General Chat

Good morning :-)

Thank you for those words Elizabeth - I absolutely adore rainbows.

What lovely words they were to start our day - there is no need for me to add more.


Remembering kandj and Emma's young friend and her family and others who would appreciate prayer at this time. Cx :-)

Good morning all.

Elizabeth thank you for God's Rainbow, lovely words indeed.

My thoughts and prayers to all who need comfort and support.

Emma x

Good morning :-)

kandj has sent a message to say how grateful she is for the continuing prayer and support she is receiving from her friends on here bless her. We will continue to hold her in our thoughts.


Today, in the Anglican and Roman Catholic churches, we celebrate the life of St.Benedict the patron saint of Europe and students.

He was the son of a Roman noble in Nursia and tradition has it that he had a twin sister named Scholastica.

He founded many monasteries and is famous for his 'Rule of St. Benedict' which gave guidelines for the monastic life. His life is well chronicled on Wiki.


A Prayer of St Benedict (480-547)

Gracious and holy Father,
please give me:

intellect to understand you;
reason to discern you;
diligence to seek you;
wisdom to find you;
a spirit to know you;
a heart to meditate upon you;
ears to hear you;
eyes to see you;
a tongue to proclaim you;
a way of life pleasing to you;
patience to wait for you;
and perseverance to look for you.


Grant me:
a perfect end,
your holy presence.
A blessed resurrection,
And life everlasting.



Words to live by even today. Cx :-)

Good morning :-)



Summertime seems to be the most popular time for people to get married and, despite the fact that many people prefer to live together without marriage, I discovered some interesting facts.

1. There was one marriage every 2 minutes in 2012

2. There was an increase in marriages in 2012, with 262,2401 taking place. This was a 5.3% increase from 2011 when there were 249,133.

3. Civil ceremonies accounted for 70% of all marriages in 2012. The proportion of marriages that were civil ceremonies first exceeded religious ceremonies in 1976

4. 60% (156,480) of marriages took place in approved premises such as hotels, stately homes and historic buildings.

5. 67% (175,0401) of all marriages were first marriages for both partners.

6. 15% of all marriages (38,320) were remarriages for both parties and 19% (48,8801) were to couples where only one partner had been married previously.

7. The greatest number of marriages were for men and women aged 25 to 29.

8. The mean age at marriage was 36.5 years for men and 34.0 years for women.

9. The largest percentage increase in the number of marriages was for men and women aged 65 to 69, rising by 25% and 21% respectively.

- Office for National Statistics, June 2014.


With marriage in mind, and for anyone we know who has a marriage in the family coming up.......

What is Love?

What is Love? No words can define it—
It’s something so great only God could design it.
It grows through the years in sunshine and rain.
In gladness and sadness, in pleasure and pain.
It’s ever enduring and patient and kind—
It judges all things with the heart not the mind.
And love can transform the most commonplace
Into beauty and splendour and sweetness and grace.
For love is unselfish, giving more than it takes.
And no matter what happens, love never forsakes.
It’s faithful and trusting and always believing.
Guileless and honest and never deceiving.
Yes, love is beyond what we can define.
For love is immortal, and God’s gift is divine.

- Helen Steiner Rice

Enjoy your day Cx :-)

Cynthia..... :-) <3

Thank you Cynthia for the interesting marriage statistics and the words from HSR.

Thinking of Kandj, Emma's young friend, my neighbour who is very seriously ill and others in need of comfort and support at this time

Good morning.... :-)



Rather overcast here today but, hopefully, it will brighten up later. A busy morning at church - the Area Dean is with us for two services and four baptisms - should be fun!


The Collect

O God, the protector of all who trust in you,
without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy:
increase and multiply upon us your mercy;
that with you as our ruler and guide
we may so pass through things temporal
that we lose not our hold on things eternal;
grant this, heavenly Father,
for our Lord Jesus Christ’s sake,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Amen.


Remembering kandj and her husband. Emma's young friend and family and Vera's friend in our prayers.

Cx :-)

I am also keeping kandj, her husband, Vera's friend and
our young friend in my thoughts and prayers.

Emma x

Thank you Cynthia and Emma for your kind thoughts for my neighbour.

We have been away for a couple of days and today we went to Bath where we visited Bath Abbey. What a beautiful church! Even though it was full of tourists I found it very peaceful and full of light. While we were there one of the priests announced that now and then they ask their visitors to join them in a short prayer. A few people left a bit quickly but most stayed. The priest said a short prayer, we all said the Lord's Prayer and then sat in silence for a moment. It took about 5 minutes and I thought what a good idea it was.

Remembering all our friends in need

Good morning :-)


I can't remember visiting Bath Abbey Vera, but I love your description. Thank you.

Our cathedral has set times for prayers I think and everyone is welcome to pause for a short while and have a time of quietness. There are usually retired clergy on hand if anyone wants to talk about a worry or concern.



A Summer Prayer

Long warm days...
The pace of life slows...
A time for picnics and rest in the shade...
Lord, help me to rest awhile
in the cooling shade of your presence.
Slow down my restless heart and fill me
with gentle compassion for all your people.
Amen.

- Author unknown

Cx :-)

I need to pray for patience :-)


I've been helping someone on another site.

He has ancestors with a surname that is common in the area

he is convinced that the parents were married some time between 1816 and 1836

He has no proof that the parents ever married ........................... and the "wife" married someone else in 1836, who was willing to take on the 7 kids that she'd had.


He is now convinced that "spinster" is a term for a childless woman


and "dressmaker" is an alternate name for a spinster

He has just deleted the second thread in 2 days ................... and is starting another one



The reason he wants to find the marriage???



so he can add them to the roll in Utah, and enter them into heaven






please ............. patience, patience, patience!



I think I might just give this hobby of helping others :-)

Good morning.. :-)



Oh dear Sylvia, you ARE in a state........and I'm sure many of us can sympathise with you. :-)


I found this prayer for patience:


Lord, may I be slow to anger and filled with love

I know I'm going to need Your help here

Because if I try to go solo on this I'll fail for sure



Please fill my heart with patience

May I be ready to forgive - myself and others

Not just this once

But as many times as it takes

Thank you that you are forever giving

When it comes to forgiveness



Please fill my heart with understanding

May I always seek to contemplate

What somebody may be suffering

Before I jump to any conclusions

Because I know that you never cease

To pardon me



Lord, may I be slow to anger and filled with love

Because you are my hero

And I'm following You




Remembering all those who have asked for prayer.........Cx :-)

thanks, C xxxx

Good morning :-)


For today, something each one of us can do......



Count Your Blessings


Count your blessings instead of your crosses;

Count your gains instead of your losses.

Count your joys instead of your woes;

Count your friends instead of your foes.

Count your smiles instead of your tears;

Count your courage instead of your fears.

Count your full years instead of your lean;

Count your kind deeds instead of your mean.

Count your health instead of your wealth;

Love your neighbour as much as yourself.

- Author unknown



Remembering kandj and her OH, Emma's young friend and family and Vera's friend.

Cx :-)

Amen to that Cynthia. The older I get, the more aware I am of how much I am blessed.

Good morning.... :-)


According to the weather forecast, it's going to be the hottest day so far in some parts of the country. Summer has well and truly arrived!



Summer Prayer


Creator of all, thank You for summer!
Thank You for the warmth of the sun and the increased daylight.
Thank You for the beauty I see all around me
and for the opportunity to be outside and enjoy Your creation.

Thank You for the increased time I have to be with my friends and family,
and for the more casual pace of the summer season.

Draw me closer to You this summer.
each me how I can pray no matter where I am or what I am doing.
Warm my soul with the awareness of Your presence,
and light my path with Your Word and Counsel.

As I enjoy Your creation, create in me a pure heart
and a hunger and a thirst for You.


Enjoy your day and take care in the heat..... Cx :-)

You have been kind enough to remember my neighbour in your prayers. Sadly he died this morning. Could I ask you now to keep his wife in your thoughts.

She has no family so is alone, apart from support from a few friends and neighbours. I have spoken to her tonight and she is very calm but she is going to need a lot of strength in the days ahead.

Thank you.

I am of course still thinking of Kandj and her OH, Emma's young friend and her family, and others in need

Dear Vera

Hello

I am very sorry to hear this.

My deepest sympathy to your friend.

Your friend is not alone. She has you. <3


Take very gentle care
Sincere wishes
Love Elizabeth,
xx

Good morning :-)


I'm so very sorry to hear about your friend's death Vera and yes, of course, we will keep his wife in our thoughts and prayers.


Today is a sad day for so many families and friends of those who lost their lives in this latest plane disaster so, thinking of all who mourn, I thought I would post the following words which have been used to comfort people for generations......



The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
for his name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.


- Psalm 23


Cx

Vera I'm so sorry to hear this sad news and
my thoughts and prayers go out to his wife
that she may find comfort and strength to
see her through this time.

Also to kandj and her OH and to our friend.

Emma x