble and obedient heart. I pray
that I may obey God's guidance to the best of my ability.

Hello my friends! Sometimes I wonder if I should just send out this thread
once during the weekend, what do you think? Today was a very beautiful day
and we went to my sister, Deil's for lunch - which she made a delicious
lasagna and pumpkin pie! Had a wonderful visit with her - and we left for
home at around 4 PM - hit fog on the way, then called Lori who was stuck in
another town where she did massages for quilters all day - the fog there is
so thick, she thought not safe to drive home in. Now it's so thick here
too, so it's not safe for us to go pick up her dog either. He plans on
going there early in the morning to let him out again. When you read this -
please say a prayer for safety! It was a true blessing we left my sister's
when we did and not any later! Praying for all your intentions and thanks
for your prayers for us and Sammy! He appreciates all prayers, too!!!

Ideals
Remember that ideals
are like stars up in the sky,
You can never really reach them,
hanging in the heavens high....

But like the mighty mariner
who sailed the storm-tossed sea,
And used the stars to chart his course
with skill and certainty,

You too can chart your course in life
with high ideals and love,
For high ideals are like the stars
that light the sky above....

You cannot ever reach them,
but lift your heart up high
And your life will be as shining
as the stars up in the sky.

~ Helen Steiner Rice ~

Toddlers' Property Laws

1. If I like it, it's mine.

2. If it's in my hand, it's mine.

3. If I can take it from you, it's mine.

4. If I had it a little while ago, it's mine.

5. If it's mine, it must never appear to be yours in any way.

6. If I'm doing or building something, all the pieces are mine.

7. If it looks like mine, it is mine.

8. If I saw it first, it's mine.

9. If you are playing with something and you put it down, it automatically
becomes mine.

10 If it's broken, it's yours.

JUST CALL UPON HIM
-- Author Unknown


The boy walked along the ocean shore . . . trying not to stray. He looked up
to his father saying, "Dad, I want to play."

His father looked upon him, with love showing in his eyes. "Do what you want
to, my son . . . but do not leave my side."

"I would never leave you Daddy, I love you way too much." But the boy took a
step away, out of his father's range of touch.

He walked through the surf, the waves tickling one toe. "If I take one more
step in . . ." he thought, "Father will never know."

His father called out to him, "Son, to me remain true!" The boy thought with
glee . . . "At the moment I don't need you!"

His father felt a sadness, but he held his tongue. Sometimes lessons need to
be learned . . . even when so young.

The boy stepped out a little further . . . the water covering his waist. His
father spoke with urgency . . . his father spoke with haste.

"My son, come back to me," he said, "The day is almost done!" "Not yet,
Dad," the boy yelled, "I'm having too much fun!"

But the boy did not have his father's insight so he could not yet tell, The
tide was coming in fast . . . there would be no time to yell.

"Father!" he tried to scream, as the water covered his head. "I need you
now, Daddy!" was what the boy had said.

And in a single instant his father was by his side. "I thought you left me,
Daddy . . . I thought you went to hide."

The father looked upon his son . . . a tear streaming down his cheek. The
boy looked upon his father . . . and cried the sobs of the meek.

"I would never leave you son . . . for I love you just the same." "I was
only waiting . . . for you to call upon my name."

LESSONS ON LIFE
Author Unknown

There was a man who had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn not to
judge things too quickly. So he sent them each on a quest, in turn, to
go and look at a pear tree that was a great distance away.

The first son went in the winter, the second in the spring, the third
in summer, and the youngest son in the fall.

When they had all gone and come back, he called them together to
describe what they had seen.

The first son said that the tree was ugly, bent, and twisted.

The second son said no it was covered with green buds and full of
promise.

The third son disagreed; he said it was laden with blossoms that
smelled so sweet and looked so beautiful, it was the most graceful
thing he had ever seen.

The last son disagreed with all of them; he said it was ripe and
drooping with fruit, full of life and fulfillment.

The man then explained to his sons that they were all right, because
they had each seen but only one season in the tree's life.

He told them that you cannot judge a tree, or a person, by only one
season, and that the essence of who they are and the pleasure, joy,
and love that come from that life can only be measured at the end,
when all the seasons are up.

If you give up when it's winter, you will miss the promise of your
spring, the beauty of your summer, fulfillment of your fall.

Moral:
Don't let the pain of one season destroy the joy of all the rest.
Don't judge life by one difficult season.
Persevere through the difficult patches and better times are sure to
come some time or later.

M A D E I N H E A V E N

Consumed by my loss, I didn't notice the hardness of the pew where I sat.
I was at the funeral of my dearest friend - my mother. She finally had
lost her long battle with cancer. The hurt was so intense, I found it
hard to breathe at times.

Always supportive, Mother clapped loudest at my school plays, held a box
of tissues while listening to my first heartbreak, comforted me at my
father's death, encouraged me in college, and prayed for me my entire life.
When Mother's illness was diagnosed, my sister had a new baby and my
brother had recently married his childhood sweetheart, so it fell on me,
the 27-year-old middle child without entanglements, to take care of her.
I counted it an honor. "What now, Lord?" I asked sitting in church. My
life stretched out before me as an empty abyss. My brother sat stoically
with his face toward the cross while clutching his wife's hand. My sister
sat slumped against her husband's shoulder, his arms around her as she
cradled their child.

All so deeply grieving, no one noticed I sat alone. My place had been our
mother, preparing her meals, helping her walk, taking her to the doctor,
seeing to her medication, reading the Bible together. Now she was with the
Lord. My work was finished, and I was alone. I heard a door open and
slam at the back of the church. Quick footsteps hurried along the carpeted
floor. An exasperated young man looked around briefly and then sat next
to me. He folded his hands and placed them on his lap. His eyes were
brimming with tears. He began to sniffle.

"I'm late," he explained, though no explanation was necessary. After
several eulogies, he leaned over and commented, "Why do they keep calling
Mary by the name of 'Margaret'? "Oh" "Because that was her name, Margaret.
Never Mary. No one called her 'Mary,'" I whispered. I wondered why this
person couldn't have sat on the other side of the church. He interrupted
my grieving with his tears and fidgeting. Who was this stranger anyway?

"No, that isn't correct," he insisted, as several people glanced over at us
whispering, "Her name is Mary, Mary Peters. "That isn't who this is, I
replied." "Isn't this the Lutheran church?"

"No, the Lutheran church is across the street." "Oh." "I believe you're
at the wrong funeral, Sir." The solemnness of the occasion mixed with the
realization of the man's mistake bubbled up inside me and came out as
laughter. I cupped my hands over my face, hoping it would be interpreted as
sobs. The creaking pew gave me away. Sharp looks from other mourners
only made the situation seem more hilarious. I peeked at the bewildered,
misguided man seated beside me. He was laughing, too, as he glanced
around, deciding it was too late for an uneventful exit. I imagined Mother
laughing. At the final "Amen," we darted out a door and into the parking
lot. "I do believe we'll be the talk of the town," he smiled. He said his
name was Rick and since he had missed his aunt's funeral, asked me out for
a cup of coffee.

That afternoon began a lifelong journey for me with this man
who attended the wrong funeral, but was in the right place. A year after
our meeting, we were married at a country church where he was the assistant
pastor. This time we both arrived at the same church, right on time. In
my time of sorrow, God gave me laughter. In place of loneliness, gave me
love. This past June we celebrated our twenty-second wedding anniversary.
Whenever anyone asks us how we met, Rick tells them, "Her mother and my
Aunt Mary introduced us, and it's truly a match made in heaven."

Family Prayer To The Holy Family

O Heavenly Father, our loving God,
you have given us the Holy Family as our patron to bless and guide our
families
that the fruit of the Holy Spirit - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, humility, and self-control -
shall reign in our homes.

As husbands and wives, teach us to love our spouses more than ever.
As parents, give us wisdom and knowledge in rearing our offsprings
to be responsible and successful Christians forever.
As brothers and sisters, may we learn to care and support for one another
and be of inspiration to each other.
As children, teach us to be obedient
just as Jesus showed obedience and respect to Mary and Joseph.

As Christians, melt us, mold us, fill us, and use us,
in spreading the good news in our community
that they may see Christ in us.
When trials come, help us to face them with trusting faith
and confidently hope that all things work for good for those who love God.
May we have a happy holy family forever through Jesus, Mary, and Joseph,
our miraculous patron, the adorable Holy Family. Amen.

- - -
Galatians 5:22-23 - The Spirit produces love, joy, peace, patience,
kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility, and self-control. There is no
law against such things as these.