General Chat

Good morning... :-)


Thanks for that kandj - I certainly think you made the better selection there - a prize to treasure for all time. Much better than Ashes of Roses bathcubes.... :-D


I often look to see which Saint's Day is being celebrated as I believe we have so much to learn from those who have trodden the Christian path before us.

Today it is the turn of St. Vincent de Paul....his biography is interesting.

Vincent, the son of poor French peasants, was born in 1581. When he grew up and became famous, he loved to tell people how he had taken care of his father's pigs. Because he was intelligent, his father sent him to school. And after finishing his studies, Vincent became a priest.

At first, he was given an important position as the teacher of rich children, and he lived rather comfortably. Then one day, he was called to the side of a dying peasant. In front of many people, this man declared that all his past confessions had been bad ones. Suddenly Father Vincent realized how badly the poor people of France needed spiritual help. When he began to preach to them, crowds went to confession. He finally decided to start a congregation of priests to work especially among the poor.

The charities of St. Vincent de Paul were so many that it seems impossible for one person to have begun so much. He took care of criminals who worked on the sailing ships. He started the Congregation of the Sisters of Charity with St. Louise de Marillac. He opened hospitals and homes for orphans and old people. He collected large sums of money for poor areas, sent missionaries to many countries, and bought back prisoners from the Mohammedans.

Even though he was such a charitable man, however, he humbly admitted that he was not so by nature. "I would have been hard, rough and ill-tempered," he said "were it not for God's grace." Vincent de Paul died in Paris on September 27, 1660. He was proclaimed a saint in 1737 by Pope Clement XII. Jesus asks us to be good to others, especially to those who suffer.

He says to us too, 'As long as you did it to one of the least of my brethren, you did it to me. "


Those words are a prayer in themselves.

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

Thank you for that Cynthia very interesting.

Emma x

My Catholic friends in our village used to have a SVP group who met each week and gave a report of people in the parish that they had visited and new people were added to a growing list of folk who were in need of a helping hand. They were visited and supported regularly in their own homes and by being taken to hospital appointments or shopping trips to local stores.

Each year, usually at Pentecost, the group went on a weekend retreat and for several years I was privileged to be asked to join in their pilgrimage. This was always held at an Abbey run by an order of Cistercian monks. It was spiritually uplifting and so very quiet and peaceful. An awesome experience and a joy to be a part of their group fellowship at such an important time in the church calendar.

Sadly, as personal circumstances changed I have been unable to join with my friends on their weekend pilgimage but I have very many lovely happy memories of the work and time freely given to those in need in the name of St Vincent de Paul, so thank you Cynthia for reminding me of this very special Saint.

Good morning :-)


I'm so glad that yesterday's thoughts brought back happy memories.... :-)


I am expect United Utilities to turn up anytime, so my visit may be brief. I have suddenly become an expert in broken drains, blocked drains and any old drain you care to mention.......sigh. My OH used to deal with all this and now it is my responsibility.....not quite sure I am up to spec really... ;-)


For today:


Most of the battles of life
are won by looking beyond
the clouds to the sun.
And having patience
to wait for the day
when the sun comes out
and the clouds float away
One thing never changes.
It remains the same forever.
God truly loves His children
and He will forsake them never!

~Helen Steiner Rice


Remembering: Vera's widowed friend; Emma's young friend; kandj and her OH and any known to us who have asked for prayer.

Love, Cx

Good luck with your drain problem Cynthia I hope that it will get sorted out soon.

Since hubby came out of hospital im May I have had the blcok paved drive taken up and resanded and levelled and relain because it was uneven and unsafe before.. Now it is all sorted and we both are very pleased with the workand the workmen too.

I had asked for a quote to have the back wide concrete path made good as it had crumbled in places with the ice and snow that settled last Winter. I got very irritated when people I had contacted bid not bother to return my call but I spotted an advert in a village magazine and have spoken to a builder who has come to look at the problem and has given us a reasonable price to put a concrete screed covering to make the pathway smooth and safe for us to walk on. We have arranged for the workman to come at 8am next Friday morning and so that is another job that I can cross off the "jobs to do "list before the Winter weather puts a stop to outside work.

I am so thankful to be given the ability to cope with sorting the repairs needed to be done around the bungalow. I am sure that it will be fine when it is has been done.

Good luck with your drain problem Cynthia I hope that it will get sorted out soon.

Since hubby came out of hospital in May I have had the blocked paved drive taken up and resanded and levelled and relaid because it was uneven and unsafe before.. Now it is all sorted and we both are very pleased with the work and the workmen too.

I had asked for a quote to have the back wide concrete path made good as it had crumbled in places with the ice and snow that settled last Winter. I got very irritated when people I had contacted did not bother to return my call but I spotted an advert in our village magazine and have spoken to a builder who has come to look at the problem and has quoted a reasonable price to put a concrete screed covering to make the pathway smooth and safe for us to walk on. We have arranged for the workman to come at 8am next Friday morning and so that is another job that I can cross off the "jobs to do "list before the Winter weather puts a stop to outside work.

I am so thankful to be given the ability to cope with sorting the repairs needed to be done around the bungalow. I am sure that it will be fine when it is has been done.

Warm thoughts for all in need of comfort and prayer right now.

Good morning.. :-)


My drains have turned into a saga! It seems as though they have to bring in an engineer on Monday to tell them how to tackle the problem. The manhole cover is in a garden 3 doors down from us - I bet they were thrilled to have United Utilities knocking on their door at tea time......ooops! Looks as though we are in for some fun and games but, at least it is being sorted out which is good. We are hoping to have a downstairs loo put in for the sake of my husband, so it will be good to know that the drains work. :-)



Some quotes from famous people to think about today:


The Christian does not think God will love us because we are good, but that God will make us good because He loves us. ~ C. S. Lewis


Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows; it empties today of its strength. ~ Corrie Ten Boom, Protector of Jewish People during the Holocaust


Faith is to believe what we do not see, and the reward of this faith is to see what we believe. ~ St. Augustine


Faith is a living and unshakable confidence. a belief in God so assured that a man would die a thousand deaths for its sake. ~ Martin Luther


I am one of those who would rather sink with faith than swim without it. ~ Stanley Baldwin


For we walk by faith, not by sight. -- Corinthians 5:7



Enjoy your day......Cx :-)

Lovely quotes Cynthia and definitely something to think about :-)

Emma, I hope that your young friend is continuing to improve....I am remembering all who face sickness and worries of any kind today.

Cynthia, one job often leads to another (imho) so Good Luck with the drains!

The quote Corinthians 5:7 reminded me of the words of the worship hymn which is
so full of hope and has a real toe-tapping tune as well. Little ones love to sing and share actions to this modern song.

Be bold, be strong
For the Lord your God is with you.
Be bold, be strong
For the Lord your God is with you.
I am not afraid.... No No No
I am not dismayed... Not Me.
For I'm walking in faith and victory
Come and walk in faith and victory
For the Lord your God is with you.

Good morning :-)


It is Harvest Festival for us today so I imagine we will have a full house - so to speak. :-)

Someone is coming from the diocese to give us the Child Friendly Church Award which we were actually awarded last year just before our vicar died. That, of course, threw everything into confusion but, at long last, we have got round to having it presented officially.


The Collect for today.

God, who in generous mercy sent the Holy Spirit upon your Church in the burning fire of your love: grant that your people may be fervent in the fellowship of the gospel that, always abiding in you, they may be found steadfast in faith and active in service; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.


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

Kandj she is progressing slowly but is doing fine.

I hope you and your OH are coping and also Cynthia
and her OH <3

Remembering all those in need.

Emma x

Still a bit of a challenge here Emma but its good to hear that your young friend is improving slowly.

Harvest Festival service in our village church too Cynthia but I didn't make it this year. We do have many lovely memories of Harvest Festival services and the fresh produce we dug up and then distributed around the village to the Old Folk....... we are now the Old Folk, but now its tinned food or cereal donations given for breakfasts for the homeless.

Cynthia, I hope that your husband is feeling a little better now?

Good morning. :-)


I always remember the 'smell' when it was Harvest Festival in church....that lovely aroma of apples and other fruit which decorated church window sills and pulpits. Sadly, that seems to have gone now, to be replaced by serried ranks of tinned goods along with packets of many different kinds of produce.

As I thought, church was packed yesterday and there was so much going on - it was exhausting! :-)

My husband had a good day yesterday and I had hoped he would accompany me to church but, because we guessed it would be very hectic and he would not cope with it very well, I went on my own. Next week - hopefully.

He is very up and down and his mobility is limited. However, we keep plodding on and I am quite good at nagging, or should I say, encouraging him to keep going..... :-D


Today is Michaelmas....and I freely admit to having taken the following information from wiki.....

Michaelmas, the feast of Saint Michael the Archangel (also the Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel, Uriel and Raphael, the Feast of the Archangels, or the Feast of Saint Michael and All Angels) is a day in the Western Christian liturgical year that occurs on 29 September.

Because it falls near the equinox, it is associated in the northern hemisphere with the beginning of autumn and the shortening of days. In medieval England, Michaelmas marked the ending and beginning of the husbandman's year, George C. Homans observes: "at that time harvest was over, and the bailiff or reeve of the manor would be making out the accounts for the year."

In Christianity, the Archangel Michael is the greatest of all the Archangels and is honoured for defeating Lucifer in the war in heaven. He is one of the principal angelic warriors, seen as a protector against the dark of night, and the administrator of cosmic intelligence.

Michaelmas has also delineated time and seasons for secular purposes as well, particularly in the United Kingdom and Ireland as one of the quarter days.


Saint Michael the Archangel,
defend us in battle, be our protection against the malice and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him we humbly pray;
and do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly host,
by the power of God,
thrust into hell Satan and all evil spirits who wander through the world for the ruin of souls.
Amen.

......and not a mention of M & S. :-D


Remembering our friends in prayer.....Cx :-)

Good morning... :-)

Something simple for today:


Prayer for a Friend

Stores don't sell
I must confess
the joys of life
that cheer and bless
but friends and prayers are priceless treasures
beyond all monetary measures -
and so, my friend,
I say a prayer -
that God will keep you in His care.



Cx :-)

Thank you Cynthia. Simple but true. Friends are so important, particularly as we get older.

On another subject, we were in Turkey just recently. We had had a slightly problematic holiday with illness and other stresses but we had a wonderful last evening there. The company rep, a young Turkish man, took just 6 of us who had seemed a little more interested in the culture of his country, on a village tour.

One of the things we did was visit a village Mosque. While there we sat down together and discussed Islam and Christianity. Our guide described himself as "a lapsed Muslim" but was extremely knowledgeable. As always when I've been to a group like this I was left wondering why we emphasise our differences instead of celebrating the things we have in common, which are many.

Someone asked this young man about the Islamic State fighters. His reply was "They are terrorists. They pick a few words from the Koran, take them out of context and use them to justify their actions. They are not true Muslims". This thread is not the place for a political discussion but I thought the views of someone brought up in the Islamic faith and living closer than us to the problem were interesting.

I am so pleased that your young friend is making progress Emma. I am keeping in my thoughts others who may need a little extra strength at this time.

Thank you Cynthia for those words :-)

Also Vera for your thoughts about our friend who
is coming on slowly :-)

Emma x

The simple prayer is lovely and profound, genuine friends are angels in disguise.

Vera, your evening with the your guide sounded really interesting, thanks for sharing his views here.

Ongoing thoughts and prayers to all who are in need of comfort today.

Good morning... :-)


Good friends are, indeed, a blessing and there are times when all of us have been grateful for the care shown by others.


With your words in mind Vera, I offer this prayer for today - especially with the news headlines.....


Interfaith Prayer for Peace

O God, you are the source of life and peace.
Praised be your name forever.
We know it is you who turns our minds to thoughts of peace.
Hear our prayer in this time of crisis.
Your power changes hearts.

Muslims, Christians, and Jews remember, and profoundly affirm,
that they are followers of the one God,
Children of Abraham, brothers and sisters;
enemies begin to speak to one another;
those who were estranged join hands in friendship;
nations seek the way of peace together.

Strengthen our resolve to give witness to these
truths by the way we live.
Give to us:
Understanding that puts an end to strife;
Mercy that quenches hatred, and
Forgiveness that overcomes vengeance.
Empower all people to live in your law of love
Amen.

- Anon


Cx :-)

Thank you Cynthia

Thanks too Cynthia, for such an appropriate prayer today. following on from Vera's interesting post yesterday.