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Delivered Monday through Friday!
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June 26,
2008
Baby Elephant Walk
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Joy from the Monastery |
Thoughts from Sister Patricia
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Quote for the Day:
Make your requests with definite earnestness if you would have definite answers.
Aimlessness in prayer accounts for so many seemingly unanswered prayers .
Be definite in your petitions.
Fill out your check for something definite,
and it will be cashed at the bank of Heaven when presented in Jesus? Name.
Dare to be definite with God.
Anonymous
Quote from the book, "101 Inspirational Stories of the Power of Prayer"
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A nice hot sunny day. Hot at the moment being 71 which means "just perfect." It will get a bit hotter.. but still nice. Saturday and Sunday - hmmm.. low 90's not so perfect. But will deal with that later. For now Pi and me think it is just perfect!
I am doing the JoyNotes earlier in the day as we have a couple of spiritual conferences coming up and trying to "make clear the road" before they start. It's really, really nice doing the JoyNotes at this time of day... brain is functioning, stomach is hungry but dinner is close so figure I can keep going - and the idea of being in control about doing them.. rather than my usual cram for the exam sort of existence I usually submit myself to is pretty awesome. Must do this more often.
Last night and this morning I had a total break through. One of those where "you know it but don't quite GET IT till the Lord spells it out...very plain English for those slow to understand."
You see, I have been sort of (okay more that sort of) depressed about the book. It's like "Okay, its done, it's wonderful.. but its not doing anything, going anywhere, shaking up the world sort of thing." and the New York Times has not called to ask how did we ever come up with such an earth shaking, totally over the top book and the President of the United States has not asked for a personal copy (which he really should) and Pope Benedict.. I really don't think even knows about this book, if you can imagine that. So there I am just sitting on the top of my Great Expectations and experiencing "fall out."
So what does the Lord do - for someone like me - who builds castles on sand? He says, "Knock it off, Already!" "Get a Life" Did you do the book for ME or for you??
And I say, "Uh, well, I sort of fooled myself that I was doing it for you... I was putting that in the mix.. but yeah, I guess there was just way to much of ME in the recipe."
He says, "Right." He lets me stew on that for a few minutes and then he adds a bit more. Ever notice how the Lord always.. and I mean ALWAYS likes to have the last word? I hadn't realized that until I read it in the Scriptures once when the Pharisees where complaining about Jesus and they said something to the effect of, "Who wants to talk to someone who always thinks He is in the right?" I thought that was very funny.
......
Well, guess what... got called to supper and so I couldn't finish the above thought - and its gone clear out the window now. Probably zip back in some time around midnight but I'm not waiting around for it. Anyway the way the Lord got through my book complex was listening to a radio program last night by Father Robert Spitzer, S.J. It was after 11:00 last night... I was late as could be and was just doing the final checking on the fourth floor and I stepped into the radio room to check the window and I heard Father talking on the radio about people who start off doing something good and then get mixed up and turned around so that the original intent they were after - gets mixed up with ego. Well, its just too complicated to explain really, but the point is the Lord sort of got a few zingers in and showed me that I was more worried about the book doing well for MY little old sake rather than for His sake or anyone else. And of course, he said, "That is just not going to work!"
And I said, "I know, I know...I keep trying to give it over to you.. but somehow I keep grabbing it back!" I could tell He completely agreed that I was being pretty hopeless about the whole thing. Anyway - at least I do think He made a little headway through my understanding through Fr. Spitzer. Finally... because truthfully a few other people have been telling me the same thing.. and I always agree... and then sort of slippy slide back into making it my problem again instead of God's.
Just amazing. Ever notice how you don't mind nearly as much taking a knock down from God as you do from someone else? In fact, once the whole picture of what I was doing - cleared up and focused in my head I felt wonderful.
I will tell you what though.. tonight I don't care what is on the radio when I go up there to check.. I'm keeping on moving on... because I do need my sleep. We're not going for beauty here, just good, old plain sleep that keeps me from biting peoples heads off. when I don't get it.
Blessings of Peace and Joy!
Sister Patricia
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My Kitchen Prayer
Maria M. Fabro
Buttonwood Bay, Belize
Ever since being saved, I have been a person of much deep prayer both day and night. I try to attend Mass as much as possible since we live five minutes away from church. I read my Bible regularly and I play my songs of worship every now and again when I am alone at home. I can remember that ever since I lived with my aunt after my stroke, I cooked for her children, her husband, and my son.
One morning, while I was cutting up the chicken to prepare lunch, I discovered that the knife was dull. Since only my left hand had the strength to cut this chicken, I was devastated.
I remembered when I was in Guatemala, that there were men who went around blowing their flutes and shouting, "Do you need to sharpen your knives? We sharpen knives and scissors."
To share a Comment
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From the book 101 Inspirational Stories of the Power of Prayer
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Blogs Supporting 101 Prayer |
The Daily Grotto
Danielle Bean
Friends for Jesus
Cause of Our Joy
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Rejoice in Me
by Msgr. David E. Rosage
Sing His Praises
Psalm 103:1-2
Bless the Lord, O my soul;
and all my being, bless his holy name.
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits.
Every Christian who experiences God's loving mercy and compassion is a happy person. Even though the Lord is the transcendent God of heaven and earth, he still abides with us to forgive, heal, and redeem us.
Our gratitude for such great mercy naturally leads us into a hymn of praise for all his benefits.
"All this is the work of the kindness of our God:
he, the Dayspring, shall visit us in his mercy." (Lke 1:78)
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A Smile from Home - Danielle Bean
Today's Thought
Visit Danielle's Blog to see
pictures and links to go with this text.
Gas and Groceries
I give up. I keep spending more and more money on food, but my family just keeps eating the stuff. Between higher food prices and the expense of gas to drive 40 minutes to the larger stores where I know there are (slightly) lower prices, I feel like I can’t win.
Are you feeling the pinch this summer? What kinds of things are you doing to feed your family or drive for less?
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Greetings from London with Sister Janet Fearns, FMDM
Pause for Prayer
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On a personal note…
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Spiritual Blessings from Father Rory Pitstick
A Virtual Retreat
Reflections following the Daily Liturgical cycle
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