General Chat

Hello all

Goodness Cynthia. I am sure that fall will have really shaken you up. Your son did
the right thing driving you to be checked over in A&E. Take care today, relax a little
and enjoy today's sunshine. It is a real tonic for us all.

How do you say "Thank you" for sunshine or health
For clear days and gentle rains,
For happiness, joy or love?
You say it by sharing what you have.
You say it by making the world a better place.
(Thomas D.Willhite, 1940-1983)

Embrace today's sunshine and pass it's warmth on to those in need. xxx

Good morning :-)


A rather wonky start to the day. Last night I fell out of the chip shop - yes, really :-D

My son came over and took me to A. and E. because of concern over the 'egg' on my forehead. I am fine though thank goodness. A black eye, a slightly twisted ankle, a sore elbow and some scrapes....sheesh.....what a plank I am. :-D

Anyway, on to today.....
The Collect (special prayer) for today:

Lord, you have taught us
that all our doings without love are nothing worth:
send your Holy Spirit
and pour into our hearts that most excellent gift of love,
the true bond of peace and of all virtues,
without which whoever lives is counted dead before you.
Grant this for your only Son Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.

In the Gospel story, we hear of Jesus bringing the widow of Nain's son back to life.


We have two baptisms this morning and, as I usually read the lesson at baptisms, it will be interesting to see the reaction to my black eye. At least they may actually listen!!!

Love to all. Cx

Hello all

I also enjoyed reading Vera's thoughts on gratitude prayers.... haven't heard of that American idea before but I can only agree with it's principles

Prayer is as much a part of my day as breathing. It is so natural to me and it's ongoing.
Sometimes I don't have the words, but silence is prayerful and I believe that God knows my thoughts better than I know them myself.

Cynthia, a familiar poem thanks. Here is another one appropriate to this morning.

No Time To Pray.

I knelt to pray but not for long
I had too much to do.
I had to hurry on 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 now was 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 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)
Makes one think reading these words!

Thinking of all who have a birthday today, hope it will be a happy one. xxx

Good morning :-)

I love Vera's posting about recalling things to be thankful for at the end of each day. Thank you Vera <3

To bring our week of ‘Take Time' to a close, we will finish with…..

Take time to pray

I got up early one morning
and rushed right into the day;
I had so much to accomplish
that I didn't have time to pray.
Problems just tumbled about me,
and heavier came each task.
"Why doesn't God help me?" I wondered.
He answered, "You didn't ask."
I wanted to see joy and beauty,
but the day toiled on, gray and bleak;
I wondered why God didn't show me.
He said, "But you didn't seek."
I tried to come into God's presence;
I used all my keys at the lock.
God gently and lovingly chided,
"My child, you didn't knock."
I woke up early this morning,
and paused before entering the day;
I had so much to accomplish
that I had to take time to pray.


Praying for those who find prayer difficult....... Cx :-)

Earlier this year I was reading about gratitude therapy, one of the latest therapies from America. The idea is basically to encourage people to be thankful for what they have rather than always wanting more and then they will have happier lives. To me that is common sense but it did make me think. So since then I have tried to think each night of something that has happened that day for which I am thankful and it is surprising how much I find. Perhaps someone I know in hospital has come home or I have had an unexpected phone call from an old friend.

So, like Kandj, I am thinking of those who are struggling to find anything to be thankful for. May their lives become less bleak.

Hello all

On a bright, if chilly day today, what's not to be thankful for?

We have our aches and pains, but proof that we are alive today. We have food with several choices and a roof over our head in a nice neighbourhood with kind folk who will help if necessary. We have heat at the flick of a switch and money in the bank to pay the bills when we override the central heating in June!! We have each other in our mature years, both being past the biblical "three score and ten years", we both count our many blessings each and every day. We are thankful indeed.

Heavenly Father
We are happy to take life day by day
We try not to grumble or complain
but be thankful for the little things in life. Amen

Praying now for people who feel they have nothing to give thanks for today. xxx

Take a few minutes
today and just sit quietly
and be thankful for all
that you have.x

Good morning :-)

I hope everyone managed to have a chuckle at something yesterday.... :-D


Our ‘Take Time to’ topic for today………….take time to be thankful….

Thank you God for all your blessings to me and my family.

For the strength you give me each day -

And for all the people around me who make life more meaningful.

I have so much to be thankful for.



I am thankful for those of you who continue to support this thread <3


Cx :-)

Hello all

Soloman's wise words from Ecclesiastes reminds us of all we have to face in life, that there is a time to laugh............

A time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance.
(Ecclesiastes 3:4)

Laughter and smiles are God's gifts to us.Make the most of these and pass them on.

Good morning :-)


For today’s Take Time……..let’s take time….to laugh.


God of grace,
God of love and laughter,
we thank you that we are so wondrously created
and that we are made for relationship with you and with one another.

We thank you for laughter with friends and loved ones.
We thank you for the laughter of children,
and the song it creates in our hearts.

Remind us to laugh out loud,
for doing so will heal some of the wounds within us.
Not all, but some.

God, we pray for those who cannot find their laughter today.
For those who are grieving, or suffering illness of body, mind or spirit...
for those who are lonely and in need of someone to share their time and friendship...

May these and the troubles of all your people be soothed,
blessed, and comforted by your holy presence.

May we each find the laughter within us that sets our spirits free, and in that freedom, may we take your love into every part of our lives. Amen



Hoping every can find time to smile at least once today :-)

Hello all

Not a lot of time to relax and have me time with a Carer's role to do.

"The best time to relax is when you don't have the time for it".
It is an anonymous quote that I have pinned on my kitchen cork board.
I am still trying to find the best time to relax??.... wouldn't it be wonderful
to be able to "make time" to enjoy a few relaxing, peaceful moments.

Thinking of all one parent families struggling this half term. xxx

Good morning :-)


For today’s Take Time………take time to relax and be peaceful…

Dear God,

You promise us the peace that passes all understanding;
a peace that we can touch whatever our circumstances.

Dear God, I ask to touch that peace now.
I make space for it now.

Please come into my heart and let me know your peace.

I know that this prayer is heard.
My words are important.
My willingness is important.

I am doing the important task of preparing a path in my mind through which your peace is becoming a reality in my life.
I receive your thanks for doing this work.

Thank you God for the peace that is always here.
This changeless Peace.
This Peace that holds all things within it.
I allow myself to be held in this place of Peace.

I relax in the arms of your Love.

Thank you.

Amen


Wishing you all a peaceful day...... Cx :-)

Hello all

Your posting made me smile Emma.

"The biggest communication problem is we do not listen to understand.
We listen to reply," (Author unknown) Interesting words and true imho.

Praying for those who are hard of hearing or who are deaf. xxx

Good morning :-)

Some wise words to welcome people this morning.....thank you <3


In this week of Taking Time, let's take time to......listen.

I saw this quote and thought how true it is……“Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.”



Teach me to listen, Lord
To those nearest me
My family, my friends, my co-workers
Help me to be aware that
No matter what words I hear
The message is, “ Accept the person I am, Listen to me."

Teach me to listen, Lord
To those far from me
The whisper of the hopeless
The plea of the forgotten
The cry of the anguished.

Teach me to listen, Lord
To myself
Help me to be less afraid
To trust the voice inside
In the deepest part of me.

Teach me to listen, Lord
For your voice
In busyness and in boredom
In certainty and in doubt
In noise and in silence
Teach me, Lord, to listen.


One last word......the words 'listen' and 'silent' contain the same letters. :-D


Happy listening.................Cx :-)

Time is Precious
Waste it Wisely. xx

Hello all

This is sure to be an interesting venture Cynthia....... thank you.

Two thoughts come into my mind regarding time:

One is a saying that my Mum often said....."Time and tide, wait for no man" and I
have no idea where this quote came from, but I can hear Mum saying it even now.

The second relating to time is a poem written by Robert H.Smith. It is quite familiar,
I have an old book mark from many years ago, very faded now but with these words

The clock of life is wound but once
And no man has the power
To tell just when the hands will stop
At late or early hour.

To lose one's wealth is sad indeed
To lose one's health is more.
To lose one's soul is such a loss
That no man can restore.

The present is our own,
So live love, toil with a will
Place no faith in "tomorrow",
For the clock may then be still.

Thinking of all Dementia sufferers and their families today. xxx

Good morning :-)

Thank you for the birthday wishes. We managed both church and lunch at our son's which was lovely and much appreciated. I thought my granddaughter was going to be working (she waits on at a local pub) but, to my delight, she opened the door to greet me with "Surprise"! That made my day bless her. <3


This week I thought we could spend some time.... looking at time! How we use it – or waste it.

So this morning, let’s take some time to……………..look around at the beauties of nature.

God of the universe,
We thank You for Your many good gifts -
For the beauty of Creation and its rich and varied fruits,
For clean water and fresh air, for food and shelter, animals and plants.

Forgive us for the times we have taken the earth's resources
for granted
And wasted what You have given us.
Help us to take the time to look around and transform our hearts and minds,
So that we would learn to care and share,
To touch the earth with gentleness and with love,
Respecting all living things. Amen.


Enjoy this bank holiday..........I will be ironing.... :-D

Cx :-)

Hello all and a very Happy Birthday to you Cynthia. I hope you managed to make
it for a birthday lunch with your son and family. No cooking. No tidying afterwards.

Vera, you jogged my memory as I also remember singing that hymn at school.

We have been blessed with a warm sunny day here today. A real tonic to lift
our spirits and this makes everyone feel much more relaxed and happy too.

A Sunday well spent, brings a week of content. (Proverb).

Thinking of all young families enjoying this Whit Sunday sunshine together. xxx

Happy Birthday Cynthia x

I've just been catching up on the last week's posts. Like Kandj I remember Whitsun as the time for new clothes and sandals. Btw it's lovely to hear the period called Whitsun and not just "the bank holiday".

My old school hymn, if I remember rightly sung the first and last day of every term, is appropriate today.

Gracious Spirit, Holy Ghost,
Taught by thee we covet most
Of thy gifts at Pentecost
Holy, heavenly love.

Happy birthday Cynthia. Have a lovely day and a happy, peaceful year to come.