I thought the following thought provoking and very helpful in my prayer life.  It is often hard to pray or know just how to pray.  There are, of course, our more formal prayer like the Lord’s prayer and our Hail Mary, but informal prayer is just talking to the Lord.  In my case, I am always talking to St. Anthony, the saint of lost objects because I lose everything all the time and he always comes through for me.  Anyway, I thought “Mom’s Empty Chair” to be inspirational. 

Mom’s Empty Chair When the minister arrived, he found the woman lying in bed with her head propped up on two pillows. An empty chair sat beside her bed. The minister assumed that the woman had been informed of his visit. ‘I guess you were expecting me, he said. ‘No, who are you?’ said the mother. The minister told her his name and then remarked, ‘I saw the empty chair and I figured you knew I was going to show up..’ ‘Oh yeah, the chair,’ said the bedridden woman. ‘Would you mind closing the door?’ Puzzled, the minister shut the door. ‘I have never told anyone this, not even my daughter,’ said the woman. ‘But all of my life I have never known how to pray. At church I used to hear the pastor talk about prayer, but it went right over my head.’ I abandoned any attempt at prayer,’ the old woman continued, ‘ until one day four years ago, my best friend said to me, ‘ Prayer is just a simple matter of having a conversation with Jesus Here is what I suggest. ‘Sit down in a chair; place an empty chair in front of you, and in faith see Jesus on the chair. It’s not spooky because he promised, ‘I will be with you always’. ‘Then just speak to him in the same way you’re doing with me right now.’ ‘So, I tried it and I’ve liked it so much that I do it a couple of hours every day. I’m careful though. If my daughter saw me talking to an empty chair, she’d either have a nervous breakdown or send me off to the funny farm.’ The minister was deeply moved by the story and encouraged the old woman to continue on the journey. Then he prayed with her, anointed her with oil, and returned to the church. Two nights later the daughter called to tell the minister that her mama had died that afternoon. Did she die in peace?’ he asked. Yes, when I left the house about two o’clock, she called me over to her bedside, told me she loved me and kissed me on the cheek. When I got back from the store an hour later, I found her . But there was something strange about her death Apparently, just before Mom died, she leaned over and rested her head on the chair beside the bed. What do you make of that?’ The minister wiped a tear from his eye and said, ‘I wish we could all go like that.’ Just send this to four people or more, and do not break this, please. Prayer is one of the best free gifts we receive.. I asked God for water, He gave me an ocean.* I asked God for a flower, He gave me a garden* I asked God for a friend, He gave me all of YOU… If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it. Happy moments, praise God. Difficult moments, seek God. Quiet moments, worship God Painful moments, trust God Every moment, thank God.

Nice message for all of us and what a wonderful way to leave this world huh? Prayer always helps no matter what !  Have a great day !

A father wanted to read a magazine but was being bothered by his little girl. She wanted to know what the United States looked like. Finally, he tore a sheet out of his new magazine on which was printed the map of the country. Tearing it into small pieces, he gave it to her and said, ‘Go into the other room and see if you can put this together.

After a few minutes, she returned and handed him the map, correctly fitted and taped together.
The father was surprised and asked how she had finished so quickly.. ‘Oh,’ she said, ‘on the other side of the paper is a picture of Jesus. When I got all of Jesus back where He belonged, Then our country just came together.’

So.. When we get Jesus back where He Belongs–

Our country will come together.

Apples…    This is as good as it gets!!!

A few years ago a group of salesmen went to a regional sales convention in Chicago .. They had assured their wives that they would be home in plenty of time for Friday night’s dinner. In their rush, with tickets and briefcases, one of these salesmen inadvertently kicked over a table which held a display of apples. Apples flew everywhere. Without stopping or looking back, they all managed to reach the plane in time for their nearly-missed boarding…

ALL BUT ONE!!! He paused, took a deep breath, got in touch with his feelings and experienced a twinge of compassion for the girl whose apple stand had been overturned.

He told his buddies to go on without him, waved good-bye, told one of them to call his wife when they arrived at their home destination and explain his taking a later flight. Then he returned to the terminal where the apples were all over the terminal floor.

He was glad he did. The 16-year-old girl was totally blind! She was softly crying, tears running down her cheeks in frustration, and at the same time helplessly groping for her spilled produce as the crowd swirled about her; no one stopping and no one to care for her plight.

The salesman knelt on the floor with her, gathered up the apples, put them back on the table and helped organize her display. As he did this, he noticed that many of them had become battered and bruised; these he set aside in another basket.

When he had finished, he pulled out his wallet and said to the girl, "Here, please take this $40 for the damage we did. Are you okay?"She nodded through her tears. He continued on with, "I hope we didn’t spoil your day too badly."

As the salesman started to walk away, the bewildered blind girl called out to him, "Mister…." He paused and turned to look back into those blind eyes. She continued, "Are you Jesus?"

He stopped in mid-stride …. and he wondered. He gently went back and said, "No, I am nothing like Jesus – He is good, kind, caring, loving, and would never have bumped into your display in the first place.

"The girl gently nodded: "I only asked because I prayed for Jesus to help me gather the apples. He sent you to help me, so you are like Him – only He knows who will do His will. Thank you for hearing His call, Mister."

Then slowly he made his way to catch the later flight with that question burning and bouncing about in his soul: "Are you Jesus?"

Do people mistake you for Jesus?

That’s our destiny, is it not? To be so much like Jesus that people cannot tell the difference as we live and interact with a world that is blind to His love, life and grace.

If we claim to know Him, we should live, walk and act as He would. Knowing Him is more than simply quoting Scripture and going to church. It’s actually living the Word as life unfolds day to day .

You are the apple of His eye even though you, too, have been bruised by a fall. He stopped what He was doing and picked up you and me on a hill called Calvary and paid in full for our damaged fruit.

Please share this, (IF you feel led to do so).

Sometimes we just take things for granted, when we really need to be sharing what we know….Thanks.

"Being happy doesn’t mean everything is perfect.
It means you’ve decided to see beyond the imperfections."

The nicest place to be is in someone’s thoughts,
the safest place to be is in someone’s prayers,
and the very best place to be is…in the hands of God

  HAPPY EASTER:  HE IS RISEN!!!

As the entire Christian World rejoices in our Lord’s Resurrection and our salvation, we pray for Christ’s Divine Mercy for us and for the whole world.  May God bless us all with his Divine love and infinite mercy!

Last Sunday we celebrated Palm Sunday-the day that Jesus entered Jerusalem in triumph and the beginning of His Passion and Death. As we approach Easter, I wish you all that this week will bring you the graces to enter into our  salvation story with a searching hearts, time for reflection, and gratitude to our Savior, Jesus Christ. There are many opportunities to worship during this week and on Easter Sunday—the most important Christian day of the liturgical year.

 

I love this father’s message to his future son-in-law just before the ceremony. It’s humorous, but the message is clear. Please watch it. 

All parents of daughters can relate and all future sons-in-law take heed!!! use control and click to follow link.

http://www.godvine.com/Father-of-the-Bride-Gives-the-Most-Touching-Speech-Ever-2831.html?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2-13-2013

MORE ON A JOURNEY IN GRIEF:

LOSING A BELOVED DOG OR OTHER BELOVED PET

First a personal photo memoir followed by the listing and a partial description of a few books to help one through the grief process.  It is never easy to lose a beloved;  I still see all the faces of mine and know they are waiting for me with all my beloved family and friends who have gone before me.

My Wendy—My Heart

A Few of Our Beloveds Never to Be Forgotten

Waiting at the Rainbow Bridge

My Al with His Favorites from Our  First Bonnie in the Hotel Bed in England in 1989 to His Last Favorite Pistol in Bed Before My Beloved Al Passed

We all endure the pain of loss and grief whether the loss be of family, friends or beloved pets, in this case, dogs. Our beloved Dogs.  I still mourn my childhood pets: dogs, horses, cats, and a couple of wonderful ducks; most of all I mourn my dogs.  When people to me wanting another dog, but not knowing if they can go through the pain of loss again, I always tell them:  “One must endure the pain of losing beloved dogs in order to have the joy of having them.”  It is never easy.  The loss of my Wendy last summer was certainly not as difficult as losing my Al two summers ago, but it hurt as she was my constant companion for almost fifteen years as I expressed in a previous blog post. 

I would like to devote some time to exploring some of the books on grief that have been written about the total sadness overcoming and sometimes consuming one  at the loss of a pet.

I was asked to judge the Dog Writers Of America’s annual book review last year.  My first choice and the book that won first place for the best human/animal bond book was the following:

a 30 day guide to healing from the loss of your pet by Gael J. Ross, LCSW, is a powerful journal on the loss of a beloved.  I found this book even helpful when I lost Al.  Journaling is always a way to deal with grief and other emotions as a part of the healing process.  Using a guide to journal entries, memories, photos and more, this book chronicles the life and loss of a beloved dog.  I usually have a few copies on hand to give to those who come to me after losing a dog.  Amazon carries this book and it is well worth the purchase and the journey.

The books featured in this post on grief are all available on Amazon and are all helpful in dealing with the heartache of loss. 

By the way, grief does go both ways.

For those of you going into nursing homes with therapy dogs, especially all the Rattlebridge Cavaliers working in therapy, I salute you.  I wish I had your energy.  I may not be able to organize my schedule in my ADD way to make it to nursing homes, but I can take in a couple of senior citizen dogs to help.  The number of abandoned and neglected animals has grown with our poor economy.  Please join me in doing something for them as well as our own homeless people. 

I have a huge house for one person and have wanted to give a home to a homeless family even when Al was alive.  He wisely said no; last year I did try it on my own and it just did not work out. Long and sad story.  However, there are other ways to help: donating food, toys, clothes, or money in the Christmas season, working at soup kitchens, and finding other ways to help.  Prayer never hurts either.

As this blog continues to feature grief about losing one’s beloved pet, I came across this heartbreaking and heartwarming "The New Rainbow Bridge."

Across "The New Rainbow Bridge"

Unlike most days at Rainbow Bridge, this day dawned cold and gray, damp as a swamp and as dismal as could be imagined. All of the recent arrivals had no a what to think, as they had never experienced a day like this before. But the animals who had been waiting for their beloved people knew exactly what was going on and started to gather at the pathway leading to The Bridge to watch.

It wasn’t long before an elderly animal came into view, head hung low and tail dragging. The other animals, the ones who had been there for a while, knew what his story was right away, for they had seen this happen far too often.

He approached slowly, obviously in great emotional pain, but with no sign of injury or illness. Unlike all of the other animals waiting at The Bridge, this animal had not been restored to youth and made healthy and vigorous again. As he walked toward The Bridge, he watched all of the other animals watching him. He knew he was out of place here and the sooner he could cross over, the happier he would be.

But, alas, as he approached The Bridge, his way was barred by the appearance of an Angel who apologized, but told him that he would not be able to pass. Only those animals who were with their people could pass over Rainbow Bridge.

With no place else to turn to, the elderly animal turned towards the fields before The Bridge and saw a group of other animals like himself, also rly and infirm. They weren’t playing, but rather simply lying on the green grass, forlornly staring out at the pathway leading to The Bridge. And so, he took his place among them, watching the pathway and waiting.

One of the newest arrivals at The Bridge didn’t understand what he had just witnessed and asked one of the animals that had been there for a while to explain it to him.

You see, that poor animal was a rescue. He was turned in to rescue just as you see him now, an older animal with his fur graying and his eyes clouding. He never made it out of rescue and passed on with only the love of his rescuer to comfort him as he left his earthly existence. Because he had no family to give his love to, he has no one to escort him across The Bridge.

The first animal thought about this for a minute and then asked, "So what will happen now?" As he was about to receive his answer, the clouds suddenly parted and the gloom lifted. Approaching The Bridge could be seen a single person and among the older animals, a whole group was suddenly bathed in a golden glow and they were all young and healthy again, just as they were in he prime of life.

"Watch, and see" said the second animal. A second group of animals from hose waiting came to the pathway and bowed low as the person neared. At each bowed head, the person offered a pat on the head or a scratch behind the ears. The newly restored animals fell into line and followed him towards The Bridge. They all crossed The Bridge together.

"What happened?"

"That was a rescuer." The animals you saw bowing in respect were those who found new homes because of his work. They will cross when their new families arrive. Those you saw restored were those who never found homes. When a rescuer arrives, they are allowed to perform one, final act of rescue. They are allowed to escort those poor animals that they couldn’t place on earth, across The Rainbow Bridge.

"I think I like rescuers," said the first animal.

"So does God," was the reply.

Author unknown but I wish I had written it.

---

My prayer group has been talking about service; sadly, I do not feel I am serving God nor man right now in my selfishness of keeping my own life going.  In the new year, that is going to change.  I think I might serve best, by adopting an old rescue dog or two to ensure their quality of life at the end.  I know that God loves all his creatures and that He will take care of us in eternity, but easing the way for a few of them would be wonderful for them who have no families so that they would have a family for whom to wait at the Rainbow Bridge..  I took my Snoop in when he was very young until I could place him. Well . . . he is still here twelve years later: tearing up paper, stealing food from the counters including the Thanksgiving turkey a few years ago (not cooked so I washed it off, smoothed his teeth marks, and cooked the damned thing), and practicing his other endearing habits. I keep threatening that he will go to the Rainbow Bridge a little sooner than he might expect, but then he just gives me that look and a kiss and I am a goner as usual. 

If you want to read an outstanding book about how a dying rescued dog changes the life of a family and especially their mother as he finds new life and purpose, please read:

I Am Listening With A Broken Ear by Vicky S Kaseorg  I read this book on the way to china; did not sleep, just read it on my trusty Kindle which then in my typical fashion I left on the plane. (Oh, well I have my eBooks on my tablet and iPhone I am happy to say in preparation for my ADD losses—left my good glasses on the plane also).   It is a wonderful spiritual story of redemption both for the protagonist and her rescued dog.  I won’t say more, just Google Amazon and get it for it is very timely in light of the anniversary of our own Redeemer’s humble birth.