General Chat

For those in need of comfort and prayer today
you do not walk alone.
Also for my daughter recovering from an Operation <3

Thank you Vera. Your thoughts are much appreciated right now.

I have several Catholic friends who go to the Lourdes pilgrimage each year. It looks to be an amazing experience. It is on my "wish list". I am ever the eternal optimist!

I hope that the AGM went well Cynthia without too many disagreements?

Joining with Emma in remembering those (including her daughter) who are in need of prayerful support today.

Good morning :-)


I didn't know about your daughter Emma.......praying that she makes a full recovery. <3


No real disagreements kandj, just some muttering in the background which is fairly commonplace as you will know. :-D


For today:



When you are tired and discouraged from fruitless effort, God knows how hard you have tried.

When you've cried so long your heart is in anguish, God has counted your tears.

If you feel that your life is on hold and time has passed you by, God is waiting for you.

When nothing makes sense and you are confused or frustrated, God has the answer.

If suddenly your outlook is brighter and you find traces of hope, God has whispered to you.

When things are going well and you have much to be thankful for, God has blessed you.

When something joyful happens and you are filled with awe, God has smiled on you.

Remember that wherever you are or whatever you are feeling, God knows.

- Anon


Cx :-)

Oh yes Cynthia, I can remember the mutterings at previous church AGM meetings very well ha ha. These folk would then have their own meeting at the lychgate afterwards?!!

Thank you for today's posting, this very definitely hits the right spot for us both today!

Emma, I do hope that your daughter is feeling a little more comfortable today.

Remembering all who are in need of a gentle hug and prayerful support just now xx

Good morning :-)


Emma, like kandj, I do hope your daughter is beginning to feel much better <3


A Celtic prayer for today:


THANKSGIVING FOR RISING




Thanks to you, O God, that I have risen today,

To the rising of life itself;

May it be to your own glory,

O God of every gift,

And to the glory of my soul likewise.

O great God, aid my soul

With the aiding of your own mercy;

Even as I clothe my body with wool,

Cover my soul with the shadow of your wing.

Help me to avoid every sin,

And the source of every sin to forsake;

And as the mist scatters

on the crest of the hills,

May each ill haze clear from my soul, O God.



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

Thank you Cynthia.

I hope your daughter is feeling better Emma and soon makes a full recovery.

This week I attended the funeral of an acquaintance so my thoughts now are with those mourning the loss of a loved one. May they find strength and comfort.

Sadly the deceased's family were often at loggerheads with each other and it has made me realise how blessed I am. My close and my extended family are loving and supportive of each other but not everyone is so lucky, so I am also giving thanks for my own family and praying for those families who are not so united

Thank you for your kind thoughts and prayers.

My daughter sounds more clearer in her speech
these past two days and this morning although
still in pain seems brighter.

My prayers to those in need of comfort and support x

Vera, attending a funeral gives us time to reflect. We also are blessed with support from our close family. Although they don't live near us, they are always here when the need arises.

Emma, I hope that your daughter will continue to improve after her operation and that her pain relief will be sorted out so that she can feel more comfortable soon.

Cynthia, Thank you for today's posting of the Celtic prayer.

Earlier I have been working in the garden and feeling grateful for the sunshine and of God's natural beauty in the flowers. I have been humming this lovely hymn..........

FOR THE BEAUTY OF THE EARTH

For the beauty of the earth, for the beauty of the skies,
For the love which from our birth, over and around us lies.
Lord of all to thee we raise, this our grateful hymn of praise.

For the beauty of each hour, of the day and of the night.
Hill and vale and tree and flower, sun and moon and stars of light.
Lord of all to thee we raise, this our grateful hymn of praise.

For the joy of human love, brother, sister, parent, child.,
Friends on earth and friends above, pleasure pure and undefiled.
Lord of all to thee we raise, this our grateful hymn of praise.

For each perfect gift of thine, to our race so freely given,
Graces human and divine, flowers on earth and buds of heaven.
Lord of all to thee we raise, this our grateful hymn of praise.

For thy church which evermore, lifteth holy hands above
Offering up on every shore, her pure sacrifice of love,
Lord of all to thee we raise, this our grateful hymn of praise.

Hoping that this warm sunshine will be a good tonic for everyone today.

Good morning :-)


It's good to hear that your daughter is making progress Emma - these things take time. I do hope that she is soon free from pain.

Funerals do indeed give us time to reflect on life as a whole - and where we are going with our own lives. It's wonderful to be surrounded by family and friends at such times.

The Collect for today:

The Collect

Almighty Father,
who in your great mercy gladdened the disciples with the sight of the risen Lord:
give us such knowledge of his presence with us,
that we may be strengthened and sustained by his risen life
and serve you continually in righteousness and truth;
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.



Today is Parade Sunday and I think our bellringers and youth group are leading the worship. I may need an aspirin and a lie down when I come back...:-D

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)


I got it wrong! It wasn't the youth group leading the service yesterday, but the curate from a neighbouring church. She was very good and the children enjoyed her presentation very much.


For today, a prayer with a difference!


Let us give thanks for a bounty of people:

For children who are our second planting, and, though they grow like weeds and the wind too soon blows them away, may they forgive us our cultivation and fondly remember where their roots are.

Let us give thanks:

– For generous friends. . .with hearts. . .and smiles as bright as their blossoms;

– For feisty friends as tart as apples;

– For continuous friends, who, like scallions and cucumbers, keep reminding us that we've had them;

– For crotchety friends, as sour as rhubarb and as indestructible;

– For handsome friends, who are as gorgeous as eggplants and as elegant as a row of corn,

– and the others, as plain as potatoes and as good for you;

– For funny friends, who are as silly as Brussel sprouts and as amusing as Jerusalem artichokes, and serious friends as complex as cauliflowers and as intricate as onions;

– For friends as unpretentious as cabbages, as subtle as summer squash, as persistent as parsley, as delightful as dill, as endless as zucchini, and who, like parsnips, can be counted on to see you throughout the winter;

– For old friends, nodding like sunflowers in the evening-time, and young friends coming on as fast as radishes;

– For loving friends, who wind around us like tendrils and hold us, despite our blights, wilts, and witherings;

And, finally, for those friends now gone, like gardens past that have been harvested, and who fed us in their times that we might have life thereafter;

For all these we give thanks.

– Max Coots

Love to all. Cx :-)

Cynthia, your posting today is amusing and interesting...... where do you find them?!!

Today 20th April is the feast of St Beuno ( to be honest I had never heard of him) and so I now share with you what I have just read about this priest. Just a small snippet here though.
He was born around 454 AD and died 640 AD. He was a monk in Wales who founded his own community and performed numerous miracles. He was an excellent preacher who evangelized much of North Wales and founded a monastery in Caernarvonshire.
I am sure that if John was still posting he would be able to tell us so much more.

I hope that Emma's daughter is making a good recovery and that Vera is coming to terms with her recent loss. There is a lot of illness and death just now, so I give thanks for the sunshine and for the beauty of Spring that surrounds us today.

Good morning :-)


Thank you for the story of St. Bueno kandj, I haven't heard of him either. Stories like this always make me think of how many amazing people have passed the faith down to us.


For today:

Father, I'm praying that my circle of family and friends will be free from worry...

Help them not worry when things don't go the way they expect. Jesus said we're not to fret, not to worry, not to let our hearts be troubled or afraid. He said we're to trust in You— and also in Him. May it be so in their lives and ministry, no matter how impossible things seem.

Keep them from worrying about tomorrow, for each day has enough trouble of its own. When such trouble comes, help them to cast all their anxiety on Christ because He cares for them.

Help them not to be anxious about anything but to pray about everything with thanksgiving—for when they do, You'll give them Your peace that surpasses their understanding, and such peace guards their hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Keep their minds steadfast in trusting You, and give them Your perfect peace. May they turn to the Lord of Peace who will give them peace at all times, in every way.

Help them leave every worry at Your feet where it belongs.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.


Cx :-)

My daughter is getting out of hospital sometime today.
Pain has subsided quite a bit and is getting around
although finding it very tiring.

To all recovering from treatment in hospital or at home
my thoughts and prayers to all x

A meaningful prayer today Cynthia, thank you.

Emma, your daughter will be happy to be home. Hospitals are so often noisy places with little opportunity to relax at all. Hope she will begin to improve each day now.

More time spent in the garden again today and I have aching muscles to prove it.
I am not complaining really because the sun has been shining and my hard work is showing good results too.

A GARDENER'S PRAYER

Thank You God for sun and shower
Thank You for each lovely flower
Thank You for each stately tree
Through all these, You speak to me.

Remembering all who feel anxious and upset in any way today.

Good morning.. :-)

It's good to know that your daughter is now home Emma. Praying that her recovery will go from strength to strength.

kandj's words are reminding me that I must get out with the weedkiller whilst the weather is good. We have mostly pots and I am beginning to wonder what to fill them with this year. Percy Thrower I must certainly am not! :-D

For today:


I did not know His love before
The way I know it now
I could not see my need for Him
My pride would not allow.
I had it all, without a care
The “self-sufficient” lie
My path was smooth, my sea was still
Not a cloud was in my sky.

I thought I knew His love for me
I thought I’d seen His grace
I thought I did not need to grow
I thought I’d found my place.
But then the way grew rough and dark
The storm clouds quickly rolled
The waves began to rock my ship
I found I had no hold.

The ship that I had built myself
Was made of foolish pride
It fell apart and left me bare
With nowhere else to hide.
I had no strength or faith to face
The trials that lay ahead
And so I simply spoke His name
And bowed my weary head.

His loving arms enveloped me
And then He helped me stand
He said, “You still must face this storm
But I will hold your hand.”
So through the dark and lonely night
He guided me through pain
I could not see the light of day
Or when I’d smile again.

Yet through the pain and endless tears
My faith began to grow
I could not see it at the time
But my light began to glow.
I saw God’s love in a brand new light
His grace and mercy, too.
For only when all self was gone
Could Jesus’ love shine through.

- Anon


Continuing to remember folk in prayer....Cx :-)

Thank you Cynthia. Another short while in the garden again today while the weather is dry.

Thinking of those who are needing prayerful support just now. xx

Good morning :-)


A Happy St. George's Day to everyone........ :-D

Some facts about St George :
•Born in Turkey (in Cappadocia)
•Lived in 3rd century
•His parents were Christian
•Became a Roman soldier
•Protested against Rome's persecution of Christians
•Imprisoned and tortured, but stayed true to his faith
•Beheaded at Lydda in Palestine

St. George is believed to have been born in Cappadocia (now Eastern Turkey) in the year A.D. 270. He was a Christian. At the age of seventeen he joined the Roman army and soon became renowned for his bravery. He served under a pagan Emperor but never forgot his Christian faith.

When the pagan Emperor Diocletian started persecuting Christians, St. George pleaded with the Emperor to spare their lives. However, St. George's pleas fell on deaf ears and it is thought that the Emperor Diocletian tried to make St. George deny his faith in Christ, by torturing him. St George showed incredible courage and faith and was finally beheaded near Lydda in Palestine on 23 April, 303.

As for the dragon.........

There are many versions of story of St George slaying the dragon, but most agree on the following:

1.A town was terrorised by a dragon.
2.A young princess was offered to the dragon
3. When George heard about this he rode into the village
4.George slayed the dragon and rescued the princess



Heavenly Father, give us the bravery of St George
to stand up for the truth and the glory of God
that we have seen in the face of Jesus Christ.
Give us the strength to overcome
in our lives and in the world,
all that is contrary to your rule of justice and love.
Help us to be good news to the poor,
proclaim release to the captives
and recovery of sight to the blind;
let the oppressed go free, and
proclaim the good news of God's favour and Jubilee.
Amen



Cx :-)

A Happy St Georges Day to you too Cynthia and to everyone today.
Thanks for the research on our Patron Saint of England.

St George for England!
What a Saint! A Dragon Slayer!
Let's give a cheer
And down a beer
For current Georges (and Georginas)
Who slay the Dragons
Of Poverty and Hunger
And fight for Righteous Causes................. written by Kathy Randle

Praying today for all who feel low in spirit. Sending a gentle hug to all in need. xx

Good morning :-)


Thank you for those words kandj - they made me smile... :-)

For today:

We walk in a world that is strange and unknown
And in the midst of the crowd we still feel alone,
We question our purpose, our part and our place
In this vast land of mystery suspended in space,
We probe and explore and try hard to explain
The tumult of thoughts that our minds entertain...
But all of our probings and complex explanations
Of man's inner feelings and fears and frustrations
Still leave us engulfed in the "mystery of life"
With all of its struggles and suffering and strife,
Unable to fathom what tomorrow will bring --
But there is one truth to which we can cling,
For while life's a mystery we can't understand
The "great giver of life" is holding our hand
And safe in His care there is no need for seeing
For "in Him we live and move and have our being."

- Helen Steiner Rice


Continuing to pray for kandj and her husband, Emma's daughter and young friend and all who are in need of comfort and support.

Cx :-)

Thank you Cynthia x

My daughter is much improving after the initial disappointment
in not getting home till the next evening due to low potassium
levels. She has still a few objects to get over but is happy in
herself with what she has to go through in the next few weeks.

Our young friend continues to enjoy life and is at the stage where
things will go no further for her but family and friends are happy
that she survived at all.

Sending positive thoughts to all who have to face difficult times <3