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April 23,
2007

God is good all of the time

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Thoughts from Sister Patricia




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To send today's card: Saint George

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Quote for the Day:
Our problem is that we assume prayer is something to master
the way we master algebra or auto mechanics. That puts us in
the "on-top" position, where we are competent and in control.
But when praying, we come "underneath" where we calmly and
deliberately surrender control and become incompetent...The
truth of the matter is, we all come to prayer with a tangled mass
of motives altruistic and selfish, merciful and hateful, loving and
bitter. Frankly, this side of eternity we will never unravel the
good from the bad, the pure from the impure. God is big enough
to receive us with all our mixture. That is what grace means,
and not only are we saved by it, we live by it as well. And we
pray by it.
Richard J Foster

Quote from the book, "101 Inspirational Stories of the Power of Prayer"


We had a bit of sun today so thought I should take advantage of it and take my mom for a little drive and bring her to the monastery for lunch. Seems like lately the only times I have gone to see her was to take her to a doctor.. so it was nice to do something with her that didn't involved needles and pokes! We both had a lovely time.

Didn't make much progress on the ins and outs of the presales... but getting there.

Free Book Offer

I promised to tell you a little about the opportunity to get a free book and this is my thoughts on the matter. I really think this is going to be a very wonderful book and it will be a help to many, many people... but of course.. only if they know about it.

So.... I thought.... I would ask for help from you in spreading the word. Last week during Mass it came to me, that I could offer anyone a free book who would promote the book in three simple ways. I have asked the Sisters for permission to set aside 1000 free books for word of mouth evangelization!
What you would do.. is ask for a free book
And then after you got the book (only if you really like it of course....) you could find some ways to spread the news. You don't even have to tell me how or when you share it.... I would love to hear some of the ways it goes about.. but certainly not a requirement.

Some suggestions:
Perhaps write a note to a friend about the book
write a comment on a book site about the book (I will provide links to places that have my book and have comments),
share it with a Church group, whatever the Holy Spirit urges you to do.
I think the list of 101 ways that Barb and myself came up with last week.. might be some idea starters for you. Ideas to Spread the Word

The only restriction I have to say is that I cannot afford to send the free book outside of the United States. It is too costly and I'm sort of stretching my budget over and above as it is. So sorry. I will continue to share stories and quotes from the book throughout the year - and a free download of part of the book soon.

If you do want a free book (yes this even applies to Authors and contributors for the book. bookstores, reporters, friend of a friend, whoever you are if you are willing to lend us a publicity hand) please send me an email with your complete mailing address. When the book is finished (is at the printer now) we will send you a free book and trust that you will spread the word as far and as wide as you can! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!

my email address for this mailing is 1srpat@calledbyjoy.com
include your complete mailing address

Blessings and Peace,
Sister Patricia

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Saint of the day

Reverend Fun

Motivational
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Joy from Meditation
Rejoice in Me
by Msgr. David E. Rosage

Omnipresent Love

Psalm 89:12-13a

Yours are the heavens, and yours is the earth;
the world and its fullness you have founded;
North and south you created.


When we behold the multiplicity of fruits and flowers, of animals large and small, of trees tall and ornamental, of glittering stars and the brilliant sun, we cannot refrain from praising and glorifying the Lord of all creation.

The massive mountains and the luscious valleys with streams of fresh water meandering through them all bespeaks the grandeur and the glory of God. Yet all the beauty of nature is but a faint reflection of the beauty of God.

Pray with St. Paul: "To the King of ages, the immortal, the invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever! Amen." (1 Tm 1:17)

Joy in Eating!
Healthy Eating from Barbara George

Elder Care Diet Tips
Your resource for hints on nutrition and health;
a place to learn and a place to share!

Visit Barb's Blog to leave comments and find more great tips.



Joy from Home
A Smile from Home - Danielle Bean

Today's Thought

Visit Danielle's Blog to see
pictures and links to go with this text.


Grateful


Today I sit in the springtime sun. Its heat presses through my shirt and penetrates deep into my back and shoulders, where my muscles long have ached for its soft, melting warmth.

I yawn and stretch.

My baby boy uses a small plastic shovel to dig and poke and play. I ooh and coo at the tiny treasures he shows me. When he toddles near enough, I grab him. I squeeze his warm, sunshiney body and bury my face in his fat neck. I breathe deep the scent of sunscreen, lingering baby bath, and moist, fresh earth.

I thank God for long awaited sunny days, for the luxury of time, and for the sweet smell of a baby’s body.

Joy from Rome
Greetings from London with Sister Janet Fearns, FMDM

Pause for Prayer

Visit Janet's Blog to see pictures to go with this text.

On a personal note…


The phone call

The phone call was one that I had postponed for days. There was no way in which I wanted to phone the utility company in question, even though I have usually found them helpful and accommodating. Generally, the company from which I needed help would be at the top on the list of the ‘unloved’ for most people in Britain.

Eventually, I could delay no longer. I dialled the number and, as always, was put in a long line, waiting for ‘one of our assistants to answer your call’. I was not particularly impressed when the recorded voice informed me that my contact and custom were valued. Finally, someone responded and told me that I had dialled the wrong extension… Stubbornly, I continued and was finally connected correctly.

I do not know the age of the man to whom I eventually spoke and can only say that he was a Londoner and had possibly been near a church once or twice in his life, possibly even a Catholic church, for that matter. Whilst he worked on the subject of my phone call, we chatted. Soon we were both laughing over each other’s stories and jokes.

As our conversation and business drew to an end, I heard that, only a few days ago, this same man had responded to two, consecutive, abusive phone calls, the second of which was so bad that he put down the receiver. This afternoon’s had been rather different! “Thank you for your fantastic call,” he said. “I’ve really enjoyed it.”

To be honest, so had I and a potentially major inconvenience had turned into a very pleasant interlude.

There is no excuse for rudeness and abusive behaviour. So much can be done by courtesy. Of course there are moments of intense irritation when any one of us would like to explode with all the pent-up frustrations that have hitherto been held in check. But we rarely know all that our intended object has also been bearing. I might have been another person’s ‘last straw’ every bit as much as they might have been mine.

The story is told of a monk with a very quick temper, who died in the midst of one of his outbursts. His community decided that he could not possibly have been forgiven by God for such rage and so they didn’t bother to pray for him. Then came the night when the abbot had a vision. God told him, “You thought that your brother died because he lost his temper. I know that he died because of his efforts to control it.”

God bless,
Sr. Janet
Joy from Church
Spiritual Blessings from Father Rory Pitstick

A Virtual Retreat
Reflections following the Daily Liturgical cycle

Visit Fr. Rory's Blog

Wednesday

Acts 15: 1-6
Ps 121(122): 1-2.
3-4ab. 4cd-5
Jn 15: 1-8

Daily Readings
Apr 23 Wed: Easter Weekday/ George, mt/ Adalbert, bp, mt

From today's readings: “They were sent on their journey by the Church, and passed through Phoenicia and Samaria telling of the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the brethren.... Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.... I am the true vine, and My Father is the vine grower.”

Can you bear to be pruned?


Not even the greatest saints ever presumed that they had reached human perfection - each of them humbly realized their faults and their need of the Savior’s continual sanctification. Jesus Himself taught that even the disciples that counted as “fruitful branches” would be subject to ongoing purification, for every branch that bears fruit, the Father “prunes so that it bears more fruit.”

In short, Christianity leaves no grounds for complacency. While one can and should rejoice in the harvest of the good fruits of committed Christian discipleship, there’s no place in this life for resting on one’s laurels, for there’s always room for improvement.

Sometimes, you and I can take some initiative in this pruning process, such as when we apply scripture lessons to our lives diligently, and make thorough examinations of conscience, and sacramentally confess our sins regularly, and devote ourselves to legitimate penitential practices.

At other times, though, we find ourselves being pruned in unexpected (and even painful) ways, as we struggle to carry the crosses that come our way. But, after all, since the crucified Christ is Himself the divine vine, only those branches grafted to the arms of the Cross fully tap into the divine tree of life!


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