Community Chat

[gloriajean]

Knowing about God and knowing God are very different things.
Lord, may I recognize Your workings in my life so that I may
really know You.

Scripture for the day:

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they
may have life, and have it abundantly." ~John 10:10

Meditation for the day:

We can have life and have it more abundantly--spiritual, mental,
physical, abundant life--joyous, powerful life. These we can have if we
follow the right way. Not all people will accept from God the gift of
an abundant life, a gift held out free to all. Not all people care to
stretch out a hand and take it. God's gift, the richest God has to
offer, is the precious gift of abundant life. People often turn away
from it, reject it, and will have none of it. We need not let this be
true of us.

Prayer for the day:

I pray that I may hasten to accept the gift of abundant spiritual life.
I pray that I may live the good life to the best of my ability.

Hello my friends! Well today was really not too ordinary - taking care of
an almost year old rat terrier, Ollie, who has never ending energy, takes a
lot out of me - He didn't want me to type at the computer, his paws pulled
my arms away! No kidding! He just wanted me to throw the ball so he could
get it and catch it! Sammy just sat there watching, bet he wondered will
this dog ever wear out? Well when it got quiet - I looked, and he was on
the bed talking a nap, so then I did too, and Sammy - all 3 of us took a nap
on the bed!! That was nice! I was alone all day with him, as my dear
husband is still working until 8:30. My blessings today is that Ollie seems
to be catching on to what he's being trained - with sitting, lie down, leave
it, and with him watching Sammy rolling over, he started to do that too! So
that was my day - dog sitting! I'm glad it's not every day! I did manage
to prepare our green and yellow beans and put them in a chicken vegetable
soup which also has quinoa in it. So when he gets home in a half hour
there's a meal waiting for him. Two days off, work Saturday and then he's
off for vacation for 10 days thru the Wedding and our Anniversary.
Praying for you all for all your needs and thank you for your prayers for
us.

PERSONAL PRAYER

You, Lord, have done great things for us. You sent your Son on earth for our
sake.You founded the Church that would continue to preach your Word.Your
mercy reaches from age to age for all the people of earth.

You have filled the hungry with good things and come to the aid of the
faithful who call upon you.

You brought Mary: body and soul to heaven.Help me to overcome my fear of
death. Make me realise that beyond the gloom of death lies the joy of life
with you for ever.

You gave me Mary as my Mother who pleads our cause. May I be ever grateful
for such a wonderful Mother who guides me on the way to Jesus, her Son.

May she always inspire me to keep going through life with hope and courage
that I will one day reach heaven where I will live with you in everlasting
happiness. Amen.

Forget it!

Forget about the days when it's been cloudy,
but don't forget your hours in the sun

Forget about the times you've been defeated,
but don't forget the victories you've won

Forget about mistakes that you can't change now,
but don't forget the lessons that you've learned

Forget about misfortunes you've encountered,
but don't forget the times your luck has turned

Forget about the days when you've been lonely,
but don't forget the friendly smiles you've seen

Forget about the plans that didn't seem to work out right,
but don't forget to always have a dream.

JUDGE GENTLY
Author Unknown



Pray, don't find fault with the man that limps
Or stumbles along the road.
Unless you have worn the shoes he wears
Or struggled beneath his load.


There may be tacks in his shoes that hurt
Though hidden away from view.
Or the burden he bears placed on your back
Might cause you to stumble too.


Don't sneer at the man who's down today
Unless you have felt the blow
That caused his fall or felt the shame
That only the fallen know.


You may be strong but still the blows
That was his if dealt to you
In the selfsame way, at the selfsame time
Might cause you to stagger too.


Don't be too harsh with the man that sins
Or pelt him with word or stone
Unless you are sure - yea, doubly sure -
That you have no sins of your own.


For you know, perhaps,
If the tempter's voice should whisper as soft to you
As it did to him when he went astray
It might cause you to falter too.



AGELESS LOVE

By: Joseph J. Mazzella


I saw a lovely old couple in the store the other day. Both of
them had to be in their late seventies or early eighties. What was so
special about them was that
while many of the younger couples nearby were either arguing over something
or not talking at all
the old couple was holding hands, smiling at each other, and talking sweetly
together. I even saw
them sneak a kiss once.

They had a light in their eyes that was so beautiful to see. It was
clear that they were in love. Love really is an ageless thing. It is the
only thing I know that
can grow stronger and stronger even as our own bodies grow weaker and
weaker.
Some of the youngest, most joyous, and loving spirits I know live inside
bodies that are old, weak, and
damaged. It is like we can grow younger and more joyous on the inside while
our bodies grow older on the outside.
The key, of course, is love. No gray hair, wrinkles, or weak muscles has
ever
taken the glow out of someone’s eyes who has love in their heart.

Let us all resolve then to choose love today. The love and joy in
our lives will grow greater with each loving choice we make. As we grow
older in body we will grow
younger in spirit. Our later years don’t have to be ones of bitterness and
disappointment.
They can instead be ones of ever increasing joy, love, peace, happiness, and
oneness with God.

God put us on this world to love. God put us here to choose love,
to share love, and to grow in love. All the years of our lives can be full
of love. It is up to
us, though. Will we grow old in misery and loneliness or will we grow old in
happiness and love?

JESUS IN THE HOUSE
Author Unknown

One day he decided to invite the Lord to come home and stay with him.
When the Lord arrived, this young man offered him the very best room
in the house. The room was upstairs and at the end of the hall. "This
room is yours, Jesus! Stay as long as you like and you can do whatever
you want to in this room, remember Jesus, its all yours."

That evening after he had retired for the night there came a loud
knocking at the front door. The young man pulled on his robe and made
his way downstairs. When he opened the door he found that the devil
had sent three of his demons to attack the man. He quickly tried to
close the door but one of the demons kept sticking his foot in.

Sometime later, after a great struggle, he managed to slam the door
shut and returned to his room totally exhausted.

Can you believe that," the man thought. Jesus is upstairs in my very
best room sleeping while I am down here battling demons. Oh, well,
maybe he just didn't hear. He slept fitfully that night. The next day
thing went along as normal and, being tired as he was, the young man
retired early that evening. Along about midnight, there came such a
terrible ruckus at the front door that the young man was sure that
whatever it was would tear the door down. He stumbled down the stairs
once again and opened the door to find that were dozens of demons now
trying to get into his beautiful home.

For more than three hours he fought and struggled against the demons
from h ell, and finally overtook them enough to shut the door against
their attack. All energy seemed to fail him. He really didn't
understand this at all. Why won't the Lord come to my rescue? Why does
he allow me to fight all by myself? I feel so alone. Troubled, he
found his way to the sofa and fell into a restless sleep.

The next morning he decided to inquire of the Lord about the
happenings of the last two evenings. Quietly he made his way to the
elegant bedroom where he had left Jesus. "Jesus," he called as he
tapped at the door. "Lord, I don't understand what is happening. For
the last two nights I have had to fight the demons away from my door
while you laid up here sleeping. Don't you care about me? Did I not
give you the very best room in the house?"

He could see the tears building in Jesus' eyes but continued on, "I
just don't understand, I really thought that once I invited you in to
live with me that you would take care of me and I gave you the best
room in my house and everything. What more can I do?"

"My precious child," Jesus spoke so softly. "I do love and care for
you. I protect all that you have released into my care. But, when you
invited me to come here and stay, you brought me to this lovely room
and you shut the door to the rest of your house. I am Lord of this
room but I am not Master of this house.

I have protected this room and no demon may enter here."

"Oh, Lord, please forgive me. Take all of my house -- it is yours. I
am so sorry that I never offered you all to begin with. I want you to
have control of everything." With this he flung open the bedroom door
and knelt at Jesus' feet. "Please forgive me Lord for being so
selfish."

Jesus smiled and told him that He had already forgiven him and that He
would take care of things from now on. That night as the young man
prepared for bed he thought, I wonder if those demons will return, I
am so tired of fighting them each and every night. But, he knew that
Jesus said that he would take care of things from now on.

Along about midnight the banging on the door was frightening. The
young man slipped out of his room in time to see Jesus going down the
stairs. He watched in awe as Jesus swung open the door, no need to be
afraid.

Satan stood at the door, this time demanding to be let in. "What do
you want, satan?" the Lord asked. The devil bowed low in the presence
of the Lord, "So sorry, I seem to have gotten the wrong address." And
with that, he and the demons all ran away.

There is a moral to this tale. Jesus wants all of you, not just a
part. He will take all that you give Him, but nothing more. How much
of your heart have you given to the Lord? Are you keeping a portion of
it away from Him?

Perhaps the attacks are coming more and more each day. Why not let the
Lord fight the battles for you? He is always victorious. I have found
that God made man simple, all of man's complexities are of his own
devising.