Community Chat

[DoubleJ]

In your search for peace, look within. If you are looking elsewhere,
you are looking in the wrong place. Lord, help me to open my heart
to Your gift of peace and refuse to let anything in that disturbs it.


Scripture for the day:

"Strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all
these things will be given to you as well." ~Matthew 6:33

Meditation for the day:

"Strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all
these things will be given to you as well." We need not seek material
things first, but seek spiritual things first and material things will
come to us, as we honestly work for them. Many of us seek material
things first and think they can then grow into knowledge of spiritual
things. We cannot serve God and earthly things at the same time. The
first requisites of an abundant life are spiritual things: honesty,
purity, unselfishness and love. Until we have these qualities,
quantities of material things are of little real use to us.


Prayer for the day:

I pray that I may put much effort into acquiring spiritual things. I
pray that I may get right spiritually and enjoy the many gifts around
me.

Hello my friends! I didn't get a chance to call Corporate today but I will
tomorrow for sure. I had a lot going on today with a visit with Father
Jerry for supper etc. and time flew - so hopefully I can get in very soon.
Thank you for all of your replies - Juanita sent them to me - and they
blessed me. I thank you all most sincerely and you, Juanita, for keeping
this thread going in this difficulty. God will surely bless you all!
Today's blessing - Father Jerry's visit, and I'd like to ask for prayers for
Sammy - he is still limping, and he's had his medicine since Friday.
Nothing showed bad in his X-Rays - he had two of them. Poor little guy! We
love him so much!!! Praying for all of you and thanks for your prayers for
us.

The Right Moves


One day, many years ago, when I was working as a psychologist at a
children's institution in England, an adolescent boy showed up in the
waiting room. I went out there where he was walking up and down restlessly.

I showed him into my office and pointed to the chair on the other side of my
desk. It was in late autumn, and the lilac bush outside the window had shed
all its leaves. "Please sit down," I said.

David wore a black rain coat that was buttoned all the way up to his neck.
His face was pale, and he stared at his feet while wringing his hands
nervously. He had lost his father as an infant, and had lived together with
his mother and grandfather since. But the year before David turned 13, his
grandfather died and his mother was killed in a car accident. Now he was 14
and in family care.

His head teacher had referred him to me. "This boy," he wrote, "is
understandably very sad and depressed. He refuses to talk to others and I'm
very worried about him. Can you help?"

I looked at David. How could I help him? There are human tragedies
psychology doesn't have the answer to, and which no words can describe.
Sometimes the best thing one can do is to listen openly and sympathetically.

The first two times we met, David didn't say a word. He sat hunched up in
the chair and only looked up to look at the children's drawings on the wall
behind me. As he was about to leave after the second visit, I put my hand on
his shoulder. He didn't shrink back, but he didn't look at me either.

"Come back next week, if you like," I said. I hesitated a bit. Then I said,
"I know it hurts."

He came, and I suggested we play a game of chess. He nodded. After that we
played chess every Wednesday afternoon - in complete silence and without
making any eye contact. It's not easy to cheat in chess, but I admit that I
made sure David won once or twice.

Usually, he arrived earlier than agreed, took the chessboard and pieces from
the shelf and began setting them up before I even got a chance to sit down.
It seemed as if he enjoyed my company. But why did he never look at me?

"Perhaps he simply needs someone to share his pain with," I thought.
"Perhaps he senses that I respect his suffering." One afternoon in late
winter, David took off his rain coat and put it on the back of the chair.
While he was setting up the chess pieces, his face seemed more alive and his
motions more lively.

Some months later, when the lilacs blossomed outside, I sat starring at
David's head, while he was bent over the chessboard. I thought about how
little we know about therapy - about the mysterious process associated with
healing. Suddenly, he looked up at me.

"It's your turn," he said.

After that day, David started talking. He got friends in school and joined a
bicycle club. He wrote to me a few times ("I'm biking with some friends and
I feel great"); letters about how he would try to get into university. After
some time, the letters stopped. Now he had really started to live his own
life.

Maybe I gave David something. At least I learned a lot from him. I learned
how time makes it possible to overcome what seems to be an insuperable pain.
I learned to be there for people who need me. And David showed me how one -
without any words - can reach out to another person. All it takes is a hug,
a shoulder to cry on, a friendly touch, a sympathetic nature - and an ear
that listens.



12 Signs of a Spiritual Awakening


1. An increased tendency to let things happen rather than make them happen.

2. Frequent attacks of smiling.

3. Feelings of being connected with others and nature.

4. Frequent overwhelming episodes of appreciation.

5. A tendency to think and act spontaneously rather than from fears based
on past experience.

6. An unmistakable ability to enjoy each moment.

7. A loss of ability to worry.

8. A loss of interest in conflict.

9. A loss of interest in interpreting the actions of others.

10. A loss of interest in judging others.

11. A loss of interest in judging self.

12. Gaining the ability to love without expecting anything in return.



LIFE IS AN ECHO
Author Unknown
October 10, 2012


A son and his father were walking in the mountains. Suddenly, his son falls,
hurts himself and screams: "AAAhhhhhhhhhhh!!!"

To his surprise, hears the voice repeating, somewhere in the mountain:
"AAAhhhhhhhhhhh!!!"

Curious, he yells: "Who are you?"

He receives the answer: "Who are you?"

Angered at the response, he screams: "Coward!"

He receives the answer: "Coward!"

He looks to his father and asks: "What's going on?"

The father smiles and says: "My son, pay attention." And then he screams to
the mountain: "I admire you!"

The voice answers: "I admire you!"

Again the man screams: "You are a champion!"

The voice answers: "You are a champion!"

The boy is surprised, but does not understand. Then the father explains:
"People call this echo, but really this is life. It gives you back
everything you say or do. Our life is simply a reflection of our actions. If
you want more love in the world, create more love in your heart. If you want
more competence in your team, improve your competence.

This relationship applies to everything, in all aspect of life; life will
give you back everything you have given to it."


Does Prayer Change Things?

They say that prayer changes things, but does it REALLY change anything?
Oh yes! It really does!

Does prayer change your present situation or sudden circumstances?
No, not always, but it does change the way you look at those events.

Does prayer change your financial future?
No, not always, but it does change who you look to for meeting your
daily needs.

Does prayer change shattered hearts or broken bodies?
No, not always, but it will change your source of strength and comfort.

Does prayer change your wants and desires?
No, not always, but it will change your wants into what God desires!

Does prayer change how you view the world?
No, not always, but it will change whose eyes you see the world through.

Does prayer change your regrets from the past?
No, not always, but it will change your hopes for the future!

Does prayer change the people around you?
No, not always, but it will change you~the problem isn't always in
others.

Does prayer change your life in ways you can't explain?
Oh, yes, always! And it will change you from the inside out!

So does prayer REALLY change ANYTHING?
Yes! It REALLY does change EVERYTHING!


Short Prayers

O my God, I believe in You, and all that You have taught and revealed. Help
my unbelief.
O my God, all good and merciful, I hope in You. Help me to do what is
necessary for my salvation.
O my God, I have failed You often. I am sorry. Forgive me for having
offended You, so good and worthy of all love.
O my God, I love You. Help me never to offend You again.
My Jesus, Who died for me, have mercy on me, save my soul.
Lord, help me to remember that nothing is going to happen to me today that
You and I together can't handle.

The Rosary Gift

This wonderful prayer I hold in my hand
Given by You to help me understand
That through these beads You’ll answer my call
You’ll come to my aid – I needn’t worry at all

Repeatedly You tell me the Rosary is the key
To overcome burdens and to set me free
You cannot resist these decades of love
My pleas pave the way to Your Son above

I need only persist with this powerful prayer
That leads to God – let Satan beware
As long as I meditate on the mysteries while praying
More and more I’ll understand what You keep saying
That time out is needed from fun and play
I must turn to God and daily pray

Your ageless prayer, then, dear Mother I know
Is a special gift that on me you bestow
Help me to treasure this relic You love
This everlasting guide to the Almighty above
A way of life, then, let the Rosary be for me
And through daily use may it set my soul free

(Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary 7 October 2000 – Robert Gill)