New Year's prayer

The following prayer has appeared on this site perhaps twice before.  Because what our world needs now is more people bending on their knees and praying, I am sharing this prayer once more.  This version was passed on by Lina (a forever friend).  Thanks, Lina, and abundant blessings to all!

GOD IS LOVE, and His Grace is sufficient for all your needs.

Each and every one of us are going through tough times right now, but God is getting ready to bless you in a way that only He can.  Keep the faith.

This prayer is powerful, and prayer is one of the best gifts we receive.  There is no cost but a lot of rewards.  Let’s continue to pray for one another.

The Prayer

Father, I ask You to bless my friends, relatives and those that I care deeply for, who are reading this right now.  Show them a new revelation of your love and power.  Holy Spirit, I ask You to minister to their spirit at this very moment.  Where there is pain, give them your peace and mercy.

Where there is self-doubt, release a renewed confidence through your grace.  Where there is need, I ask you to fulfill their needs.  Bless their homes, families, finances, their goings and their comings.  In Jesus' precious name.   Amen.

Finding treasures

Speaking of treasures... today is a celebration in my BFF's life.  Happy birthday, Josie!  She recently sent me a big box full of Goldilock's delectables which allowed me to spend the holidays satisfying my craving for French sponge cake, pastillas and other mouth-watering goodies.  Muchas gracias, amiga!  If you missed my December 30th blog last year on my almost half a century friendship with Josie, please click on this link:  The sister I never had.

After Christmas, I found myself doing something I rarely engage in… decluttering.  Although I’m the type to get attached to anything, including junk mail, recently I decided that enough is enough!

So without giving it much thought, I went to work on shredding piles of documents dating back to the 20^th century.  Then I found old calendars with amazing… yes, breathtaking... photos of flowers and my resolve to throw them instantly melted like butter.  I found inspiring and thought-provoking quotes from presumably famous people of their time (or no one would dare quote them, much less publish their statements, right?).

Before the calendars got tossed in the recycle bin, I electronically saved the phrases so that I could share my awesome find.  Here goes…

Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul… Henry Ward Beecher

Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom… Marcel Proust

Gratitude is born in hearts that take time to count up past mercies… Charles E. Jefferson

For happiness one needs security, but joy can spring like a flower even from the cliffs of despair… Anne Morrow Lindbergh

The world is wonderful and beautiful and good beyond one’s wildest imagination… D.H. Lawrence

Our truest life is when we are in dreams awake… Henry David Thoreau

All seasons are beautiful for the person who carries happiness within… Horace Friess

Everyone must take time to sit and watch leaves turn… Elizabeth Lawrence

If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant; if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome… Anne Bradstreet

Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us, or we find it not…  Ralph Waldo Emerson

This very moment is a seed from which the flowers of tomorrow’s happiness grow… Margaret Lindsey

There is gold, a multitude of rubies:  but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel… Bible Quotes

Few sunrises are greeted as eagerly as those viewed through the eyes of love… Author Unknown

Life is like riding a bicycle.  To keep your balance you must keep moving… Albert Einstein

Expect to have hope rekindled… the dry seasons in life do not last.  The spring rains will come again… Sarah Ban Breathnach

What we earnestly aspire to be, that in some sense we are… Anna Jameson

Flowers are love’s truest language… Park Benjamin

Think of all the beauty still left around you and be happy… Anne Frank

Life is a pure flame, and we live by an invisible sun within us… Sir Thomas Browne

There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle.  The other is as though everything is a miracle… Albert Einstein

Chance is always powerful.  Let your hook be always cast; in the pool where you least expect it, there will be fish… Ovid

Let not a man guard his dignity, but let his dignity guard him… Ralph Waldo Emerson

Love the moment, and the energy of that moment will spread beyond all boundaries… Corita Kent

It is not flesh and blood but the heart which makes us fathers and sons… Johann Schiller

Our imagination is the only limit to what we can hope to have in the future… Charles F. Kettering

Journeys at youth are part of the education; but at maturity, are part of the experience… Francis Bacon

Reputation is what other people know about you.  Honor is what you know about yourself… Lois McMaster Bujold

That best portion of a good man’s life, his little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and of love… William Wordsworth

The most wasted of all days is one without laughter… E.E. Cummings

A world of less

My BFF Josie shared the following material which enumerates how virtually everything in our world has become a "less" in value.   

Thank you, BFF!

Welcome to the 21st Century!!!

Our communication	-	Wireless
Our phones	-	Cordless
Our cooking	-	Fireless
Our food	-	Fatless
Our Sweets	-	Sugarless
Our labor	-	Effortless
Our relations	-	Fruitless
Our attitude	-	Careless
Our feelings	-	Heartless
Our politics	-	Shameless
Our education	-	Worthless
Our Mistakes	-	Countless
Our arguments	-	Baseless
Our youth	-	Jobless
Our Ladies	-	Topless
Our Boss	-	Brainless
Our Jobs	-	Thankless
Our Needs	-	Endless
Our situation	-	Hopeless
Our Salaries	-	Less & less

God is never wrong

Josie, my BFF, has often questioned God, "Why or why me, Lord?" I too have asked the same more often than I can count.  The following story she shared should shine the light for inquiring minds.  Thanks for passing this on, Josie!

* * *  

A king, who did not believe in the goodness of God, had a slave who, in all circumstances, said: "My king, do not be discouraged, because everything God does is perfect, no mistakes!"

One day they went hunting and along the way a wild animal attacked the king. His slave managed to kill the animal, but could not prevent his majesty losing a finger.

Furious and without showing his gratitude for being saved, the nobleman said, "Is God good? If He was good, I would not have been attacked and lost my finger."

The slave replied only, "My king, despite all these things, I can only tell you that God is good, and he knows the 'why' of all these things.  What God does is perfect. He is never wrong!"

Outraged by the response, the king ordered the arrest of his slave.

Later, he left for another hunt and was captured by savages who made human sacrifices.

As the savage was ready to sacrifice the noble on the altar, he saw that the victim had a missing finger. They released the noble:  they could not offer an imperfect body to the gods.

Upon his return to the palace, the noble authorized the release of his slave and he received him very affectionately.

"My dear, God was really good for me! I was almost killed by the wild men, but for lack of a single finger, I was let go! But I have a question: If God is so good, why did he allow me to put you in jail?"

"My King, if I had gone with you in this hunt, I would have been sacrificed for you, because I have no missing finger."

Therefore, remember:  Everything God does is perfect. He is never wrong.

Often we complain about life and things that happen to us apparently negative, forgetting that nothing is random and that everything has a purpose.

Every morning, offer your day to God.

Ask God to inspire your thoughts, guide your actions, to ease your feelings. And do not be afraid. God is never wrong!

You know why this message is for you?  I do not know, but God knows, because he never makes mistakes.......

The path of God and His word is perfect, without impurities. It is the way of all those who trust in him, as he says in 2 Samuel  22: 31.

Surely the message arrived at the right moment. May God put in your heart the desire to send it to someone.  Do not be ashamed to send it to the right person. God knows, He knows why.

God is never wrong!

John 3:16

From my friend Lina came this interesting piece.  Thanks, Lina!

A little boy was selling newspapers on the corner, the people were in and out of the cold.  The little boy was so cold that he wasn’t trying to sell many papers.  He walked up to a policeman and said, ”Mister, you wouldn’t happen to know where a poor boy could find a warm place to sleep tonight, would you?  You see, I sleep in a box up around the corner there and down the alley and it’s awful cold in there for tonight.  Sure would be nice to have a warm place to stay.”
 

The policeman looked down at the little boy and said, “You go down the street to that big white house and you knock on the door.  When they come out the door you just say John 3:16, and they will let you in.”

So he did.  He walked up the steps and knocked on the door, and a lady answered.  He looked up and said, “John 3:16.”  The lady said, “Come on in, Son.”

She took him in and she sat him down in a split bottom rocker in front of a great big old fireplace, and she went off.  The boy sat there for a while and thought to himself: John 3:16… I don’t understand it, but it sure makes a cold boy warm.

Later she came back and asked him, “Are you hungry?”   He said, “Well, just a little.  I haven’t eaten in a couple of days, and I guess I could stand a little bit of food.”  The lady took him in the kitchen and sat him down to a table full of wonderful food.  He ate and ate until he couldn’t eat any more.  Then he thought to himself: John 3:16… Boy, I sure don’t understand it but it sure makes a hungry boy full.

She took him upstairs to a bathroom to a huge bathtub filled with warm water, and he sat there and soaked for a while.  As he soaked, he thought to himself:  John 3:16… I sure don’t understand it, but it sure makes a dirty boy clean.  You know, I’ve not had a bath, a real bath, in my whole life.  The only bath I ever had was when I stood in front of that big old fire hydrant as they flushed it out.  The lady came in and got him.  She took him to a room, tucked him into a big old feather bed, pulled the covers up around his neck, kissed him goodnight and turned out the lights.  As he lay in the darkness and looked out the window at the snow coming down on that cold night, he thought to himself:  John 3:16… I don’t understand it but it sure makes a tired boy rested.

The next morning the lady came back up and took him down again to the same big table full of food.  After he ate, she took him back to that same big old split bottom rocker in front of the fireplace and picked up a big old Bible.

She sat down in front of him and looked into his young face.  “Do you understand John 3:16?” she asked gently.  He replied, “No, Ma’am, I don’t.  The first time I ever heard it was last night when the policeman told me to use it.”  She opened the Bible to John 3:16 and began to explain to him about Jesus.  Right there, in front of that big old fireplace, he gave his heart and life to Jesus.  He sat there and thought: John 3:16… don’t understand it, but it sure makes a lost boy feel safe.

You know, I have to confess I don’t understand it either, how God was willing to send His Son to die for me, and how Jesus would agree to do such a thing.  I don’t understand the agony of the Father and every angel in heaven as they watched Jesus suffer and die.  I don’t understand the intense love for ME that kept Jesus on the cross till the end.  I don’t understand it, but it sure does make life worth living.

John 3:16  For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.     

If you aren’t ashamed to do this, please follow the directions.

Jesus said, “If you are ashamed of me, I will be ashamed of you before my Father.“  Pass this on only if you mean it.

I do love God.  He is the source of existence.  He keeps me functioning each and every day.  Phil 4:13 If you love God and are not ashamed of all the marvelous things He has done for you, send this on.  Take 60 seconds and give it a shot!  Let’s see if Satan stops this one.

All you do is:

1)  Simply say a small prayer for the person who sent yoyu this, “Father, God bless this person in whatever it is that You know he or she may be needing this day.  In Jesus Name.  Amen!”

2)  Then send to other people.  Within hours people have prayed for you, and you caused a multitude of people to pray to God for other people.  Then sit back and watch the power of God work in your life for doing the thing that you know He loves.



 

Home at last

The past week brought the white in Christmas.  Although the previous days saw a warming trend, the snow came on schedule.  For a while I worried that the weather might end up similar to the past un-autumn-like temperature of the Thanksgiving holiday. 

Snowflakes started to fall on Monday, and persisted throughout the day.  Snow melted quickly afterwards as the temperatures went up again.  Then on Thursday (the official start of winter) snow came down with a vengeance as though it was making up for lost time. 

The sudden dumping of snow only intensified the feeling of sadness I started to experience mid-week.  On Wednesday I got the news of one of my old friends’ passing.  Rhea, a former work associate in Manila, finally ended her battle with colon cancer.  Her daughter (Mai) is my goddaughter and because Rhea resided in another continent, we lost touch over the years.  I was never a part of Mai’s growing up years due to the long distance that separated us.  Through Divine Providence we reunited in July this year, a few months before Rhea’s medical condition deteriorated.

I learned that Rhea had put up with a terrible disease that affected the quality of her life.  She had Stage IV colon cancer and went under the knife about a couple of months ago.  She might have expected to feel better from the surgery, but it obviously took a toll on her body.  My goddaughter’s wish was to see her mother live a long life, but Jesus had a better plan.  He allowed my friend to rest from her physical pain so that her children could take a permanent break from the emotional and financial worries of caring for an ailing parent.  Prolonging Rhea’s life would not only procrastinate the inevitability of death, but extend her offsprings’ worries over the increasing burden of medical expenses. 

Mai and her siblings are devastated like any child who grieves for the loss of a parent.  I was in the same boat in 1982 weeks before Christmas when my mother crossed over.  Perhaps my mother’s demise just before the holidays explains why I almost always greet the holiday season with a bit of melancholy.  My mother fell seriously ill before Thanksgiving, became bedridden and died in her sleep 22 days before Christmas.

Now that I look back, I am certain that Mai and her mother came back into my life so that my old friend and I could catch up with each other.  When I found out about Rhea’s deteriorating health, I prayed and asked for God’s Mercy in alleviating the situation for the family.  I fervently asked that His Kindness wave the magical resolution that would be best for everyone.

Although Rhea’s passing brings sadness specially at a time of joyous celebration, she has gone to a better place, finally free from all that makes living a hell on earth.  No one should question the Wisdom of the Good Lord.  For people like my friend who find themselves trapped in a downhill medical battle, the best way is to wish for the rest of the departed because no matter how many breaths they take, their existence will never get any better.

I have encouraged my goddaughter to grieve, but at the same time, to feel happy that her mother is finally home.  Although it is hard to let those we love go, it is the end of their borrowed time on earth and we really have no control over the matter.

My wish for Rhea’s children is to go through their period of bereavement, and to quickly move on with their lives.  Losing a parent is an irreplaceable loss, but I am sure that their mother would not want them to remain unhappy.

Rest in peace, Rhea… my dear, dear friend!

Take 2: Conversations with Jesus

Christmas Day last year saw the following post on this site.  I am revisiting it because... because I believe it's an appropriate message for this special day.

* * *

There is a beautiful church in my city that I love to go to every Saturday afternoon. The time I go there is just after noontime and although all the heavy wooden carved doors are shut, there is always one that opens for those who want to visit.

I’ve spent many a Saturday afternoon there, just taking in the peace and quiet and the hopeful ambiance of the place.  Once in a while someone is upstairs on the balcony rehearsing a beautiful piece on the piano.  When that happens, all hell breaks loose because the sound can disrupt any serious concentration on even the most sincere of prayers.  The acoustics of the structure amplifies every piano key.

I love it when one of the church volunteers gets busy stocking candle holders with vanilla candles, or when someone is at the altar prepping everything for the Holy Mass.  But lately, most afternoons had been spent with just me and myself.  It’s been a nice experience, sitting there with the signs of life banished behind the church doors.

In the stillness, the only sounds would come from the little steps walking to the altar to pay respects to the Blessed Sacrament:  mine.  I always marvel at the beauty of the marble floors, always sparkling clean despite the thousands of pairs of feet that have walked all over them.

There are two prayer niches I never fail to visit in that church.  The one where a huge statue of the Crucified Jesus is present and another of the Suffering Jesus being consoled by His Mother Mary.  When I’m in those areas, I never fail to touch Jesus’ nailed Feet and His bloody Hand.  The gesture always gives me comfort.

Sometimes on those quiet Saturdays, other visitors would come to visit.  More often than not, they’re tourists from another place, apparent from their open curiosity of the beautifully designed church ceiling and magnificent marble pillars.  Sometimes they are accompanied by kids.  When that happens, there would be some noise in church because children aren’t comfortable with too much silence.

One time, there was a lady who was crying her heart out while she sat on one of the pews. I could hear her sobbing five pews away.  I didn’t know her, but I asked Jesus to grant whatever she was asking for because she looked extremely anguished.  Her painful demeanor touched my soul.  Whatever she was praying for must have been causing her so much hurt and discomfort.

There had been joyous occasions during my quiet time in that church.  Like recently, the staff holiday party in the basement was obviously a merry gathering of people.  The sound of their Christmas carols came up to the church and brought a happy mood in my heart.  There was lots of laughing and animated conversations.  I felt happy that there are folks who can be joyous despite these trying financial times.

When I leave the church, I always feel peaceful and joyful after taking time out of my weekend schedule to commune with the Lord.  Maybe it’s my Roman Catholic upbringing that inspires this wonderful emotion.  As far as I can remember, I have always mentally chatted with Jesus like a child would to her Beloved Father. 

My childhood friend across the Pacific once wrote to encourage me to take the time for Eucharistic Adoration.  She said that the exercise will recharge me physically, emotionally and spiritually.  The truth is I totally enjoy the time I spend just kneeling or sitting in church and carrying silent conversations with Jesus.  The exercise has helped me clear my head and get rid of any stress in my life.  It has actually saved me an expensive visit to the shrink's office.  I don’t know why people would rather pay a fortune going to the therapist when the best doctor in the world is always available for FREE!

I remain very grateful to my parents for raising me in a faith that has become my rock.  It has kept me from being blown away during life’s unpredictable windy battles.  The nuns and priests at the schools I attended reinforced the value of that religious conviction.  It is through their teachings that I got to know Jesus even better.  During moments of temporary insanity, I could have snapped and lost it completely.  Thanks to Jesus, I have learned to stay cool.  I may have been hurt often, but I remain unbroken.  My heart may have been stabbed a few times, but it has promptly mended and remains intact.  The nights may have ended in disaster, but the dawn always brought new light.  These things could have only been possible through the Goodness of my Invisible Friend, Brother and Father.  I love Him and I know that even if friends and family should abandon me, He will always be in my life.

Happy Birthday, Dearest Jesus!

Ho Ho Ho smiles for all!

Courtesy of KCT in Australia.  I may not have said it often enough, but KCT was my former boss (the best in the world!).  We have not seen each other for almost 30 years, but our cyber connection remains tight and irrepressible.  Thanks, KCT!

IF YOU SEE A FAT MAN ...

Who's jolly and cute,

Wearing a beard and

A red flannel suit,

  And if he is chuckling

And laughing away,

While flying around

In a miniature sleigh,

With eight tiny reindeer

To pull him along,

Then let's face it...

Your eggnog's too strong!

Merry Christmas and

A Happy 2O12.