General Chat

Good morning :-)


The gt.granddaughter of one of our folk was baptised in the main service yesterday and they brought many guests with them. Shall I just say that I didn't realise that hot pants were back in fashion to such an extent! Everything went well and the baby was beautifully behaved.


Life is a bit difficult at the moment as my husband's condition has deteriorated somewhat over the last few weeks and I thought it would be good to think about some laughter.....and those who make us smile...



GOOD HUMOUR

Dear God of Happiness and Smiles,

We are the only creatures on earth who can laugh.

What a good gift you gave us in humour: the ability to laugh, and not to take ourselves too seriously.

We have moods and the ability to change our moods from dark to bright if we work hard enough at it.

We are able to make jokes, to turn difficulties into humorous stories,
and to see beauty in the unexpected twists and turns of fate in our lives.

Please, Lord, let me be able always to see
"the bright side" and to see happiness and humour, even in the challenging and dark times which fall sometimes upon all our lives.

Please bless the clowns, the humourists,
the jokesters, the pranksters, the comedians
and the writers of comedy, who bring smiles
to our faces and bright shining happiness
to our hearts.

Thank You, God, for the Joy of Laughter,
and the Gift of Life!

Amen


Cx :-)

Thank you Cynthia. The gift of laughter is indeed a blessing.

I am sorry to hear about your husband. May he find ease and you be given strength as you continue to support him. You are in my thoughts <3

Thank you Cynthia for never letting us down
by not contributing to this thread through your
difficult times.

My thoughts and prayers for you and your husband
that he may find calm to ease him and you strength
to help him through this difficult time.

My thoughts and prayers also to those in need of
comfort and support at this time.

Emma x

Cynthia, laughter is a good tonic and a release for us all when things are difficult and challenging. I pray for you and also your husband and do hope that he will be feeling much better and that you are given the strength needed to carry on caring for your husband and find the peace and laughter to help you through each and every day.

Good morning :-)


Thank you for your kind and comforting thoughts and prayers. I am fine really, it's just that my husband has Parkinson's and we don't know whether the latest problem is due to that or to something else. However, we press on in faith and keep smiling :-)

I have a fondness for prayers from the Celtic tradition and I came across this....


A brief catechism by Saint Ninian of Whithorn (c. 432):

Q. What is best in this world?
A. To do the will of our Maker.

Q. What is our Maker’s will?
A. That we should live according to the laws of God’s creation.

Q. How do we know those laws?
A. By studying the Scriptures with devotion.

Q. What tool has our Maker provided for this study?
A. The intellect, which can probe everything.

Q. And what is the fruit of study?
A. To perceive the eternal Word of God reflected in every plant and insect, every bird and animal, and every man and woman.


I found those words quite profound.

Enjoy your day and we continue to remember our friends in our prayers. Cx :-)

Thank you Cynthia. I hope that your husband is feeling a little better and that you both have had a good day today.

I remember all who are in need of support and my prayer for you today this:-

SMILES, when sadness intrudes
LAUGHTER upon your lips
HUGS when spirits sags
FRIENDSHIPS to brighten your being
CONFIDENCE for when you doubt
COURAGE to know your yourself
COMFORT on difficult days
RAINBOWS to follow the clouds
SUNSETS to warm your heart
BEAUTY for your eyes to see
FAITH so that you can believe
PATIENCE to accept the truth
LOVE to complete your life................. AMEN

Good morning... :-)


Amen indeed to those words kandj, thank you.

Life is still difficult here but we press on. We are, indeed, blessed by the fact that there is a support network for those with Parkinson's. I will be getting in touch with them today to see if they can come up with some ideas on how to make life easier for my husband. There is always the Parkinson's specialist nurse at the end of the phone too.

It's interesting how the support is there for so many conditions but, for those adults who have autism, it is far more difficult to access any help. That's why I spend time and effort in raising awareness for the condition. One day maybe.......... :-)


A prayer for today:


Sometimes I'm overcome with doubt,
When I try to read God's Book.
I must be very dense, I guess,
For I look, and look, and look.

I read His Book most every day,
A lot of it's not clear.
I re-read many passages,
I staunchly persevere.

Some days I think I see the Light,
Other days, I'm not so sure.
But, often when I turn a page,
I find words that reassure.

Now, God, please send Your guiding hand,
I truly want to know.
Why do I sometimes miss the point,
Am I just dull and slow?

Or is my mind so cluttered up,
With useless, worldly things.
That there's no room for godly words,
And the benefits they bring?

Let me find a place alone,
Just for You, Your Book, and me.
Then let my eyes be humble tools,
With which Your words to see.

Teach me how to concentrate,
How to shut the whole world out.
Help Your word be clear to me,
Make the time I spend devout.

Because there's many parables,
Let me have time to think.
Please slow me down and quiet me,
To make Your thoughts distinct.

Please help me, God, to understand,
You know my every need.
I pray to do the best I can,
Please bless me, as I read.

- Virginia Ellis


Remembering those who have asked for prayer.


Cx :-)

i do hope that the PD organization can help to make small changes that may be useful to improve the quality of your husbands daily lifestyle so that you can become less stressed and worried about his debilitating condition very soon..

All God's testings have a purpose
Someday we will see the light;
All he asks is that we trust Him
Walk by faith and not by sight.....Zoller.

God tests our faith, so that we may trust His faithfulness.

Good morning :-)

Thank you for that kandj......I am indeed living in faith and trust and hope. :-) I thought that this prayer was indicative of how we find ourselves at times.....


LABYRINTH

Lord God of Mysteries,
Lead me, Your wandering servant,
safely through the labyrinth of my life.

Keep me alert at every turn to see my way clearly and to avoid the pitfalls of evil
and temptation.

Stay with me each day of my journey, I beg of You.
Let me remember that You walk with me always, and are my Closest Companion and my Ultimate Destination.

I will not know how far I have progressed through the maze of my life until I turn
that final corner, and see You standing before me in blinding light
and radiant glory.

Please, Oh, Lord, please let me not
be lacking when I exit from the winding passage of my earthly existence,
to make an accounting for my life.

Please forgive all my missteps now,
in advance, and keep me moving forward
in humility, wisdom and charity, negotiating successfully the turning hallways of my own personal journey.

All this I ask in humility and hope,
in gratitude and great burning love,

Amen


CHRISTIAN LABYRINTHS

Early Christians often took a vow to make a pilgrimage to the Holy City of Jerusalem. Over the centuries as Christianity grew in Western Europe, this pledge became increasingly difficult to fulfill.

Practices emerged which enabled the devout to honour their sacred pilgrimage commitment symbolically.

One of these was the labyrinth. These were created on the floors of many European cathedrals, and people walked them prayerfully, as a substitute for the great pilgrimage to Jerusalem.

The most famous of these labyrinths is on the floor of the Chartres Cathedral in France (circa 1200).

A labyrinth differs from a maze in that there are no wrong turns or dead ends. you cannot "get lost."

- Donn B. Murphy


Thinking of our friends who have asked for prayer.......Cx :-)

Challenging times are never easy (imho), but they are necessary sometimes to help us to remember the trials of being patient in our daily lives.

I have read these words today and wish to share them with you now.

Patience with others is love,
Patience with self is hope,.
Patience with God is Faith. Adele Bestavros.

Remembering all who need prayerful support right now.

Good morning ... :-)


Thank you for those beautiful words kandj. Simple but true. It's lovely to have you back and sharing your thoughts with us. :-)



I'm not sure if I have used this poem before, so forgive me if I have.....



"God Knows Best"


Our Father knows what's best for us,
So why should we complain--
We always want the sunshine,
But He knows there must be rain--

We love the sound of laughter
And the merriment of cheer,
But our hearts would lose their tenderness
If we never shed a tear...

Our Father tests us often
With suffering and with sorrow,
He tests us, not to punish us,
But to help us meet tomorrow...

For growing trees are strengthened
When they withstand the storm,
And the sharp cut of a chisel
Gives the marble grace and form...

God never hurts us needlessly,
And He never wastes our pain
For every loss He send to us
Is followed by rich gain...

And when we count the blessings
That God has so freely sent,
We will find no cause for murmuring
And no time to lament...

For our Father loves His children,
And to Him all things are plain,
So He never sends us pleasure
When the soul's deep need is pain...

So whenever we are troubled,
And when everything goes wrong,
It is just God working in us
To make our spirit strong.


- Helen Steiner Rice


Continuing to pray for our friends.... Cx :-)

It is good to be back Cynthia even if it is usually a little late in the day.

Thank you for you daily postings,especially as you have your own worries concerning your husband.

My own quiet time is limited but special as I remember others who are in need of prayerful support.

These few lines written by Brother Roger of Taize seem appropriate tonight.

"The more we share with simplicity what we have,
The more life becomes welcoming for those entrusted to us.
Simplifying........ enables us to offer a welcome to others,
Even with very little".

I have been meditating on those profound words of wisdom.... how true they are.

Good morning :-)


Thank you for reminding me about Taize kandj, I have appreciated the music from there for many years.

A brief explanation may be helpful for those who have never come across this community before.

Taizé

The Taizé community is an ecumenical monastic order with a strong devotion to peace and justice through prayer and meditation. The 100-strong community of Roman Catholic and Protestant monks is drawn from 30 countries across the world.

It was founded in 1940 by Roger Louis Schutz-Marsauche (known as 'Brother Roger'). The 90-year-old monk died in August 2005 after being stabbed during a prayer service.

Today Taizé is one of the world's most important sites of Christian pilgrimage. Each year tens of thousands of young pilgrims flock to the small village of Taizé in central France to share in the community's way of life.

Prayer and silence are at the heart of the Taizé experience. Young people from every corner of the globe are encouraged to live out the Christian gospel in a spirit of joy, simplicity and reconciliation.

Ecumenism (a movement promoting Christian unity among Churches) is the key to Taizé's appeal, making it a magnet for people of many different cultures and traditions.

Make time for some prayer in your life today.......

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQZgOLSiVjY


Cx :-)

Your Welcome

Thinking of those in need of prayers today,
to Cynthia and kandj husbands and my young
friend who with the help of nurses etc continues
her long journey to regain her strength.

Emma x

Good morning :-)

I do so hope and pray that your young friend continues her amazing recovery Emma, it's great news indeed.

My husband is still suffering with his bad leg, but I think there is a tiny improvement. His heart scan was okay and he has had some of his medication altered. Sometimes there can be too many meds for the body to cope with.

The Collect for today:


O God, you declare your almighty power most chiefly
in showing mercy and pity:
mercifully grant to us such a measure of your grace,
that we, running the way of your commandments,
may receive your gracious promises,
and be made partakers of your heavenly treasure;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God,
now and for ever.
Amen.


Remembering our friends in our prayers. Enjoy the Lord's Day........Cx :-)

Ooops...sorry.....meant to say 'hello' to Billie...........Hi Billie... nice to meet you. :-D

Cynthia its good to hear positive news about your husband. I agree that medication needs to be reviewed regularly but often this is overlooked causing many problems.

Emma its so lovely to know that your young friend is improving and being well cared for as she regains her health and strength again.

Hello to BillinOz..... welcome to our friendly thread.

Suggested 5 ways to well-being

1. Connect....... with the people around you.

2. Be active...... step outside.

3. Take notice.... be curious.

4. Keep learning...try something new today.

5. Give...... Do something nice for a friend or stranger.

Good morning :-)

Thanks kandj. :-)


After the two morning services yesterday, we had baptisms......five of them! The church was crammed full of family and friends of those to be baptised and a happy crowd they were too. Not to mention noisy :-)

I occasionally check to see which saints are being celebrated on certain days. These are the folk who, aeons ago, paved the way to our understanding of the Christian faith. We have much to thank them for.

Today, it is St. Giles (Abbot) who is being venerated. St. Giles is the Patron Saint of the physically disabled amongst other things.

So, a prayer for those who are disabled........

Father, I come to You in Jesus' name,
on behalf of all the disabled and handicapped.

You know their pain and suffering more than anyone else! Please give them relief from their pain and calm their frustrations.

Help them to succeed in whatever task(s) they may be trying today. Give them courage to push forward in life, knowing that others will look upon them differently.

Open the hearts and eyes of the 'able' bodied, to see more clearly that compassion
is what needs to be displayed toward them; and not pity.

Extend YOUR strength to them and send them messages of encouragement, I pray.

Through Christ our Lord. Amen.


Cx :-)

Good morning and thank you kandj :-)

It's a good feeling to know that people
are thinking of others in their own busy life.

Emma x