"Saints"

I was not an accident, for God knew me before I was conceived, knew me as He formed me in my mother’s womb and he has a plan for my life just as He has a plan for each of us. This I am sure!
As I’ve looked back over my life, I’ve reflected on the fact that my maternal great grandfather was a Methodist minister, his daughter, my aunt, married a Presbyterian minister, his son, my grandfather’s step-family were Mormons; now on my father’s side I had cousins who were Baptist ministers and I was raised in the Episcopal Church. My church history has been very Ecumenical and really am not surprised that God brought me into The Catholic Faith…
I am a convert and Saints have become apart of my prayer life. I've been asked questions about the “Saints” and how I accepted praying to them, asking them to pray for my intentions. For me, it is no different then asking my family, my friends, my prayer group to pray for me… asking them is a powerful way to lift my prayers to Jesus.  The more I read about their lives, their walk with God the more I learn about my walk and how to live my life. St Joseph is my patron Saint and this is a little about what I’ve learned from his life.

The Bible pays Joseph the highest compliment: he was a "just" man. The quality meant a lot more than faithfulness in paying debts.
When the Bible speaks of God "justifying" someone, it means that God, the all-holy or "righteous" One, so transforms a person that the individual shares somehow in God's own holiness, and hence it is really "right" for God to love him or her. In other words, God is not playing games, acting as if we were lovable when we are not.
By saying Joseph was "just," the Bible means that he was one who was completely open to all that God wanted to do for him. He became holy by opening himself totally to God.
The rest we can easily surmise. Think of the kind of love with which he wooed and won Mary, and the depth of the love they shared during their marriage.
It is no contradiction of Joseph's manly holiness that he decided to divorce Mary when she was found to be with child. The important words of the Bible are that he planned to do this "quietly" because he was "a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame" (Matthew 1:19).
The just man was simply, joyfully, wholeheartedly obedient to God—in marrying Mary, in naming Jesus, in shepherding the precious pair to Egypt, in bringing them to Nazareth, in the undetermined number of years of quiet faith and courage.
 
Comment:
The Bible tells us nothing of Joseph in the years after the return to Nazareth except the incident of finding Jesus in the Temple (see Luke 2:41–51). Perhaps this can be taken to mean that God wants us to realize that the holiest family was like every other family, that the circumstances of life for the holiest family were like those of every family, so that when Jesus' mysterious nature began to appear, people couldn't believe that he came from such humble beginnings: "Is he not the carpenter's son? Is not his mother named Mary...?" (Matthew 13:55a). It was almost as indignant as "Can anything good come from Nazareth?" (John 1:46b).

Quote:
"He was chosen by the eternal Father as the trustworthy guardian and protector of his greatest treasures, namely, his divine Son and Mary, Joseph's wife. He carried out this vocation with complete fidelity until at last God called him, saying: 'Good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Lord'" (St. Bernardine of Siena). 
 
Please visit St. Joseph | Saint of the Day | AmericanCatholic.org http://bit.ly/gSKcp2

Psalm 23

As you read this ... read it in a slow, in a thoughtful way. Let the words fill your soul with peace and joy... Jesus... Jesus... Jesus...

THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD!   

The Lord is my Shepherd- that's a relationship!

I shall not want-that's supply!

He makes me lie down in green pastures-that's rest!

He leads me beside still waters-that's refreshment!

He restores my soul-that's healing!

He leads me in paths of righteousness-that's guidance!

For His Names' Sake-that's purpose!

Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death-that's testing!

I will fear no evil-that's protection!

For You are with me-that's faithfulness!

Your rod and your staff they comfort me-that's discipline!

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies-that's hope!

You anoint my head with oil-that's consecration!

My cup runs over-that's abundance!

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life-that's blessing!

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord-that's security!

Forever-that's eternity!

Mother Teresa and John Paul II letters concerning Medjugorje

This is a video of great HOPE! Whether you're Catholic or Protestant or... I encourage you to watch it!

Thank you Mary TV n' YouTube

Prayer for Inner Healing

 I use this prayer for myself and when I pray for others who need healing in themselves. It is a powerful prayer!

 

Dear Lord Jesus, please come and heal my wounded and troubled heart. I beg you to heal the torments that are causing anxiety in my life. I beg you, in a particular way, to heal the underlying source of my sinfulness. I beg you to come into my life and heal the psychological harms that struck me in my childhood and from the injuries they have caused throughout my life.

Lord Jesus, you know my burdens. I lay them on your Good Shepherd’s Heart. I beseech you—by the merits of the great open wound in your heart—to heal the small wounds that are in mine. Heal my memories, so that nothing that has happened to me will cause me to remain in pain and anguish, filled with anxiety.

Heal, O Lord, all those wounds that have been the cause of evil that is rooted in my life. I want to forgive all those who have offended me. Look to those inner sores that make me unable to forgive. You who came to forgive the afflicted of heart, please, heal my wounded and troubled heart.

Heal, O Lord Jesus, all those intimate wounds that are the root cause of my physical illness. I offer you my heart. Accept it, Lord, purify it and give me the sentiments of your Divine Heart.

Heal me, O Lord, from the pain caused by the death of my loved ones. Grant me to regain peace and joy in the knowledge that you are the Resurrection and the Life. Make me an authentic witness to your resurrection, your victory over sin and death, and your loving presence among all men. Amen. 

God heal the pain in your heart... 
Elizabeth

"Healing Prayer Candle"
www.trustiam.com

SYMBOLS OF CHRISTMAS…

Just a week before Christmas I had a visitor.  This is how it happened.

I just finished the household chores for the night and was preparing to go to bed when I heard a noise in the front of the house.  I opened the door to the front room, and to my surprise, Santa himself stepped out from behind the Christmas tree.  He placed his finger over his mouth so I would not cry out.

"What are you doing?" I started to ask him. The words choked in my throat, as I saw he had tears in his eyes.  His usual jolly manner was gone.  Gone was the eager boisterous soul we all know. He then answered me with a simple statement, TEACH THE CHILDREN!

I was puzzled: What did he mean?  He anticipated my question, and with one quick movement brought forth a miniature toy bag from behind the tree. As I stood there bewildered, Santa said, "Teach the children!  Teach them the old meaning of Christmas.  The meaning that a now-a-day Christmas has forgotten!"

Santa then reached in his bag and pulled out a FIR TREE and placed it on the mantle.  "Teach the children that the pure green color of the stately fir tree remains green all year round, depicting the everlasting hope of mankind.  All the needles point heavenward, making it a symbol of man's thoughts turning

toward heaven."

He again reached into his bag and pulled out a brilliant STAR. "Teach the children that the star was the heavenly sign of promises long ago.  God promised a Savior for the world, and the star was the sign of fulfillment of that promise."

He then reached into the bag and pulled out a CANDLE.  "Teach the children that the candle symbolizes that Christ is the light of the world, and when we see this great light we are reminded of He who displaces the darkness."

Once again he reached into his bag and then removed a WREATH and placed it on the tree.  "Teach the children that the wreath symbolizes the eternal nature of love.  Real love never ceases.  Love is one continuous round of affection."

He then pulled out from his bag an ornament of HIMSELF.  "Teach the children that Santa Claus symbolizes the generosity and good will we feel during the month of December."

He reached in again and pulled out a HOLLY LEAF. "Teach the children the holly plant represents immortality.  It represents the crown of thorns worn by our Savior.  The red holly berries represent blood shed by Him."

Next he pulled out a GIFT from the bag and said, "Teach the Children that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son.  Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift.  Teach the children that the wise men bowed before the holy babe and presented Him with gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  We should give gifts in the same spirit as the wise men."

Santa then reached in his bag and pulled out a CANDY CANE and hung it on the tree.  "Teach the children that the candy cane represents the shepherd's crook.  The crook on the shepherd's staff helps bring back strayed sheep from the flock.  The candy cane is the symbol that we are our brother's keeper."

He reached in again and pulled out an ANGEL.  "Teach the children that it was the angels that heralded in the glorious news of the Savior's birth. The angels sang 'Glory to God in the highest, on earth, peace and good will.'"

Suddenly I heard a soft twinkling sound, and from his bag he pulled out a BELL .  "Teach the children that as the lost sheep are found by the sound of a bell, it should bring people to the fold.  The bell symbolizes guidance and return."

Santa looked at the tree and was pleased.  He looked back at me and I saw
the twinkle was back in his eyes.  He said, "Remember, teach the children
the true meaning of Christmas, and not to put me in the center, for I am but
a humble servant of the One who is, and I bow down and worship Him, our
Lord, our God."

Author Unknown

Hallelujah

You Are Beautiful...

Listen to these words and believe in them... they will take you to places of unbelievable joy!

GOD Lives Under The Bed

---

GOD Lives Under The Bed I think this is perhaps one of the BEST email 'forwards' I have ever read. I hope you will enjoy it half as much as I have!!

 Don't start reading this one until you've got a minute to just 'scan' over it. It deserves some time for reflection.

GOD LIVES UNDER THE BED

I envy Kevin My brother, Kevin, thinks God lives under his bed. At least that's what I heard him say one night.

 He was praying out loud in his dark bedroom, and I stopped to listen, 'Are you there, God?' he said. 'Where are you? Oh, I see. Under the bed...'

I giggled softly and tiptoed off to my own room. Kevin's unique perspectives are often a source of amusement. But that night something else lingered long after the humor.  I realized for the first time the very different world Kevin lives in.

 He was born 30 years ago, mentally disabled as a result of difficulties during labor. Apart from his size (he's 6-foot-2), there are few ways in which he is an adult.

He reasons and communicates with the capabilities of a 7-year-old, and he always will. He will probably always believe that God lives under his bed, that  Santa Claus is the one who fills the space under our tree every  Christmas and that airplanes stay up in the sky because angels carry them.

 I remember wondering if Kevin realizes he is different. Is he ever dissatisfied with his monotonous life?

 Up before dawn each day, off to work at a workshop for the disabled, home to walk our cocker spaniel, return to eat his favorite macaroni-and-cheese for dinner, and later to bed.

 The only variation in the entire scheme is laundry, when he hovers excitedly over the washing machine like a mother with her newborn child.

He does not seem dissatisfied.

 He lopes out to the bus every morning at 7:05, eager for a day of simple work.

 He wrings his hands excitedly while the water boils on the stove before dinner, and he stays up late twice a week to gather our dirty laundry for his next day's laundry chores.

 And Saturdays - oh, the bliss of Saturdays! That's the day my Dad takes Kevin to the airport to have a soft drink, watch the planes land, and speculate loudly on the destination of each passenger inside. 'That one's going to Chi-car-go! ' Kevin shouts as he claps his hands.

 His anticipation is so great he can hardly sleep on Friday nights.

 And so goes his world of daily rituals and weekend field trips.

 He doesn't know what it means to be discontent.

 His life is simple.

 He will never know the entanglements of wealth or power, and he does not care what brand of clothing he wears or what kind of food he eats. His needs have always been met, and he never worries that one day they may not be.

 His hands are diligent.. Kevin is never so happy as when he is working. When he unloads the dishwasher or vacuums the carpet, his heart is completely in it.

 He does not shrink from a job when it is begun, and he does not leave a job until it is finished. But when his tasks are done, Kevin knows how to relax.

 He is not obsessed with his work or the work of others. His heart is pure.

 He still believes everyone tells the truth, promises must be kept, and when you are wrong, you apologize instead of argue.

 Free from pride and unconcerned with appearances, Kevin is not afraid to cry when he is hurt, angry or sorry. He is always transparent, always sincere. And he trusts God.

Not confined by intellectual reasoning, when he comes to Christ, he comes as a child. Kevin seems to know God - to really be friends with Him in a way that is difficult for an 'educated' person to grasp. God seems like his closest companion.

In my moments of doubt and frustrations with my Christianity, I envy the security Kevin has in his simple faith.

 It is then that I am most willing to admit that he has some divine knowledge that rises above my mortal questions.

 It is then I realize that perhaps he is not the one with the handicap. I am. My obligations, my fear, my pride, my circumstances - they all become disabilities when I do not trust them to God's care.

 Who knows if Kevin comprehends things I can never learn? After all, he has spent his whole life in that kind of innocence, praying after dark and soaking up the goodness and  love of God.

 And one day, when the mysteries of heaven are opened, and we are all amazed at how close God really is to our hearts, I'll realize that God heard the simple prayers of a boy who believed that God lived under his bed.

Kevin won't be surprised at all!

 When you've read  this, say a prayer. That's all you have to do. There is nothing attached. This is powerful.

 FRIENDS ARE ANGELS WHO LIFT US TO OUR FEET WHEN OUR WINGS HAVE TROUBLE REMEMBERING HOW TO FLY

Thank You Jesus...

 Thank You, God, today, I turn to You in gratitude for Your grace.  I offer You a prayer of thanksgiving.  Thank You, God, for the grace of Your peace that I feel in my mind and heart, even in the midst of outer turmoil. 
Thank You, God, for the grace of stilling my thoughts and calming my
emotions.  Thank You, God, for Your grace that helps to transform, renew, and uplift my thoughts instilling me with ever-renewing life.


Thank You, God, for the grace of total well being, which includes healing and sustaining strength.  Thank You, dear God, for the grace of my marvelous body temple.  I thank You that radiant life permeates every cell and courses through every vein and artery of my being.


Thank You, God, for unlimited justice and Divine order.  I thank You for Your grace and for the magic of opening unexpected gifts.  In times like this, in my thanksgiving to You, I am reminded of Your unqualified love for me -- which is the ultimate grace of all.  I am thankful that, according to the measure of my willingness, I will experience Your grace on a daily basis.


Thank You God for everything!


Thank you hoover4000 n' youtube

Power of Your Love

Isaiah 58:11 – “Then the Lord will guide me always and give me plenty, even on the parched land. He will renew my strength I shall be like a watered garden. Like a spring whose water never fails.”

Thank you YouTube n'josefa27

"Come to the edge, he said. They said: 

We are afraid. Come to the edge, he 

said. They came. He pushed them, 

And they flew..." 

- - Guillaume Apollinaire