Community Chat

[gloriajean]

There is never a wrong time to do something good. Lord, I will show my
gratitude for my many blessings by using them to bring joy to others.

Scripture for the day:

"Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my help and my God."
~Psalm 42:5-6

Meditation for the day:

Not what we do so much as what we are, that is the miracle-working power.
We can be a force for good, with God's help. God is here to help us and to
bless us, here to be with us. We can be workers with God. Changed by God's
grace, we can shed one garment of the spirit for a better one. In time, we
can throw that one aside for yet a finer one. And so from character to
character, we can be gradually transformed.

Prayer for the day:

I pray that I may accept every challenge. I pray that each acceptance of a
challenge may make me grow into a better person.

Hello my friends! Hope your day went well - I've been busy all day taking
care of Ollie who demands so much attention - wears me out! He gets picked
up tomorrow afternoon. Right now he's in the kennel so I can do this - he's
very upset about it! But he's not the boss. Otherwise he's constantly
insisting I throw the ball for him - he's obsessed by a tennis ball. But on
the positive side - Sammy is just doing what he can - still sweet as ever,
and he does like it when I hand out meats. I made a ham soup for supper,
and both dogs got some, Ollie more, he loves it! The soup was with a ham
bone, meaty, and lots of veggies in it - very good and tasty! Have enough
for another meal. Tomorrow night we're having a guest over and she's going
along with us to the Marian retreat - I'm making a chicken soup then. Good
way to use up fresh veggies. Hope this fines you all well - and know that
I'm praying for you all - for your needs, and thanks so much for praying for
us - and Sammy.

PRAYER FOR STRENGTH AND WISDOM

Lord, give me strength and wisdom to live this day as I ought.
Give me
strength to overcome every temptation which may come to me,
strength to do well every task which is assigned to me,
strength to shoulder every responsibility which is laid upon my shoulders,
Give me
wisdom to know when to speak and when to keep silent,
wisdom to know when to act and when to refrain from action,
wisdom to know when to speak my mind and when to hold my peace.
So bring me to the end of this day in goodness, in happiness and in peace.
Amen.

A child was asked the famous question, "What do you want to be when you
grow up?" He replied, "I want to be a retired missionary." Evidently, he had
seen the respect and recognition given to elderly servants of the Lord, but
probably had little appreciation for what had gone on before.

Paul had "pulled his duty" and was an older man when he wrote to young
Timothy, "make full proof of thy ministry." Paul was telling Timothy to do
what he had done, that is, to finish the course, to fulfill the job that God
had given.

Ministry is the activity of a servant. A servant has no will of his own,
he must surrender to the will of another. A servant of the Lord does not
seek to please men, but God (Galatians 1;10). He puts the work of Christ
above his own life (Philippians 2:3). He does not preach what people want to
hear, but what God's Word says (1 Thessalonians 2:4). And yet, he esteems
others better than himself (Philippians 2:3) and his life is lived so that
others may be edified (Romans 15:2.)

This challenge is not only for those who serve in official capacities in
the local church, it is for all believers. It was once said, "If you are not
totally lost in the cause of Christ, you have never begun to live; you have
only existed selfishly." All believers should take to heart the challenge
given to Archippus, "Take heed to the ministry that thou hast received in
the
Lord, that thou fulfill it" (Colossians 4:17)

Pastor Jon Bekemeyer

AN ANGEL WROTE
Author Unknown

Many people will walk in and out of your life,
but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart.

To handle yourself, use your head,
To handle others, use your heart.

Anger is only one letter short of danger.

If someone betrays you once, it's his fault.
If he betrays you twice, it's your fault.

Great minds discuss ideas;
Average minds discuss events;
Small minds discuss people.

God gives every bird its food,
but He does not throw it into its nest.

He who loses money, loses much;
He who loses a friend, loses more;
He who loses faith, loses all.

Beautiful young people are acts of nature,
but beautiful old people are works of art.

Learn from the mistakes of others.
You can't live long enough to make them all yourself.

The tongue weighs practically nothing,
but so few people can hold it.

Friends, you and me ... you brought another friend...and then there
were 3 ... we started our group...
Our circle of friends ... and like the circle ... there's no
beginning ... there is no end.

Daily Bread

When the famous nun, Mother Cabrini, arrived in America in 1900 to work
among the downtrodden Italian immigrants, she was penniless.

A countess came to her help and offered her a large house to be used as a
convent and home for homeless children.

Archbishop Corrigan of New York City did not believe in the whole idea, even
though the countess had also given thousands of dollars to support it. "So
what?" he skeptically asked. "How long do you think that money will last?
Within a year it will all be gone. And then what?"

But the countess answered, "Your Grace, when we pray, we ask for our DAILY
bread, not bread for a year."

Holy Spirit, Love of my heart
by Cardinal Mercier

Holy Spirit, Love of my heart,
I adore You.
Enlighten me, guide me;
strengthen me, console me.
Tell me what I must do --
command me.
I promise to submit myself
to all that You will of me,
and accept all You permit to befall me.
Let me only know Your will. Amen.

Wisdom of

the Saints


If a man should have no one to instruct him, God will show him, unless he
culpably wishes to remain where he is.
St. Thomas Aquinas



It seems to me we have nothing to fear when we look to God only and seek His
glory alone, since He takes into account the goodwill alone of a heart that
loves Him.

St. Margaret Mary Alacoque



By Christ's Passion our weakness was cured. By His Resurrection death was
conquered. Still we have to be sorrowful for the world, as well as joyful in
the Lord, sorrowful in penance, joyful in gratitude.

St. Ambrose of Milan



Christ comes as often as a poor man approached you, for He said, "As only as
you did it for one of these, the least of my brethren, you did it for me."
Therefore, do not let your heart be hardened; extend a coin to Christ, from
whom you desire to receive a kingdom.

St. Caesarius of Arles



Scripture calls material things "the world"; and worldly men are those who
occupy their intellect with these things. It is such men that Scripture
rebukes when it says: "Do not love the world or the things that are in the
world . . . The desire of the flesh, and the desire of the eyes, and pride
in one's possessions, are not of God but of the world". (John 2:15-16)

St. Maximos the Confessor



Stand patiently and pray steadfastly, brushing off the impacts of worldly
cares and all thoughts; for they distract and worry you in order to disturb
the impetus of your prayer.

St. Nilus of Sinai



Malicious thoughts are a fully existent form of evil: if you do not get rid
of them you will not become a disciple of spiritual knowledge.

St. Thalassios



If a man has attained to that which the Apostles speaks of "to the pure,
everything is pure," (Titus 1:15) he sees himself less than all creatures.

St. Poemen