General Chat

Good morning :-)

Glad you're enjoying the stories kandj - I try and think of something different for each week. <3

A cup full of dirt

For her fourth birthday, Rachel’s grandfather brought her a little paper cup full of dirt. She was disappointed with the gift and let him know that. In response, he simply smiled and then turned to pick up a small teapot from her doll’s tea set. He took her to the kitchen and filled it up with water and put it on the windowsill. He gave Rachel the teapot and said, “If you promise to put some water in the cup every day, something may happen.”

Rachel did as she was told, but as the days passed, she found it harder and harder to keep up the task. At one point, she tried to give the cup back to her grandfather, but he simply told her she had to keep it up every day.

With much effort, she did just that, and eventually she woke up one morning and there she saw two small green leaves sprouting out of the soil. She was amazed, and each day she watched the plant grow bigger and bigger.

When she saw her grandfather again, she told him all about it, thinking that he would be just as surprised. He wasn’t and he explained to her how life was everywhere and how it was hidden in the most ordinary and unlikely places.
Rachel was excited by this, and asked, “And all it needs is water, Grandpa?” Her grandfather touched her gently on top of her head, and said, “No. All it needs is your faithfulness.”

Prayers are the seeds we sow today to produce tomorrow’s harvest. Lord, help us to be faithful with our prayers. Amen.

Cx :-)

Hello all

I'm loving this week's posting about seeds. Thanks.

I became interested in gardening before my teens. My Dad was a poorly man and sad when he couldn't tend our garden and so I offered to do the work instead and Dad supervised me. We shared happy times together and I have lovely memories.

Enjoy the God-given sunshine and take care all.

Good morning :-)

What are you sowing? What you sow, so shall you reap

THE EMPEROR AND THE SEEDS
In the Far East, the emperor was growing old and it was time to choose his successor. Instead of choosing one of his children, he decided to do something different. He called young people in the kingdom together one day. He said, “It is time for me to step down and choose the next emperor. I have decided to choose one of you. I am going to give each one of you a seed today – one very special seed. I want you to plant the seed, water it, and come back here one year from today with what you have grown from this one seed. I will then judge the plants that you bring, and the one I choose will be the next emperor.”

One boy, named Ling, was there and he, like the others, received a seed. He went home and excitedly, told his mother the story and she helped him to plant the seed and care for it. Every day, he would water it and watch to see if it had grown.
Ling kept checking his seed. Five weeks went by, still nothing. By now, others were talking about their plants, but Ling didn’t have a plant and he felt like a failure. Six months went by — still nothing in Ling’s pot. He just knew he had killed his seed. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing.

A year finally went by and all the youths of the kingdom brought their plants to the emperor for inspection. Ling didn’t want to take an empty pot, but his mother asked him to be honest about what happened. He knew his mother was right so he took his empty pot to the palace. When he arrived, he was amazed at the variety of plants grown by the other youths. They were beautiful — in all shapes and sizes. Ling put his empty pot on the floor and the other children laughed at him.

When the emperor arrived, he surveyed the room. Ling just tried to hide in the back. “My, what great plants, trees, and flowers you have grown,” said the emperor. “Today one of you will be appointed the next emperor!”

All of a sudden, the emperor spotted Ling at the back of the room with his empty pot. He ordered his guards to bring him to the front. Ling was terrified. When Ling got to the front, the Emperor asked his name. “My name is Ling,” he replied. All the kids were laughing and making fun of him. The emperor asked everyone to quiet down. He looked at Ling, and then announced to the crowd, “Behold your new emperor! His name is Ling!” Ling couldn’t believe it. He couldn’t even grow his seed. How could he be the new emperor?

Then the emperor said, “One year ago today, I gave everyone here a seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds that would not grow. All of you, except Ling, have brought me trees and plants and flowers. When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for the one I gave you. Ling was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he Is the one who will be the new emperor!”

Be careful what you plant, now; it will determine what you will reap tomorrow. The seeds you now scatter will make life worse or better for you and for the ones who will come after you.

Lord thank you, for you are Lord over seasons. Give me wisdom to know when and what to sow. May I never be swayed by emotions, worldly wisdom or ungodly counsel. Amen,

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)


The gospel reading for yesterday was about planting seeds - I have found some short stories which I think you will enjoy reading.

‘What you sow is what you reap’

Once there was a poor Scottish farmer named Fleming. One day, whilst working outside, he heard a cry from a nearby wet muddy ground. He dropped his tools and ran to the spot. There, he saw a terrified boy stuck to his waist in the mud. He was screaming and struggling to free himself but Farmer Fleming managed to save him.

The next day, a fancy carriage pulled up to the farmer’s poor home. A nobleman stepped out and introduced himself as the father of the boy, Fleming has saved. ‘I want to repay you,’ said the nobleman. ‘You saved my son’s life.’ ‘No, I cannot accept payment for what I did,’ the Scottish farmer replied, waving off the offer.
At that moment, the farmer’s own son came to the door of the home. ‘Is that your son?’ the nobleman asked. ‘Yes,’ the farmer replied proudly. ‘I’ll make you a deal' said the nobleman. 'Let me take him and give him a good education. If the boy is like his father, he’ll grow into a man you can be proud of.’

And that he did. In time, Fleming’s son graduated from St Mary’s Hospital Medical School in London, and went on to become the noted Sir Alexander Fleming, the discoverer of Penicillin. Years afterward, the nobleman’s son was stricken with pneumonia. And what saved him? Penicillin. The name of the nobleman was Lord Randolph Churchill, and his son’s name was Sir Winston Churchill.

Lord, we thank you for your faithfulness to your word! You give seed to the sower and I thank you for all seed that you have placed in my hand. By your faith in me, may I show faith in you. Amen.

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)


Thanks Vera - laughter is a great medicine... :-D


The Collect (special prayer) for today:

Faithful Creator,
whose mercy never fails:
deepen our faithfulness to you
and to your living Word,
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.


He (Jesus) also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.”

Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.”


Cx :-)

Good morning

Thank you for the laughs this week Cynthia.

Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face (Victor Hugo)

I wish everyone who looks in a happy Sunday and a good week ahead (with plenty of laughs :-D)

Good morning :-D



Laughter brings sunshine to a home



Q. What animal could Noah not trust?


A. Cheetah

----------------------------------------------


Q. On the Ark, Noah probably got milk from the cows. What did he get from the ducks?


A. Quackers

---------------------------------------------

Q. Which Bible Character is a locksmith?


A. Zaccheus. (Za-KEY-us)

------------------------------------------------

Q. Which Bible character had no parents?


A. Joshua, son of Nun (Joshua 1:1).



For the gift of laughter, we thank you O Lord. <3


Cx :-)

Good morning :-D


Yes Dermot, I had heard of a lot of unrest caused by that particular event - understandably so.



Life is like a mirror.....smile at it and it smiles back at you.

Q. Who was the smartest man in the Bible?

A. Abraham. He knew a Lot.


-----------------------------------------

Q. Who was the fastest runner in the race?

A. Adam, because he was first in the human race.


-------------------------------------------

Q. Why did the unemployed man get excited while looking through his Bible?

A. He thought he saw a Job.


Lord, help us to smile at everyone we meet today.



Cx :-)

“Don’t put laws before people” is the message from dozens of readers who have written to us in response to the wedding of twice-divorced Boris Johnson in Westminster Cathedral.

(The Tablet Weekly Magazine). :-S

Good morning :-)

That is certainly some letter Dermot! One wonders how it will all pan out.




Be the reason someone smiles today!


Q. Where is the first tennis match mentioned in the Bible?


A. When Joseph served in Pharaoh’s court.


-----------------------------------------------------

Q. What did Adam say on the day before Christmas?


A. It’s Christmas, Eve!

----------------------------------------------------


Q. Why didn’t they play cards on the Ark?


A. Because Noah was standing on the deck.




Cx :-)

Cardinal Marx submits resignation to Pope Francis. (Vatican News). (08.06.21).

German Cardinal Reinhard Marx asks Pope Francis to accept his resignation as head of the Archdiocese of Munich-Freising, saying he “is willing to personally bear responsibility” not only for his own mistakes in dealing with the clerical abuse scandal, but also for the institutional errors of the Church.

Cardinal Reinhard Marx speaks of “personal failures” and “administrative mistakes” in a letter to Pope Francis in which he submitted his resignation as archbishop of Munich and Freising.
but also of “an institutional or ‘systematic’ failure” in the handling of the crisis of clerical sexual abuse in Germany,

A “personal declaration” from the Cardinal, posted on the Archdiocesan website, says the Pope has authorized the publication of the letter: Pope Francis, the statement reads, “has now informed me that this letter may be published and that I should keep performing my service as a bishop until his decision is made.”

A ‘dead end’ that could become a turning point
In his letter of resignation, Cardinal Marx reflects on the crisis facing the Catholic Church in Germany: a crisis, he says, that arose not only from external causes, but “also caused by our personal failure, by our own guilt.” “My impression,” he says, “is that we are at a ‘dead end’ which – and this is my paschal hope – also has the potential of becoming a ‘turning point’.”

Co-responsibility in the crisis of abuse
The cardinal explains that he has been considering resignation for the past year. In his personal declaration, he goes into more detail: “In the past months, I have repeatedly thought about my resignation, introspected and tried to make the right decision in prayer and in the spiritual dialogue by ‘discerning the spirits.”

He explains to the Pope that, “in essence, it is important to me to share the responsibility for the catastrophe of the sexual abuse by Church officials over the past decades.”

In the past few months, Cardinal Marx had approached the Westpfahl Spilker Wastl firm - the same firm that had been commissioned for the first investigation of paedophilia cases in the Archdiocese of Cologne - to draw up a report on abuse in the Church of Munich and Freising, pledging to not intervene to influence the final results. Last year, the Cardinal established a foundation in his diocese called “Spes et Salus” to offer “healing and reconciliation” to all victims of sexual violence. He also donated most of his private assets to the foundation.

Personal failures and administrative mistakes:

In his letter to the Pope, published today in several languages ,Cardinal Marx refers to “investigations” and “reports” over the past ten years, which, he stresses, “have consistently shown that there have been many personal failures and administrative mistakes but also institutional or ‘systemic’ failure.” The Cardinal also looks critically at the most recent controversies and discussions which, in his opinion, show that “some members of the Church refuse to believe that there is a shared responsibility in this respect and that the Church as an institution is hence also to be blamed for what has happened". Consequently, he said, they “disapprove of discussing reforms and renewal in the context of the sexual abuse crisis”.

A reform of the Church
According to the cardinal, there are two aspects that have to be considered: "mistakes for which you are personally responsible and the institutional failure which requires changes and a reform of the Church."  Cardinal Marx, instead, is convinced that a “turning point out of the crisis … is only possible if we take a ‘synodal path’, a path which actually enables a ‘discernment of spirits’.”

The damaged reputation of the Bishops
Looking back over his 42 years as a priest and 25 years as a bishop – 20 of them as ordinary of a large diocese – and in the light of this long experience in the Church, Cardinal Marx says “it is painful… to witness the severe damage to the bishops’ reputation in the ecclesiastical and secular perception, which may even be at its lowest” point.

In his view, “to assume responsibility, it is therefore not enough, in my opinion, to react only and exclusively if the files provide proof of the mistakes and failures of individuals.” Instead, he said, “We as bishops have to make clear that we also represent the institution of the Church as a whole.”


The greatest fault of the past: Overlooking the victims
Nor should one, the cardinal says, “simply link these problems largely to past times and former Church officials, thereby ‘burying’ what happened".
Cardinal Marx says he feels “personally guilty and responsible” for keeping silent, for omissions, and for focusing too much on the reputation of the Church. “Only after 2002 and even more since 2010, those affected by sexual abuse have been brought to the fore more consequently and this change of perspective has not yet been completed,” he says, adding that, “Overlooking and disregarding the victims was certainly our greatest fault of the past.”

A signal for a new beginning.
“We have failed,” Cardinal Marx reiterates, frankly acknowledging that “we” includes himself personally. That, he says, is why he is submitting his resignation: as an opportunity to express his willingness to take responsibility, and also as a “personal signal for a new beginning, for a new awakening of the Church, not only in Germany.”

“I would like to show that it is not the office that is in the forefront but the mission of the Gospel. This too is part of pastoral care,” he says in conclusion. Insisting that he continues “to enjoy being a priest and a bishop, he commits himself to pastoral activity, wherever the Pope deems it “reasonable and useful,” and to increasingly dedicate himself to “pastoral care” and to support the work of spiritual renewal of the Church.

Roles in the Church
Cardinal Marx has served as a member of the Council of Cardinals since it was established by Pope Francis in 2013 to assist him in the governance of the universal Church and to study and implement the project for the reform of the Roman Curia. In 2014, Pope Francis also appointed him coordinator of the Council for the Economy. Earlier, in 2012, he was elected chairman of the German Bishops’ Conference, a post he held until February 2020, when he announced that he would not stand for another term during the general assembly in March.

Hello all

A good topic Cynthia, thank you.

Having a laugh is the best medicine there is.

We have warm sunshine too, another way to get the feel-good factor for free.

"The best way to cheer yourself up, is to try and cheer someone else up." (Mark Twain).

Good morning :-)


"Lift up your hearts........................"



Q: Who was the best comedian in the Bible?



A: Samson – he brought the house down.


------------------------------------------------------
Q: Who was the best financier in the Bible?



A: Noah – he kept his company afloat while the rest of the world was in liquidation.


---------------------------------------------------

Q: Where is cricket mentioned in the Bible?



A: Peter stood up with the eleven and was bold.





:-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D



Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

There are always some folk who need cheering up, so how about a few days of laughter? I apologise in advance for any repetitions from the past


Q: Who was the shortest man in the Bible?



A: Peter – he slept on his watch.

-------------------------------
Q: Who was the first motorcyclist in the Bible?



A: David – the sound of his triumph was heard throughout the land.

-----------------------------
Q: What was the first ice-cream maker mentioned in the Bible?



A: Walls of Jericho.



:-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D


Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

The Collect (special prayer) for today

O God,
the strength of all those who put their trust in you,
mercifully accept our prayers
and, because through the weakness of our mortal nature
we can do no good thing without you,
grant us the help of your grace,
that in the keeping of your commandments
we may please you both in will and deed;
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.



Cx :-)

Good morning :-)


Something that many people are looking forward to at the moment, is a holiday. The last 12 months have brought so much tension and all people want to do is relax and let the stress melt away!

Holidays are mentioned in the bible but are generally referred to as ‘holy days’ and were days which were set aside for rest and celebration. Many of these days were festival days where a past event was celebrated, but probably, the best known is the Sabbath, the seventh day of the week. No work, a rest day, a day for family, kept holy and providing time for God’s people to gather together.

Some will remember a campaign in the 1980’s – ‘Keep Sunday Special’ – this campaign is still active apparently but Sundays are now very different to when many of us were young.

I can remember the shops being closed and an air of general calmness on the streets…..and usually tinned fruit and evap for tea! Of course it was 2 or 3 times to church each Sunday! Morning service, afternoon Sunday school and an evening service too. It certainly wasn’t a day of rest for the clergy back then. I’m sure others will have similar memories.

Lord we thank you for giving us our day of rest. Help us to use it as was intended by you - to rest, to be with our families and to worship you. Amen.


Cx :-)

Good morning :-)


Once lockdown was being eased, one place which many people could not wait to visit, was the hairdressers! It must have come as a great relief to the hairdressing staff to be able to open their doors once more.

There is an amazing amount of information in the bible regarding hair, much of it to do with length, styling and modesty. There were some very strict rules for both men and women to follow – to cut or not to cut : to shave or not to shave : to cover or not to cover, It is really rather convoluted, but I found the following interesting!

Grey hair shows the glory of old age - Proverbs 16:31
White hair as a sign of age and wisdom - Revelations 1:14
Hair standing on end indicates fear - Job 4:15
Grief signified by tearing or cutting one’s hair - Ezra 9:3

Lord, we thank you for hairdressers and barbers who, with their skill and expertise, can improve and make a difference to someone’s day. Amen.

Cx :-)

Hello all

Cloudy and cool here just now.

Another interesting topic Cynthia. Thank you.

Remembering in prayer all who are ill and those who are caring for loved ones at home right now.

Good morning :-)


During the pandemic, we have been more than grateful for the work of all those involved in healthcare. In modern western we are used to doctors and pharmacists, but during bible times, most illnesses were probably treated at home. Physicians existed but they knew nothing about germs and believed that people thought with the heart and felt emotions in the liver.

Here are 3 herbs/plants which are mentioned in the bible and which are still in use today :

1. Aloes – ‘Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds’. The aloe vera plant has been used for thousands of years. In ancient times, it was used to embalm the dead, as well as for perfume and skin complaints (including wounds and burns) and internally for constipation. Today, aloe is still commonly used to treat burns, heal rashes and moisturize the skin.

2. Balm or Balsam — …..’ behold, a company of Ishmaelites came from Gilead with their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrh’. Balm in the Bible refers to an extremely fragrant resinous substance extracted from a plant and was considered extremely valuable. Today, it’s possible to find various herbal salves and oils inspired by this Biblical balm.

3. Cinnamon — ‘Take the following fine spices: 500 shekels of liquid myrrh, half as much of fragrant cinnamon’. Cinnamon, once considered more precious than gold, has some amazing medicinal benefits. The bark, where the oil comes from, was traditionally collected for anointing oil, as well as perfume. Today, cinnamon is used to help lower blood glucose levels. Due to its antifungal properties, it’s also employed in the natural treatment of yeast infections. It can also help to calm an upset stomach by relieving gas.

Lord, we thank you for the skill of those who produce drugs, and for the doctors and pharmacists who use them to our benefit. We are grateful to those who have worked so hard during the pandemic to relieve the suffering of those who are ill. Amen.

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)


During the pandemic, we have been more than grateful for the work of all those involved in healthcare. In modern western we are used to doctors and pharmacists, but during bible times, most illnesses were probably treated at home. Physicians existed but they knew nothing about germs and believed that people thought with the heart and felt emotions in the liver.

Here are 3 herbs/plants which are mentioned in the bible and which are still in use today :

1. Aloes – ‘Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds’. The aloe vera plant has been used for thousands of years. In ancient times, it was used to embalm the dead, as well as for perfume and skin complaints (including wounds and burns) and internally for constipation. Today, aloe is still commonly used to treat burns, heal rashes and moisturize the skin.

2. Balm or Balsam — …..’ behold, a company of Ishmaelites came from Gilead with their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrh’. Balm in the Bible refers to an extremely fragrant resinous substance extracted from a plant and was considered extremely valuable. Today, it’s possible to find various herbal salves and oils inspired by this Biblical balm.

3. Cinnamon — ‘Take the following fine spices: 500 shekels of liquid myrrh, half as much of fragrant cinnamon’. Cinnamon, once considered more precious than gold, has some amazing medicinal benefits. The bark, where the oil comes from, was traditionally collected for anointing oil, as well as perfume. Today, cinnamon is used to help lower blood glucose levels. Due to its antifungal properties, it’s also employed in the natural treatment of yeast infections. It can also help to calm an upset stomach by relieving gas.

Lord, we thank you for the skill of those who produce drugs, and for the doctors and pharmacists who use them to our benefit. We are grateful to those who have worked so hard during the pandemic to relieve the suffering of those who are ill. Amen.

Cx :-)