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It depends whose hands it's in
You
call me the way,
but
you don't follow me...
Encouraging
Thoughts on
Work
& LIFE
Merry
Christmas!
(Rocking
Santa)
We
thank Sister
Mirna
AbouKadah,
Gladys
AbiRached, Rima Bahous, Nolla Cherfan, and Leonard Bolden Jr. for their
valuable
contributions
to the content of this page.
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Activities || Carols/Hymns || Inspiring Messages & Prayers Choir || Contact || Search this Site Sign our Guestbook || View our Guestbook |
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Where there is hatred, let me sow love; Where there is injury, pardon; Where there is doubt, faith; Where there is despair, hope; Were there is darkness, light; and Where there is sadness, joy. Oh, Divine Master, Grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console, To be understood as to understand, To be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; It is in pardoning that we are pardoned, And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. AMEN. St. Francis of Assisi |
Our Masses are celebrated every evening at 17:30.
Sunday and Holy Day Masses are celebrated at
8:30, 9:30, 11:30, 17:30 (regular masses).
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Monsignor Toubia
Abi Aad (since 1971)
(Click on the priest's name to get more information about him) |
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All our youth are welcome to the church every Saturday from 4:00
till 5:00.
Several activities for their age levels are organized.
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Inspiring Messages & Prayers ... |
"The Grace and Peace of Our Lord Jesus Christ
be with you now and forever!"
The American Catholic Church in the US
"He had no servants, yet they called him Master
No degrees, yet they called him Teacher
No medicine, yet they called him Healer
No army, yet kings feared Him
He won no military battles, yet He conquered the world.
He committed no crime, yet they crucified Him
He was buried in a tomb, yet He lives today
What an honour to serve such a Saviour."
Sent by Myriam Younes-
Dec. 26, 05
The "longer" you look at this picture, the "more" you see.
Sent by "Glady's Abi Rached" <cricrioli@hotmail.com>
Sent by Dr. George Jabbour
Deck of Cards
It was quiet that day, the guns and the mortars, and land mines for
some reason hadn't been heard.
The young soldier knew it was Sunday, the holiest day of the week.
As he was sitting there, he got out an old deck of cards and laid
them out across his bunk.
Just then an army sergeant came in and said, 'Why aren't you with
the rest of the platoon?'
The soldier replied, 'I thought I would stay behind and spend some
time with the Lord.'
The sergeant said, 'Looks to me like you're going to play cards.'
The soldier said, 'No, sir. You see, since we are not allowed to
have Bibles or other spiritual books in this country,
I've decided to talk to the Lord by studying this deck of cards.'
The sergeant asked in disbelief, 'How will you do that?'
'You see the Ace, Sergeant? It reminds me that there is only one
God.
The Two represents the two parts of the Bible, Old and New Testaments
The Three represents the Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost.
The Four stands for the Four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John
.
The Five is for the five virgins there were ten but only five of
them were glorified.
The Six is for the six days it took God to create the Heavens and
Earth.
The Seven is for the day God rested after making His Creation.
The Eight is for the family of Noah and his wife, their three sons
and their wives --
the eight people God spared from the flood that destroyed the Earth.
The Nine is for the lepers that Jesus cleansed of leprosy He cleansed
ten, but nine never thanked Him.
The Ten represents the Ten Commandments that God handed down to
Moses on tablets made of stone.
The Jack is a reminder of Satan, one of God's first angels, but
he got kicked out of heaven
for his sly and wicked ways and is now the joker of eternal hell.
The Queen stands for the Virgin Mary.
The King stands for Jesus, for he is the King of all kings.
When I count the dots on all the cards, I come up with 365 total,
one for every day of the year.
There are a total of 52 cards in a deck; each is a week - 52 weeks
in a year.
The four suits represent the four seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall
and Winter.
Each suit has thirteen cards -- there are exactly thirteen weeks
in a quarter.
So when I want to talk to God and thank Him, I just pull out this
old deck of cards
and they remind me of all that I have to be thankful for.'
The sergeant just stood there. After a minute, with tears in his
eyes and pain in his heart, he said,
'Soldier, can I borrow that deck of cards?'
Hands!
A basketball in my hands is worth about $29.
A basketball in Michael Jordan's hands is worth about $33 million.
It depends whose hands it's in.
A baseball in my hands is worth about $10.
A baseball in Roger Clemens' hands is worth $475 million.
It depends on whose hands it's in.
A tennis racket is useless in my hands.
A tennis racket in Andre Agassi's hands is worth millions.
It depends whose hands it's in.
A rod in my hands will keep away an angry dog.
A rod in Moses' hands will part the mighty sea.
It depends whose hands it's in.
A slingshot in my hands is a kid's toy.
A slingshot in David's hand is a mighty weapon.
It depends whose hands it's in.
Two fish and 5 loaves of bread in my hands will be a couple of fish
sandwiches.
Two fish and 5 loaves of bread in Jesus' hands will feed thousands.
It depends whose hands they are in.
Nails in my hands might produce a birdhouse.
Nails in Jesus Christ's hands will Produce salvation for the entire
world...
It depends whose hands they are in.
As you see now, it depends whose hands they are in.
So put your concerns, your worries, your fears, your hopes, your
dreams, your families and your relationships
in God's hands
because... it depends whose hands they are in.
Sent by Father George
Badr on Sep. 30, 2010
Daily Prayer
Dear Lord, I thank You for this day,
I thank You for my being able to see and to hear this morning.
I'm blessed because You are a forgiving God and an understanding
God...
You have done so much for me and You keep on blessing me.
Forgive me this day for everything I have done, said or thought that
was not pleasing to you.
I ask now for Your forgiveness.
Please keep me safe from all danger and harm.
Help me to start this day with a new attitude and plenty of gratitude.
Let me make the best of each and every day to clear my mind so that
I can hear from You.
Please broaden my mind that I can accept all things.
Let me not whine and whimper over things I have no control over.
And give me the best response when I'm pushed beyond my limits.
I know that when I can't pray, You listen to my heart.
Continue to use me to do Your will.
Continue to bless me that I may be a blessing to others.
Keep me strong that I may help the weak...
Keep me uplifted that I may have words of encouragement for others.
I pray for those that are lost and can't find their way.
I pray for those that are misjudged and misunderstood...
I pray for those who don't know You intimately.
I pray for those that will delete this without sharing it with others
I pray for those that don't believe.
But I thank You that I believe that God changes people and God changes
things.
I pray for all my sisters and brothers.
For each and every family member in their households.
I pray for peace, love and joy in their homes; that they are out
of debt and all their needs are met.
I pray that every eye that reads this knows there is no problem,
circumstance,or situation greater than God.
Every battle is in Your hands for You to fight.
I pray that these words be received into the hearts of every eye
that sees them
in Jesus' name.
Amen!
Sent by Len Bolden
Jr. on Sep. 21, 2010
Points on How to Improve Your Life
Personality:
1. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their
journey is all about.
2. Don't have negative thoughts of things you cannot control. Instead
invest your energy in the positive present moment
3. Don't over do; keep your limits
4. Don't take yourself so seriously; no one else does
5. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip
6. Dream more while you are awake
7. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need..
8. Forget issues of the past. Don't remind your partner of his/her
mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.
9. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't hate others.
10. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present
11. No one is in charge of your happiness except you
12. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn.
Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away
like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
13. Smile and laugh more
14. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
Community:
15. Call your family often
16. Each day give something good to others
17. Forgive everyone for everything
18. Spend time with people over the age of 70 & under the age of
6
19. Try to make at least three people smile each day
20. What other people think of you is none of your business
21. Your job will not take care of you when you are sick. Your family
and friends will. Stay in touch.
Life:
22. Put GOD first in anything and everything that you think, say and
do.
23. GOD heals everything
24. Do the right things
25. However good or bad a situation is, it will change
26. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up
27. The best is yet to come
28. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful
29. When you awaken alive in the morning, thank GOD for it
30. If you know GOD you will always be happy. So, be happy.
While you practice all of the above, share this knowledge with the people
you love, people you school with,
people you play with, people you work with and people you live with.
Not only will it enrich YOUR life, but also that of those around you.
Posted by William Ting on Friday, September 03, 2010
http://williamtingcl.blogspot.com/2010/09/points-on-how-to-improve-your-life.html
Sent on Facebook by Fanny
EL-khoury on January 18, 2011
The Lord is Coming for a Visit
Ruth went to her mail box and there was only one letter.
She picked it up and looked at it before opening, but then she looked at the envelope again. There was no stamp, no postmark, only her name and address.
She read the letter:Dear Ruth:
I`m going to be in your neighborhood Saturday afternoon and I'd like to stop by for a visit. Love Always, Jesus
Her hands were shaking as she placed the letter on the table. 'Why would the Lord want to visit me?
I'm nobody special. I don't have anything to offer.' With that thought, Ruth remembered her empty kitchen cabinets. 'Oh my goodness, I really don't have anything to offer. I'll have to run down to the store and buy something for dinner.'
She reached for her purse and counted out its contents. Five dollars and forty cents.
Well, I can get some bread and cold cuts, at least.'
She threw on her coat and hurried out the door. A loaf of French bread, a half-pound of sliced turkey, and a carton of milk...leaving Ruth with grand total twelve cents to last her until Monday. Nonetheless, she felt good as she headed home, her meager offerings tucked under her arm.
'Hey lady, can you help us,lady?'
Ruth had been so absorbed in her dinner plans, she hadn't even noticed two figures huddled in the alleyway. A man and a woman, both of them dressed in little more than rags. 'Look lady, I ain't got a job, you know, and my wife and I have been living out here on the street, and, well, now it's getting cold and we're getting kinda hungry and, well, if you could help us . Lady , we'd really appreciate it.' Ruth looked at them both. They were dirty, they smelled bad and frankly, she was certain that they could get some kind of work if they really wanted to.
'Sir, I'd like to help you, but I'm a poor woman myself. All I have is a few cold cuts and some bread, and I'm having an important guest for dinner tonight and I was planning on serving that to Him.'
'Yeah, well, okay lady, I understand. Thanks anyway.'
The man put his arm around the woman's shoulders, turned and headed back into the alley. As she watched them leave, Ruth felt a familiar twinge in her heart.
'Sir, wait!'
The couple stopped and turned as she ran down the alley after them.
'Look, why don't you take this food. I'll figure out something else to serve my guest..'
She handed the man her grocery bag.
'Thank you lady. Thank you very much!'
'Yes, thank you!' It was the man's wife, and Ruth could see now that she was shivering. 'You know, I've got another coat at home. Here, why don't you take this one.' Ruth unbuttoned her jacket and slipped it over the woman's shoulders. Then smiling, she turned and walked back to the street...without her coat and with nothing to serve her guest. 'Thank you lady! Thank you very much!' Ruth was chilled by the time she reached her front door, and worried too. The Lord was coming to visit and she didn't have anything to offer Him. She fumbled through her purse for the door key. But as she did, she noticed another envelope in her mailbox. 'That's odd. The mailman doesn't usually come twice in one day.'Dear Ruth:
It was so good to see you again. Thank you for the lovely meal. And thank you, too, for the beautiful coat. Love Always, Jesus.
The air was still cold, but even without her coat, Ruth no longer noticed.Sent by Gen. Michel Nahas - May 8, 2009
Roses for you from
Our Lady of VAILANKANNI
Our Lady of Good Health
Sent by Nolla
Cherfan - May 12, 09
What Happens in Heaven
I dreamt that I went to Heaven and an angel was showing me around. We walked side-by-side inside a large workroom filled with angels. My angel guide stopped in front of the first section and said, "This is the Receiving Section. Here, all petitions to God said in prayer are received."
I looked around in this area, and it was terribly busy with so many angels sorting out petitions written on
voluminous paper sheets and scraps from people all over the world.Then we moved on down a long corridor until we reached the second section.
The angel then said to me, "This is the Packaging and Delivery Section. Here, the graces and blessings the people asked for are processed and delivered
to the living persons who asked for them."I noticed again how busy it was there.
There were many angels working hard at that station, since so many blessings had been requested and were being packaged for delivery to Earth.
Finally at the farthest end of the long corridor we stopped at the door of a very small station. To my great surprise, only one angel was seated there, idly doing nothing. "This is the Aknowledgment Section," my angel friend quietly admitted to me.
He seemed embarrassed. "How is it that? There's no work going on here?" I asked."So sad," the angel sighed. "After people receive the blessings that they asked for, very few send back acknowledgments.
"How does one acknowledge God's blessings?" I asked.
"Simple," the angel answered. "Just say, "Thank you, God.""What blessings should they acknowledge?"I asked.
"If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep you are richer than 75% of this world.
"If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish, you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy.
"And if you get this on your own computer, you are part of the 1% in the world who has that opportunity."Also ...."If you woke up this morning with more health than illness .... you are more blessed than the many who will not even survive this day.
"If you have never experienced the fear in battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture,or the pangs of starvation .. you are ahead of 700 million people in the world.
"If you can attend a prayer meeting without the fear of harassment, arrest, torture or death you are envied by, and more blessed than, three billion people in the world.
If you can hold your head up and smile,you are not the norm, you're unique to all those in doubt and despair."
Ok, what now? How can I start?
If you can read this message, you just received a double blessing in that someone was thinking of you as very special and you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world who cannot read at all.
Have a good day, count your blessings, and if you want, pass this along to remind everyone else how blessed we all are.
Sent by Rima Bahous - May 27, 07
Three Bullets
There once was a man who had nothing for his family to eat.
He had an old rifle and three bullets. So, he decided that he would go out hunting and kill some wild game for dinner.
As he went down the road, he saw a rabbit. He shot at the rabbit and missed it.
The rabbit ran away.
Then he saw a squirrel and fired a shot at the squirrel and missed it.
The squirrel disappeared into a hole in a cottonwood tree.
As he went further, he saw a large wild "Tom" turkey in the tree, but he had only one bullet remaining.
A voice spoke to him and said, "Pray first, aim high and stay focused."
However, at the same time, he saw a deer which was a better kill.
He brought the gun down and aimed at the deer. But, then he
saw a rattlesnake between his legs about to bite him,
so he naturally brought the gun down further to shoot the rattlesnake.
Still, the voice said again to him, "I said 'Pray, Aim high and Stay focused."
So, the man decided to listen to God's voice.
He prayed, then aimed the gun high up in the tree and shot the wild turkey.
The bullet bounced off the turkey and killed the deer.
The handle fell off the gun and hit the snake in the head
and killed it.
And, when the gun had gone off, it knocked him into a pond.
When he stood up to look around, he had fish in all his pockets, a dead deer and a turkey to eat for his family.
The snake (Satan) was dead simply because the man listened to God.
Moral of the story:
Pray first before you do anything, Aim and shoot high in your goals, and stay focused on God. Never let others discourage you concerning your past. The past is exactly that. "the past."
Live every day one day at a time and remember that only God knows our future and that He will not put you through any more than you can bear.
Do not look to man for your blessings, but look to the doors that only He has prepared in advance for you in your favor.
Wait, be still and patient: keep God first and everything else will follow.
Sent by Rima Bahous
Father, I ask You...
Father, I ask You to bless my friends,
relatives and those that I care deeply for,
and all those 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.
Amen.
Sent by Gladys
Abi Rached
Lord... Please take care of ... This morning when the Lord opened a window to Heaven, he saw me, and he asked:
My child, what is your greatest wish for today?
I responded:
"Lord please; take care of the person who is reading this message, their family and their special friends. They deserve it and I love them very much."The love of God is like the ocean, you can see its beginnings but Not its end.
Prayer for Financial Blessing
Heavenly Father, most Gracious and Loving God, I pray to you that you abundantly bless my family and me. I know that you recognize, that a Family is more than just a mother, father, sister, brother, husband and Wife, but all who believe and trust in You. GOD, I send up a prayer request for financial blessing for my family, friends, me, and all those who need it. I thank you in advance for your blessings.
God, deliver the person reading this right now from debt and debt burdens.Release your Godly wisdom that I may be a good steward over all that you have given me, GOD, for I know how wonderful and mighty you are and how if we just obey you and walk in your word and have the faith of a mustard seed that you will pour out blessings. I thank you now, Lord, for the recent blessings I have received and for the blessings yet to come because I know you are not done with me yet.
Amen
Peace and Blessings....
Have Faith... God is the biggest help in the World.
God Speaks to Us
A young man had been to Wednesday night Bible Study.
The Pastor had shared about listening to God and obeying the Lord's voice.
The young man couldn't help but wonder, "Does God still speak to people?"
After service he went out with some friends for coffee and pie and they discussed the message.
Several different ones talked about how God had led them in different ways.It was about ten o'clock when the young man started driving home. Sitting in his car,
he just began to pray, "God...If you still speak to people speak to me.
I will listen. I will do my best to obey."As he drove down the main street of his town, he had the strangest thought to stop
and buy a gallon of milk.
He shook his head and said out loud, "God is that you?"
He didn't get a reply and started on toward home.
But again, the thought, buy a gallon of milk.The young man thought about Samuel and how he didn't recognize the voice of God, and how little Samuel ran to Eli.
"Okay, God, in case that is you, I will buy the milk." It didn't seem like too hard a test of obedience. He could always use the milk. He stopped and purchased the gallon of milk and started off toward home.
As he passed Seventh Street, he again felt the urge, "Turn Down that street."
This is crazy he thought and drove on past the intersection.
Again, he felt that he should turn down Seventh Street.
At the next intersection, he turned back and headed down Seventh.
Half jokingly, he said out loud, "Okay, God, I will".
He drove several blocks, when suddenly, he felt like he should stop. He pulled over to the curb and looked around. He was in semi commercial area of town. It wasn't the best but it wasn't the worst of neighborhoods either. The businesses were closed and most of the houses looked dark like the people were already in bed.Again, he sensed something, "Go and give the milk to the people in the house across the street." The young man looked at the house. It was dark and it looked like the people were either gone or they were already asleep. He started to open the door and then sat back in the car seat.
"Lord, this is insane. Those people are asleep and if I wake them up, they are going to be mad and I will look stupid." Again, he felt like he should go and give the milk.
Finally, he opened the door, "Okay God, if this is you, I will go to the door and I will give them the milk. If you want me to look like a crazy person, okay. I want to be obedient. I guess that will count for something but if they don't answer right away, I am out of here."
He walked across the street and rang the bell. He could hear some noise inside. A man's voice yelled out, "Who is it? What do you want?" Then the door opened before the young man could get away.
The man was standing there in his jeans and T-shirt. He looked like he
just got out of bed. He had a strange look on his face and he didn't seem too happy to have some stranger standing on his doorstep. "What is it?"The young man thrust out the gallon of milk, "Here, I brought this to you." The man took the milk and rushed down a hallway.
Then from down the hall came a woman carrying the milk toward the kitchen. The man was following her holding a baby. The baby was crying. The man had tears streaming down his face.
The man began speaking and half crying, "We were just praying. We had some big bills this month and we ran out of money. We didn't have any milk for our baby. I was just praying and asking God to show me how to get some milk."
His wife in the kitchen yelled out, "I ask him to send an Angel with some. Are you an Angel?"
The young man reached into his wallet and pulled out all the money he had on him and put in the man's hand. He turned and walked back toward his car and the tears were streaming down his face.
He knew that God still answers prayers.
This is so true. Sometimes it's the simplest things that God asks us to do that cause us, if we are obedient to what He's asking, to be able to hear His voice more clear than ever. Please listen, and obey! It will bless you (and the world).
Phil 4:13
Sent by Rima Bahous
Three Things In Life
Three things in life that, once gone, never come back: Time, Words,
Opportunity
Three things in life that may never be lost: Peace, Hope, Honesty
Three things in life that are most valuable: Love, Self-confidence,
Friends
Three things in life that are never certain: Dreams, Success, Fortune
Three things that make a person: Hard work, Sincerity, Commitment
Three things in life that can destroy a person: Alcohol / Drugs,
Pride, Anger
Three things that are truly constant: Father - Son - Holy Spirit
I ask the Lord to bless you, as I pray for you today;
to guide you and protect you, as you go along your way.
God's love is always with you, God's promises are true.
And when you give God all your cares, you know God will see you
through.
"So do not fear, for
I am with you;
do not be dismayed,
for I am your God.
I will strengthen you
and help you;
I will uphold you with
my righteous right hand."
-Isaiah 41:10
Why Me?
Arthur Ashe, the legendary Wimbledon player was dying of Aids,
which he got due to infected blood he received during a heart surgery
in1983.
From the world over, he received letters from his fans, one of which
conveyed:
"Why does GOD have to select you for such a bad disease?"
To this Arthur Ashe replied :
"The World Over
50 million children start playing Tennis,
5 million learn to play tennis,
500,000 learn professional Tennis,
50,000 come to the Circuit,
5000 reach the Grand Slam,
50 reach Wimbledon,
4 to the semi finals,
2 to the finals.
When I was holding a cup I never asked GOD:
"Why me?" And today in pain I should not be asking GOD "Why me?"
Happiness keeps you sweet ,
Trials keep you strong,
Sorrow keeps you human,
Failure keeps you humble,
Success keeps you glowing,
But only GOD keeps you going . . . . .
Keep going . . . . ."
"The desire to see Jesus dwells deep in the heart of each man and each woman. My dear young people, allow Jesus to gaze into your eyes so that the desire to see the Light, and to experience the splendor of the Truth, may grow within you. Whether we are aware of it or not, God has created us because he loves us and so that we in turn may love him. This is the reason for the unquenchable nostalgia for God that man preserves in his heart: "Your face, Lord, do I seek. Do not hide your face from me" (Psalm 27:8-9). That Face -- we know -- was revealed to us by God in Jesus Christ."
POPE JOHN PAUL II- From the Vatican, 22 February 2004
http://www.lavigerie.org/~cvismans/paustotjongeren.html
Bless Us, Oh Mary,
and Bless ALL Those who Visit this Site!
The Miraculous
Medal
"O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to
thee"
Prayers...
Loving Father,
I offer you everything
I do this day
-- my thoughts, works,
joys and sufferings.
I desire to join my
heart this day to the heart of your Son,
who gave himself up
totally to your service and to the service of others.
Give me your Spirit
so that I can live like him.
Dear Lord, I thank You for this day. I thank You for my being able
to
see and to hear this morning. I'm blessed because You are a forgiving
God
and an understanding God. You have done so much for me and You keep
on
blessing me. Forgive me this day for everything I have
done, said or
thought that was not pleasing to you.
I ask now for Your forgiveness.
Please keep me safe from all danger
and harm. Help me to start this day with a new attitude
and plenty of
gratitude. Let me make the best of each and every day to clear
my mind so
that I can hear from You. Please broaden my mind that
I can accept all
things. Let me not whine and whimper over things I have no
control over.
And it's the best response
when I'm pushed beyond my
limits.
I know that when I can't pray,
You listen to my heart. Continue to
use me to do Your will. Continue to bless me that I may be
a blessing to
others. Keep me strong that I may help the weak... Keep me
uplifted that
I may have words of encouragement for others. I pray
for those that are
lost and can't find their way. I pray for those
that are misjudged and
misunderstood. I pray for those who don't know You intimately.
I pray for
those that will delete this without sharing it
with others. I pray for
those that don't believe.
But I thank you that I believe.
I believe that God changes people and
God changes things. I pray for all my sisters and brothers.
For each and
every family member in their households. I pray for
peace, love and
joy in their homes that they are out of debt and all
their needs are met.
I pray that every eye that reads
this knows there is no problem,
circumstance, or situation greater than God.
Every battle is in Your hands for You to fight.
I pray that these words be received into the hearts of every eye that reads them.
God, I love you and I need you; come into my heart, please.
Sent by Gladys
Abi Rached
Two Wolves: Evil Vs. Good
One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that
goes
on inside people. He said, "My son, the battle is between 2 "wolves"
inside us all.
One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed,
arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, false pride,
superiority, and ego.
The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility,
kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and
faith."
The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his
grandfather: "Which wolf wins?"
The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."
Author Unknown
One night a man had a dream. He dreamed he was walking along the beach with the Lord. Across the sky flashed scenes from his life. For each scene, he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand: one belonging to him, and the other to the Lord.When the last scene of his life flashed before him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand. He noticed that many times along the path of his life there was only one set of footprints. He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times in his life.
This really bothered him and he questioned the Lord about it.
"Lord, You said that once I decided to follow You, You'd walk with me all the way. But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life, there is only one set of footprints. I don’t understand why when I needed You most You would leave me."
The Lord replied, "My son, My precious child, I love you and would never leave you. During your times of trial and suffering, when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you."
You are cordially invited to
A
BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION!!!
Guest of Honor: Jesus Christ
Date: Every day. (Traditionally, December
25
but He's always around, so the date is flexible....)
Time: Whenever you're ready.
(Please don't be late, though, or you'll
miss out on all the fun!)
Place: In your heart.... He'll meet
you there.
(You'll hear Him knock.)
Attire: Come as you are... grubbies
are okay.
He'll be washing our clothes anyway. He
said something about
new white robes and crowns for everyone
who stays till the last.
Tickets: Admission is free. He's already
paid for everyone...
(He says you wouldn't have been able to
afford it anyway...
it cost Him everything He had. But you do
need to accept the ticket!!
Refreshments: New wine, bread, and
a far-out drink He calls "Living Water,"
followed by a supper that promises to be
out of this world!
Gift Suggestions: Your life. He's
one of those people who already have everything else.
(He's very generous in return though. Just
wait until you see what He has for you!)
Entertainment: Joy, Peace, Truth,
Light, Life, Love, Real Happiness,
Communion with God, Forgiveness, Eternity
in Paradise, Contentment, and much more!
(All "G" rated, so bring your family and
friends.)
R.S.V.P. Very Important!
He must know ahead so He can
reserve a spot for you at
the table.
Also, He's keeping a list
of His friends for future
reference. He calls it the
"Lamb's Book of Life."
Party being given by His Kids (that's us!!)!
Hope to see you there!
Sent by Emaline
& Leonard Bolden Jr.
Look At The Stars
PSALM 147:4-5 NIV
4- He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name.
5- Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit.Sometimes I wonder how God can be mindful of me when there are so many other people for Him to be concerned about. How can He keep up? Then I am reminded of the scriptures that tell us that God has named all the stars. We don't even know how many stars there are -- scientists say billions and billions -- but God can call them all by name!
God is definitely in a different category than anyone else I know. He is mighty. Compared to us, He has no limit to His understanding or His ability.
ISAIAH 40:26 NIV
26 Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. Because of his great power and mighty
strength, not one of them is missing.PSALM 8:3-4 NIV
3 When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, 4 what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?When we do consider the heavens, it can make us feel small and insignificant. But, according to God's Word -- we are not.
When I became a parent, I gained some insight into God's love for people. When you have a child, you don't love that child because it is great or powerful, or can do great things for
you. You love your child simply because it is your child -- your creation -- a part of you.Why does God love you -- and the rest of humanity? The best answer we can give is because He created us. He put something of Himself into us. We are His children.
God doesn't love us because of our great achievements -- but simply because we are His.
SAY THIS: If God can remember the names of all the billions of
stars, He can remember my name and address, and take care of me.Sent by Nolla Cherfan
INTERVIEW WITH GOD
I dreamed I had an interview with God.
"So you would like to interview me?" God asked.
"If you have the time," I said.
God smiled. "My time is eternity. What questions do you have in mind
for me?"
"What surprises you most about humankind?"
God answered...
"That they get bored with childhood, they rush to grow up, and then
long to be children again.
That they lose their health to make money... and then lose their money
to restore their health.
That by thinking anxiously about the future, they forget the present,
such that they live in neither the present nor the future.
That they live as if they will never die, and die as though they had
never lived.”
God’s hand took mine and we were silent for a while.
And then I asked, "As a parent, what are some of life’s lessons you want your children to learn?"
"To learn they cannot make anyone love them. All they can do is let
themselves be loved.
To learn that it is not good to compare themselves to others.
To learn to forgive by practicing forgiveness.
To learn that it only takes a few seconds to open profound wounds in
those they love, and it can take many years to heal them.
To learn that a rich person is not one who has the most, but is one
who needs the least.
To learn that there are people who love them dearly, but simply have
not yet learned how to express or show their feelings.
To learn that two people can look at the same thing and see it differently.
To learn that it is not enough that they forgive one another, but they
must also forgive themselves."
"Thank you for your time," I said humbly. "Is there anything else you would like your children to know?"
God smiled and said,
"Just know that I am here for them... always."
-Author Unknown
http://www.reata.org/interview2.html
http://www.theinterviewwithgod.com/
DOES GOD EXIST??
The professor of a university challenged his students with this question:
"Did God create everything that exists?"
A student answered bravely, "Yes, he did".The professor then said,
"If God created everything, then he created evil. Since evil exists (as noticed by our own actions), so God is evil."The student couldn't respond to that statement causing the professor to conclude that he had "proved" that "belief in God" was a fairy tale, and therefore worthless.
Another student raised his hand and asked the professor, "May I pose a question?" "Of course," answered the professor. The young student stood up and asked : "Professor does Cold exists?" The professor answered, "What kind of question is that?...Of course the cold exists... haven't you ever been cold?"
The young student answered, "In fact sir, Cold does not exist. According to the laws of Physics, what we consider cold, in fact is the absence of heat. Anything is able to be studied as long as it transmits energy (heat). Absolute Zero is the total absence of heat, but cold does not exist. What we have done is create a term to describe how we feel if we don't have body heat or we are not hot."
"And, does Dark exist?", he continued. The professor answered "Of course". This time the student responded, "Again you're wrong,Sir. Darkness does not exist either. Darkness is in fact simply the absence of light.
Light can be studied, darkness cannot. Darkness cannot be broken down. A simple ray of light tears the darkness and illuminates the surface where the light beam finishes. Dark is a term that we humans have created to describe what happens when there's a lack of light.
" Finally, the student asked the professor, "Sir, does evil exist?" The professor replied, "Of course it exists, as I mentioned at the beginning, we see violations, crimes and violence anywhere in the world, and those things are evil."
The student responded, "Sir, Evil does not exist. Just as in the previous cases, Evil is a term which man has created to describe the result of the absence of God's presence in the hearts of man. After this, the professor bowed down his head, and didn't answer back.
The young man's name was ALBERT EINSTEIN.
Sent by Fayrouz AbiSamra - December 23, 04
|
I woke up this morning
As I stepped outside,
I forgot all of my assignments
"Lord, why is it that
I woke you up and enabled
I blessed you far
You didn't feel sick
You had shoes on your feet
You ignored me and went
I was there when you needed me
As if that weren't enough,
And when it was time to get on your
So I decided to
I began to realize what
He said, "My child, you have
I love filling your life with joy,
|
I ran into a stranger as he passed by,
He said, "Please excuse me too;
We were very polite, this stranger and I.
But at home a different story is told,
Later that day, cooking the evening meal,
When I turned, I nearly knocked him down.
He walked away, his little heart broken.
While I lay awake in bed,
"While dealing with a stranger,
Go and look on the kitchen floor,
Those are the flowers he brought for you.
He stood very quietly not to spoil the surprise,
I quietly went and knelt by his bed;
"Are these the flowers you picked for me?"
I picked 'em because they're pretty like you.
I said, "Son, I'm very sorry for the way I acted today;
I said, "Son, I love you too,
FAMILY
Are you aware that if we died tomorrow, the company
And come to think of it, we pour ourselves more into work than into
our own family,
So what is behind the story? Do you know what the word FAMILY means? FAMILY = (F)ATHER (A)ND (M)OTHER (I) (L)OVE (Y)OU
|
Each Day is a Gift
The 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud lady, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o'clock, with her hair fashionably coifed and makeup perfectly applied, even though she is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today. Her husband of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary.
After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, she smiled sweetly when I told her that her room was ready.
As she maneuvered her walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of her tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on her window.
"I love it!" she stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy. "Mrs. Jones, you haven't seen the room.... just wait."
"That doesn't have anything to do with it," she replied. “Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesn't depend on how the furniture is arranged ... it's how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it. It’s a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice; I can spend the day
in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do.”Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open, I'll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I've stored away ... just for this time in my life. Old age is like a bank account ... you withdraw from it what you've put in.
So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank account of memories.Thank you for your part in filling my Memory bank. I am still depositing."
Remember the five simple rules to be happy:
1. Free your heart from hatred.
2. Free your mind from worries.
3. Live simply.
4. Give more.
5. Expect less.
Author Unknown
A Miracle!
A little girl went to her bedroom and pulled a glass jelly jar from its hiding place in the closet. She poured the change out on the floor and counted it carefully. Three times, even. The total had to be exactly perfect. No chance here for mistakes. Carefully placing the coins back in the jar and twisting on the cap, she slipped out the back door and made her way 6 blocks to Rexall's Drug Store with the big red Indian Chief sign above the door.
She waited patiently for the pharmacist to give her some attention but he was too busy at this moment. Tess twisted her feet to make a scuffing noise. Nothing. She cleared her throat with the most disgusting sound she could muster. No good. Finally she took a quarter from her jar and banged it on the glass counter.
That did it!"And what do you want?" the pharmacist asked in an annoyed tone of voice. I'm talking to my brother from Chicago whom I haven't seen in ages," he said without waiting for a reply to his question.
"Well, I want to talk to you about my brother," Tess answered back in the same annoyed tone. "He's really, really sick... and I want to buy a miracle."
" I beg your pardon?" said the pharmacist."
His name is Andrew and he has something bad growing inside his head and my Daddy says only a miracle can save him now. So how much does a miracle cost?"
"We don't sell miracles here, little girl. I'm sorry but I can't help you," the pharmacist said, softening a little. "Listen, I have the money to pay for it. If it isn't enough, I will get the rest. Just tell me how much it costs."The pharmacist's brother was a well dressed man. He stooped down and asked the little girl, "What kind of a miracle does your brother need?"
" I don't know," Tess replied with her eyes welling up. I just know he's really sick and Mommy says he needs an operation. But my Daddy can't pay for it, so I want to use my money."
" How much do you have?" asked the man from Chicago. "One dollar and eleven cents," Tess answered barely audibly. "And it's all the money I have, but I can get some more if I need to."
"Well, what a coincidence," smiled the man. "A dollar and eleven cents--- the exact price of a miracle for little brothers."He took her money in one hand and with the other hand he grasped her mitten and said, "Take me to where you live. I want to see your brother and meet your parents. Let's see if I have the miracle you need."
That well dressed man was Dr. Carlton Armstrong, a surgeon, specializing in neuro-surgery. The operation was completed free of charge and it wasn't long until Andrew was home again and doing well.
Mom and Dad were happily talking about the chain of events that had led them to this place.
That surgery," her Mom whispered, "was a real miracle. I wonder how much it would have cost!" Tess smiled. She knew exactly how much a miracle cost...one dollar and eleven cents .... plus the faith of a little child...
In our lives, we never know how many miracles we will need. A miracle is not the suspension of natural law, but the operation of a higher law...
Sent by Rima Bahous
I Knelt to Pray but not for Long
I knelt to pray
but not for long,
I had too much
to do.
I had to hurry
and get to work
For bills would
soon be due.
So I knelt
and said a hurried prayer,
And jumped
up off my knees.
My Christian
duty was now done
My soul could
rest at ease.
All day long
I had no time
To spread a
word of cheer.
No time to
speak of Christ to friends,
They'd laugh
at me I'd fear.
No time, no
time, too much to do,
That was my
constant cry,
No time to
give to souls in need
But at last
the time, the time to die.
I went before
the Lord,
I came, I stood
with downcast eyes.
For in his
hands God held a book;
It was the
book of life.
God looked
into his book and said
"Your name
I cannot find.
I once was
going to write it down...
But never found
the time"
Author Unknown
http://nadabs.tripod.com/jesus-pray.html
Five Lessons to make you Think about
the Way we Treat People.
Sent by "Gladys Abi Rached" <cricrioli@hotmail.com>
1 - First Important Lesson - Cleaning Lady.
During my second month of college, our professor gave us a pop quiz.
I was a conscientious student
and had breezed through the questions until I read the last one:
"What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?"
Surely this was some kind of joke. I had seen the cleaning woman several
times. She was tall,
dark-haired and in her 50s, but how would I know her name?
I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank. Just before class
ended, one student asked if
the last question would count toward our quiz grade.
"Absolutely," said the professor. "In your careers, you will meet many
people. All are significant. They
deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say
"hello."
I've never forgotten that lesson. I also learned her name was Dorothy.
2. - Second Important Lesson - Pickup in the Rain
One night, at 11:30 p.m., an older African American woman was standing
on the side of an Alabama highway trying to endure a lashing rainstorm.
Her car had broken down and she desperately needed a ride.
Soaking wet, she decided to flag down the next car.
A young white man stopped to help her, generally unheard of in those
conflict-filled 1960s.
The man took her to safety, helped her get assistance and put her into
a taxicab.
She seemed to be in a big hurry, but wrote down his address and thanked
him. Seven days went by and a knock came on the man's door.
To his surprise, a giant console color TV was delivered to his home.
A special note was attached..
It read:
"Thank you so much for assisting me on the highway the other night.
The rain drenched not only my
clothes, but also my spirits. Then you came along. Because of you,
I was able to make it to my dying
husband's bedside just before he passed away... God bless you for helping
me and unselfishly serving
others."
Sincerely,
Mrs. Nat King Cole.
3 - Third Important Lesson - Always remember those who serve.
In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a 10-year-old boy
entered a hotel coffee shop and sat at a table.
A waitress put a glass of water in front of him.
"How much is an ice cream sundae?" he asked.
"Fifty cents," replied the waitress.
The little boy pulled is hand out of his pocket and studied the coins
in it.
"Well, how much is a plain dish of ice cream?" he inquired.
By now more people were waiting for a table and the waitress was growing
impatient.
"Thirty-five cents," she brusquely replied.
The little boy again counted his coins.
"I'll have the plain ice cream," he said.
The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on the table and walked
away. The boy finished the ice
cream, paid the cashier and left. When the waitress came back, she
began to cry as she wiped down the
table. There, placed neatly beside the empty dish, were two nickels
and five pennies...
You see, he couldn't have the sundae, because he had to have enough left to leave her a tip.
4 - Fourth Important Lesson. - The obstacle in Our Path.
In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he
hid himself and watched to see if
anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the king's wealthiest merchants
and courtiers came by
and simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the King for not keeping
the roads clear, but none did
anything about getting the stone out of the way.
Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. Upon approaching
the boulder, the
peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side
of the road. After much pushing
and straining, he finally succeeded. After the peasant picked up his
load of vegetables, he noticed
a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained
many gold coins and a note
from the King indicating that the gold was for the person who removed
the boulder from the roadway.
The peasant learned what many of us never understand...
Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve our condition.
5 - Fifth Important Lesson - Giving When it Counts...
Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at a hospital, I got to
know a little girl named Liz who
was suffering from a rare &serious disease. Her only chance of
recovery appeared to be a blood
transfusion from her 5-year old brother, who had miraculously survived
the same disease and had
developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness. The doctor explained
the situation to her
little brother, and asked the little boy if he would be willing to
give his blood to his sister.
I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a deep breath and
saying, "Yes I'll do it if it will
save her." As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his
sister and smiled, as we all did,
seeing the color returning to her cheek. Then his face grew pale and
his smile faded.
He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice, "Will I start to die right away".
Being young, the little boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought
he was going to have to give his
sister all of his blood in order to save her.
6 YEAR OLD WISDOM
Sent by "Gladys Abi Rached" <cricrioli@hotmail.com>
One day a 6 year old girl was sitting in a classroom.
The teacher was going to explain evolution to the children. The teacher
asked a little boy.
TEACHER: Tommy do you see the tree outside?
TOMMY: Yes.
TEACHER: Tommy, do you see the grass outside?
TOMMY: Yes.
TEACHER: Go outside and look up and see if you can see the sky.
TOMMY: Okay. (He returned a few minutes later) Yes, I saw the sky.
TEACHER: Did you see God?
TOMMY: No.
TEACHER: That's my point. We can't see God because he isn't there.
He doesn't exist.
A little girl spoke up and wanted to ask the boy some questions.
The teacher agreed and the little girl asked the boy:
LITTLE GIRL: Tommy, do you see the tree outside?
TOMMY: Yes.
LITTLE GIRL: Tommy do you see the grass outside?
TOMMY: Yessssss (getting tired of the questions by this time).
LITTLE GIRL: Did you see the sky?
TOMMY: Yessssss
LITTLE GIRL: Tommy, do you see the teacher?
TOMMY: Yes
LITTLE GIRL: Do you see her brain?
TOMMY: No
LITTLE GIRL: Then according to what we were taught today in school,
she must not have one!
"FOR WE WALK BY FAITH, NOT BY SIGHT"
Dear God,
Sent by Rima Bahous and Sami Chedid
I promise I will never waste my food no matter how bad it can taste
and how full I may be.
I pray that You will protect this little boy, guide and deliver him
from his misery.
I pray that we will be more sensitive towards the world around us
and not be blinded by our own selfish nature and interests.
AMEN.
I hope this picture will always serve as a reminder to us of how fortunate
we are
and how we must never ever take things for granted.
DEATH...
WHAT A WONDERFUL WAY TO EXPLAIN IT!
A sick man turned to his doctor,
as he was preparing to leave the examination room and said,
"Doctor, I am afraid to die.
Tell me what lies on the other side."
Very quietly, the doctor said, "I don't know."
"You don't know?
You, a Christian man, do not know what is on the other side?"
The doctor was holding the handle of the door;
on the other side came a sound of scratching and whining,
and as he opened the door,
a dog sprang into the room
and leaped on him with an eager show of gladness.
Turning to the patient, the doctor said,
"Did you notice my dog?
He's never been in this room before.
He didn't know what was inside.
He knew nothing except that his master was here,
and when the door opened, he sprang in without fear.
I know little of what is on the other side of death,
but I do know one thing...
I know my Master is there and that is enough."
GOD’s Oath to YOU
When you are sad..... I will dry your tears.
When you are scared..... I will comfort your fears.
When you are worried..... I will give you hope.
When you are confused..... I will help you cope.
And when you are lost.... And can't see the light, I shall be your
beacon..... Shining ever so bright.
This is my oath.... I pledge till the end.
Why you may ask? ..... Because you're my friend.
Signed: GOD
May today there be peace within you.
May you trust God that you are exactly
where you are meant to be.
