Community Chat

[gloriajean]

What we endure in this life is nothing compared to the glory that God
has in store for us in heaven. Lord, take every moment of my life as
a prayer to praise and glorify Your holy name.

Scripture for the day:

"Be still and know that I am God." ~Psalm 46:10

Meditation for the day:

I can be calm, true and quiet. I need not get emotionally upset by anything
that happens around me. I can feel a deep, inner security in the goodness
and purpose in the universe. I can be true to my highest ideals. I need
not let myself slip back into old ways of reacting. I can stick to my
spiritual guns. I can be calm always. I need not talk back or defend
myself too much against accusation, whether false or true. I can accept
abuse as well as I accept praise. Only God can judge the real me.

Prayer for the day:

I pray that I may not be upset by the judgment of others. I pray that I may
let God be the judge of the real me.

Hello my friends! Today I had a little Thanksgiving meal with just us and
Lori for supper. Linus made a 14 pound turkey on the grill, it turned out
delicious! I cooked turkey soup too, and froze it. So for supper I heated
turkey with the gravy that came with it, and made mashed potatoes and corn,
also some dressing, and served wine. I even put on a nice tablecloth and
nice dishes and had the table set really nice. Dessert was Apple pie that
Deil made and I froze until now. Then we played a little Farkle together
before she went home and I won! Had to mention that because I'm not usually
a winner. Today Linus got a massage - and it helped him. Praying for you
all - thanks for your prayers for us.

THE GIFT
Author Unknown
November 19, 2012


A young man was getting ready to graduate from college. For many months he
had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer's showroom, and knowing his
father could well afford it, he told him that was all he wanted.

As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited signs that his father
had purchased the car. Finally, on the morning of his graduation, his father
called him into his private study. His father told him how proud he was to
have such a fine son, and told him how much he loved him.

He handed his son a beautifully wrapped gift box. Curious, but somewhat
disappointed, the young man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound
Bible, with the young man's name embossed in gold.

Angry, he raised his voice to his father and said, "With all your money
you give me a Bible?" and stormed out of the house, leaving the Bible. Many
years passed and the young man was very successful in business. He had a
beautiful home and wonderful family, but realized his father was very old,
and thought perhaps he should go to him. He had not seen him since that
graduation day.

Before he could make arrangements, he received a telegram telling him his
father had passed away, and willed all of his possessions to his son. He
needed to come home immediately and take care of things. When he arrived at
his father's house, sudden sadness and regret filled his heart. He began to
search through his father's important papers and saw the still new Bible,
just as he had left it years ago. With tears, he opened the Bible and began
to turn the pages. His father had carefully underlined a verse, Matt. 7:11,
"And if ye, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how
much more shall your Heavenly Father which is in Heaven, give to those who
ask Him?" As he read those words, a car key dropped from the back of the
Bible. It had a tag with the dealer's name, the same dealer who had the
sports car he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation, and
the words PAID IN FULL.

How many times do we miss God's blessings because they are not packaged as
we expected?

Prayer to St. Joseph

Guard and protect me St. Joseph each day
As onward we journey, to heaven we pray.
I ask when I'm dying that you will be there,
To cheer by thy presence, aid by your prayer.
Now hear me St. Joseph, I count upon thee
To grant my petition whatever it be.

LUCKY
Author Unknown

Anyone who has pets will really like this. You'll like it even if you
don't and may decide you need one. Mary and her husband Jim had a dog,
Lucky.
Lucky was a real character. Whenever Mary and Jim had company come for
a weekend visit they would warn their friends to not leave their luggage
open because Lucky would help himself to whatever struck his fancy.
Inevitably someone would forget and something would come up missing.
Mary or Jim would go to Lucky's toy box in the basement and there
the treasure would be, amid all of Lucky's favorite toys. Lucky always
stashed his finds in his toy box and he was very particular that his toys
stay in the box.

It happened that Mary found out she had breast cancer. Something told
her she was going to die of this disease...she was just sure it was fatal.
She scheduled the double mastectomy, fear riding her shoulders.

The night before she was to go to the hospital she cuddled with Lucky.
A thought struck her...what would happen to Lucky? Although the three-
year-old dog liked Jim he was Mary's dog through and through. If I die Lucky
will be abandoned, Mary thought. He won't understand that I didn't want to
leave him. The thought made her sadder than thinking of her own death.

The double mastectomy was harder on Mary than her doctors had
anticipated and Mary was hospitalized for over two weeks. Jim took Lucky for
his
evening walk faithfully but the dog just drooped, whining and miserable. But
finally the day came for Mary to leave the hospital. When she arrived home,
Mary was so exhausted she couldn't even make it up the steps to her bedroom.
Jim made his wife comfortable on the couch and left her to nap. Lucky stood
watching Mary but he didn't come to her when she called. It made Mary sad
but
sleep soon overcame her and she dozed.

When Mary woke for a second she couldn't understand what was wrong.
She couldn't move her head and her body felt heavy and hot. Panic soon
gave way to laughter though when Mary realized the problem. She was covered,
literally blanketed in every treasure Lucky owned! While she had slept
the sorrowing dog had made trip after trip to the basement and back
bringing his beloved mistress his favorite things in life. He had covered
her with
his love. Mary forgot about dying. Instead she and Lucky began living
again, walking further and further together every night.

It's been 12 years now and Mary is still cancer-free. Lucky? He still
steals treasures and stashes them in his toy box but Mary remains his
greatest treasure.

Live everyday to the fullest...because every day is a blessing from
God! He covers you with His treasures and His love!

Be Inspired


May you be inspired today...

May you be encouraged to travel your path
with sure feet, confident in your direction.

May you be spurred on to explore,
to face the challenge, to go to the next level.

May you experience many moments
when you want to stand up and shout, “Huzzah! How grand this life is and I
want more of it!”


May you fall asleep exhausted
but giddy with anticipation for what is to come,
as though you cannot wait until the morning to continue the adventure,
to see what glorious miracles are going to occur.

And finally, may you realize that you do not have the power to create such a
day
and such a life for yourself, but that it has been given to you by a higher
power for you possess it.

BEYOND DEATH
Author Unknown


A sick man turned to his doctor, as he was leaving the room after
paying a visit, and said, "Doctor, I am afraid to die. Tell me what
lies on the other side."

Very quietly the doctor said, "I don't know."

"You don't know? You, a Christian man, do not know what is on the
other side?"

The doctor was holding the handle of the door, on the other side of
which came a sound of scratching and whining, and as he opened the
door a dog sprang into the room and leaped on him with an eager show
of gladness.

Turning to the patient, the doctor said, "Did you notice that dog? He
had never been in this room before. He did not know what was inside.
He knew nothing except that his master was here, and when the door
opened he sprang in without fear.

I know little of what is on the other side of death, but I do know one
thing: I know my Master is there, and that is enough. And when the
door opens, I shall pass through with no fear, but with gladness.

A Father's Prayer for Loved Ones


Kind Father, I thank You for my home where loved ones dwell and to which my
fondest memories now turn. I praise You for the family love and peace and
cheer which follow me and comfort me in strange and distant places.
I am grateful for all things we share in common, the worthy lessons we
learn, the hardships and griefs we sometimes bear, the tasks and pleasures
which bind us closer to each other, and the abiding affection and heartfelt
prayers which still keep our spirits one in You.

Shelter my home. O God, and all my dear ones there. Make me strong,
unselfish, and brave to defend and protect them.

Send down Your peace to every family on earth and grant an abundance of
grace to them so that in doing Your will they may merit the joys of eternal
salvation.

Grant Eternal Rest, O Lord
The Lord is my shepherd:
I shall not want.
In green pastures
he gives me repose.
Beside restful waters
he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right path
for his name's sake.
Even if I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side.
Your shepherd's staff and rod
give me comfort.
You spread a table before me
in the sight of my foes;
You anoint my head with oil,
and my cup overflows.
Goodness and kindness will follow me
all the days of my life.
And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
for years to come.
--Psalm 23
Nothing wounds the human heart more deeply than the loss of a loved one.

Does God care?

"The Lord is my shepherd." Even as we walk in the shadow of death, God is at
our side.

Beyond death is an unknown life, where God, in goodness and kindness,
welcomes us to dwell in his house for years to come. We think death ends;
let us believe it is also a beginning. It brings its terrible loss; let us
hope for the promised gain.

"I am the Good Shepherd," Jesus says. "I go to prepare a place for you."