Comfort In the Clouds

Clouds tell comfort tale

Rains down in gentle shower

Traveling on the wind

~~~^j^~~~

Thanks be to God!

Cathy

Please visit recuerda mi corazon for Haiku My Heart. There is always more beautiful words  there to enchant and encourage!!!  

~Bluberry Scones~

Ever since I had tea at the Brown Palace Hotel,

nearly three months ago now, I have wanted

to make scones.  I finally went on line to find

a recipe for blueberry scones.  (Next I will try

the buttermilk scones.)  It is not difficult and

the results are most satisfying.

I served these for breakfast this morning with

Brown Palace Crown Jewel Tea.  They were
warm and light.  Yes, comforting and

satisfying.

Wishing you all a wonderful
Saturday.

~~~^j^~~~

Thanks be to God!

Urgent prayer request...

I would ask you all to visit Kathleen at The Daily Grotto for the entire story but needless to say this young lady, Melissa, is in need of our prayers. If you believe at all in the power of intercessory prayer I would ask you to pray heartily for her. What a privilege it is to be called on to share in the life of Melissa this way.

~~~~~~~
Thank you and Thanks Be to God!

I'm Off

In a few hours I leave for the land of Lewis and Clark. Like a child in anticipation of a grand adventure, I cannot sleep. The suit case was packed long ago...I've always been like that I get so excited that I pack days in advance thinking that will make time fly and it NEVER does! So before I begin my daily rosary, I thought I'd share with you all today's prayer for peace in my very small prayer card called, let Peace Fill My Heart, Prayers for a Peaceful World.

The world before me
is restored in beauty.
The world behind me
is restored in beauty.
The world below me
is restored in beauty.
All things around me
are restored in beauty
*
It is finished in beauty.
It is finished in beauty.
It is finished in beauty.
It is finished in beauty.
It is finished in beauty.

Native American Prayer

~~~~~~~

Peace be with you all,
and
Thanks Be to God!

Choices

This is such a wonderful reflection that I just had to share it. It says so well what it is we are all trying accomplish by stepping out with confidence in this New Year.

O sing to the Lord a New song,
for he has done marvelous things.
~Psalm 98:1~

~~~~~~~

The Baby sits in the middle of his super-duper play saucer, propped upright by a towel around his middle, his feet dangling in the air. His eyes are wide open, and his head just can't stop moving as his gaze darts from toy to toy.

Within seconds, he starts wailing. It's all just too much. The wealth of amusing and developmentally helpful plastic objects has overwhelmed him with choices.
As the new year begins and we contemplate what we want to make of it, our reaction may be similar to the baby's. Evidence of our faults surrounds us, and opportunities for growth and change overwhelm us. Which way should we go? What should come first?

The psalmist give us a different idea. Instead of beginning with scrutiny, why not star5t this year with a new song: one of openhearted praise?

***

Lord, I thank you for my life and for the chance to grow that this new year brings.

from A Catholic Woman's Book of Days

by May Welborn

~~~~~~~

It seems when I can't find the words to express what I want to say, the Holy Spirit guides me to the location where the answer awaits. Thanks be to GOD!

The father of John the Baptist...

From The Little Blue Book:

The angel Gabriel said to Zechariah, "Do not be
afraid, because your prayer has been heard. Your
wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall
name him John. And you will have joy and gladness,
any many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be
great in the sight of the Lord. . .He will be filled
with the Holy spirit even from his mother's womb.
~Luke 1:5-25~

*Zechariah was one of approximately 18,000 Jewish priest in Palestine at the time of Jesus. They were divided into 24 groups of 750 each. Twice a year each group came to the Temple in Jerusalem to serve for a week. Their roles during this week of service were chose by lot. Some of them, in a given week, weren't chosen to do anything.

*Each morning, four lots were cast to decide who would carry out the four tasks at the altar. Then in the afternoon, a fifth lot was cast to determine who would enter the Holy Place to offer the evening incense. This extraordinary privilege usually came only once in a lifetime.

*In Luke's account, when the afternoon lot was cast, Zechariah was chosen to enter the Holy Place and offer the evening incense. It was there that the angel appeared to him to announce the birth of John.

~~~~~~~

*The angel tells Zechariah that his prayer has been heard. In the story leading up to this point, Luke hadn't told us what Zechariah was praying for. Now we know. He had been praying for Israel, of course, as a Jewish priest would do. But he and Elizabeth, unrealistic though it may e seemed because of their advanced years, had also been praying for a child.

*Three times in Luke we hear angels say, "do not be afraid"--to Zechariah here, to Mary at the Annunciation, and to the shepherds in the field. In Luke's Gospel, Jesus will also say those same words five time during his public life.

**Anything in particular you'd really like to pray for?
**Anything going on in your life that has you scared?
**Listen.
**God is saying to you: "Do not be afraid."

~*~*~*~

For the comfort and encouragement given, thanks be to God.