Lucky and His Mary

A dear friend sent this to me in an e-mail.

Lucky Dog....Anyone who has pets will really like this. You'll like it even if you don't and you may even decide you need one!
Mary and her husband Jim had a dog named 'Lucky.' Lucky was a real character. Whenever Mary and Jim had company come for a weekend visit they would warn their friends to not leave their luggage open because Lucky would help himself to whatever struck his fancy. Inevitably, someone would forget and something would come up missing.Mary or Jim would go to Lucky's toy box in the basement and there the treasure would be, amid all of Lucky's other favorite toys Lucky always stashed his finds in his toy box and he was very particular that his toys stay in the box.
It happened that Mary found out she had breast cancer. Something told her she was going to die of this disease....in fact; she was just sure it was fatal. She scheduled the double mastectomy, fear riding her shoulders. The night before she was to go to the hospital she cuddled with Lucky. A thought struck her...what would happen to Lucky? Although the three-year-old dog liked Jim, he was Mary's dog through and through. If I die, Lucky will be abandoned, Mary thought. He won't understand that I didn't want to leave him! The thought made her sadder than thinking of her own death. The double mastectomy was harder on Mary than her doctors had anticipated and Mary was hospitalized for over two weeks. Jim took Lucky for his evening walk faithfully, but the little dog just drooped, whining and miserable.
Finally the day came for Mary to leave the hospital. When she arrived home, Mary was so exhausted she couldn't even make it up the steps to her bedroom. Jim made his wife comfortable on the couch and left her to nap. Lucky stood watching Mary but he didn't come to her when she called. It made Mary sad but sleep soon overcame her and she dozed.When Mary woke for a second she couldn't understand what was wrong. She couldn't move her head and her body felt heavy and hot. But panic soon gave way to laughter when Mary realized the problem. She was covered, literally blanketed, with every treasure Lucky owned! While she had slept, the sorrowing dog had made trip after trip to the basement bringing his beloved mistress all his favorite things in life.He had covered her with his love.
Mary forgot about dying. Instead she and Lucky began living again, walking further and further together every day. It's been 12 years now and Mary is still cancer-free. Lucky still steals treasures and stashes them in his toy box but Mary remains his greatest treasure.
Remember....live every day to the fullest. Each minute is a blessing from God. And never forget....the people who make a difference in our lives are not the ones with the most Credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They are the ones that care for us. If you see someone without a smile today give them one of yours! Live simply. Love seriously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the rest to God.
A small request......Please pray.....Dear God, I pray for the cure of cancer. Amen

Prayer Friday James 1:22

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. James 1:22

Loving Creator, Living Christ, Strengthening Holy Spirit, please hear our prayer.
You have so blessed us with all that surrounds us, earth and heavens, family and friends, time and eternity. Thank you for the lives you have given us to see and enjoy all of your wonder.
Holy Spirit, guide me this day to live the Word. To look for and live in the kingdom. Help me take each minute as the time and place you want me to be. To look for you and your purpose in each situation. Help me to live as you plan for me to live, for you and your purpose. Amen

Prayer Friday Psalm 65:9-13

You care for the land and water it; you enrich it abundantly. The streams of God are filled with water to provide the people with grain, for so you have ordained it.
You drench its furrows and level its ridges; you soften it with showers and bless its crops.
You crown the year with your bounty, and your carts overflow with abundance.
The grasslands of the desert overflow; the hills are clothed with gladness.
The meadows are cover with flocks and the valleys are mantled with grain; they shout for joy and sing. Psalm 65:9-13


Blessed Creator, Living Christ, Guiding Holy Spirit,
Hear my prayer.
Thank you for this week's rain. In the natural world, this Psalm fits like a glove. You have soften the soil, watered the pecan trees, wetted down the crops, filled the arroyos and river, greened the desert plants. My skin, nose, ears, eyes have felt the touch, smelled the moisture, heard the sounds and seen the wonder. Thank you.
Take me deeper into this Psalm to use it to water my soul and spirit. To soften me, level me. cover me, drench and crown me.
You flow in my life, I need your nourishing love. Thank you.
Amen

Prayer Friday Psalm 66:1

Shout with joy to God, all the earth! Psalm 66:1

Glorious Creator, Living Christ, Holy Spirit and Wisdom, Hear my joy!
We are so blessed with the beauty around us; the hills, mountains, the green and brown, water and desert, sky and sun, moon, stars. How can we not but shout with joy.
Please forgive us when we overlook or forget to thank You for these gifts.
This week I pray we may be bold enough, care enough, to witness to others the glory of your gifts. My we tell everyone you send us that we love You and know You are our God.
May we reflect Your love and care through our actions and words. Give us the words, Holy Spirit. Let us do no harm this week.
AMEN

Prayer Friday Psalm 68

Blessed be the Lord, Who bears our burdens and carries us day by day, even the God who is our salvation! Selah Psalm 68:19

Wonderful Creator, Living Christ, Dependable Holy Spirit,
Thank You for this beautiful day You have awaken us to take part in. We look forward to the challenges and people You have put in our path.
You have so blessed all of us and we regret that we do not always recognize nor acknowledge that. We know in our heart of hearts You love us, we know You bear our burdens, we know that You carry us on you wings. Let the message of our heart reach our lives and touch the lives of others.
You are our salvation, because You created us, love us and we belong only to You.
Amen

Away

So sorry I have been absent for a while. We had one of those family situations that had to be taken care of!! It was a good resolution that brought to a close three years of prayer. All is well and I will be back next weekend to blog to my hearts content.
God bless all with mercy and grace.

Prayer Friday: Mark 12:31

You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Mark 12:31

Loving Creator, Living Christ, Holy Spirit...
Thank you for all of the blessings you surround us with at every second of the day. As your sun rises and sets let us thank you for our day.
We are guided to love our neighbor as ourselves. Lord, sometimes it is hard to love or understand ourselves, let alone those around us. We fall so short of this commandment. But we know You can help us do anything You ask us to do...so we ask for your support and help in loving. Let us find the place in our souls You have filled with love and shower it on ourselves and all those we come in contact with today.
May goodness and mercy follow us all the days of our lives...second by second may we be grateful and know it is Your Goodness and Mercy.
AMEN

Prayer Friday: Psalm 69

Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck. Psalm 69:1

Loving Creator...Living Christ...Holy Spirit
Thank you that we have awakened again to this beautiful world. Thank you for this thoughtful creation of which You made us a part. Every small piece of it is beautiful and crafted with love.

Lord, there are so many people right now that feel as if they "have come into the high waters". Health, economics, marriage problems, so many worries. You told us not to worry, to reach out our hands to You, to lean on You, to trust in You. We seem to have so much trouble doing that. Maybe for a short while we do, then we forget and let the waters get to us.

Please help us to help ourselves look to You. See You before we see our troubles. Help us out of the goodness of Your love to stay close to You.

AMEN

Peace Train Starts Here

Whoever would love life and see good days.........must seek peace and pursue it. 1Peter 3:10-11

The peace train starts here with me. Whatever it is that is bothering me in the moment, I must make peace with it. Whether it is my weight, age, the economy, family, health, church, weather, barking dogs, bad golf shots, friends, work...whatever, I must seek peace, I must pursue it.

I think I am getting better at pursuing peace. Maybe it is age, maybe some things are not as important as they used to be, don't know. But I seem to be better able to put things into perspective these days. Prayer sure helps. Praying and finding my deep down, way in me peaceful and calm soul, then trying to let it become a part of my living in the moment. The train goes whether I want it to or not, it travels forward through this moment, I want to ride it in peace.

Wayfarerjon Says It All

Wayfarerjon said it all. Please see his blog @ www.walking-with-father.blogspot.com. I could write nothing as important as what he said yesterday. His blog is an inspiration to me.

Prayer Friday

For all that are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. Romans 8:14

Loving Creator, Living Christ, Moving Holy Spirit
Lord that about says it all. Loving, Living, Moving...
Thank you for the opportunities You give me to know my true self and the true self of those around me. Please, forgive me for the times I get so into the world that I forget this.
May I live in Your peace and love today. May I remember that I am here to spread that peace and love with all that You put in my path. AMEN

Consuming Prayer

May you be blessed by the Lord, Maker of heaven and earth. Psalms 115:15

Am I still praying as if I think my Maker holds back anything from me??
I am working on this right now. So if I have been or am quiet on this blog, that is why. I am changing my prayer direction, and seem to be consumed by it.

Prayer Friday Psalms 1

Happy is the man who has not followed the counsel of the wicked, or taken the path of the sinners, or joined the company of the insolent; rather, the teaching of the LORD is his delight, and he studies that teaching day and night. He is like a tree planted beside streams of water, which yields its fruit in season, whose foliage never fades, and what ever it produces thrives.
Not so the wicked; rather, they are like chaff that wind blows away. Therefore the wicked will not survive judgement, nor will sinners, in the assembly of the righteous. For the LORD cherishes the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked is doomed. Psalm 1

Loving Creator, Living Christ, wise Holy Spirit, Thank You for my being.
I am what You willed, may I learn to walk in that will.
May I study Your teachings, which I find all around me, all day.
May I be mindful of Your Presence all day.
I do not want to be chaff in the wind, I desire to be a producing being. A love producing being that brings Your peace and calm to my family, friends and the world.
Thank You for all You have given me, all You have taken away, and all I am left with.
AMEN

Prayer Friday 1 Corinthians 1:9

God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful. 1 Corinthians 1:9

Lord, thank you for the many blessings you have given us in this life. We overlook so many, and refuse to see many, and forget to thank you for many.
Please help us to remember that Christmas is a walk toward fellowship with the Living Christ. Lead us deeper into that fellowship, closer to living our lives in your will.
We know, Lord, that you are faithful. You are always here with us. Help us, this Advent, to truly find you in our hearts, minds and spirits. Guide us to your peace and joy, and help us spread it into our homes and families.
In our Living Christ, AMEN.

Advent Listening

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you saying, "This is the way; walk in it." Isaiah 30:21

Am I listening this Advent? I have been praying, because I have friends that are hurting, some that are scared, one that is lost. I have been entertaining and making our home a welcome to friends. I have been shopping and wrapping gifts for those I love. I have worked, rested, exercised, golfed, cried, laughed, slept, shopped, read, knitted...

I am "looking" forward to Christmas. I am thinking about the birthing in me of a closer walk with the Living Christ...but...how much time am I spending listening?

Prayer Friday Psalm 108:4

For great is your love, higher than the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Psalm 108:4



Mighty Creator, Living Christ, Searching Holy Spirit, We are so blessed.

Lord, you provide us with amazing blessings all around us, yet we are so dense as to not recognize them. You give us all, starting with life, and we don't look.

Please open our bodies, our minds, our spirits, so we can perceive your glory and care.

Lord please protect all who travel this busy week.

We love you, our Living Christ. Holy Spirit, lead our actions to fit that love.

Lord, yours is the earth and heavens, help us be faithful to you and yours.

Amen

Prayer Friday

At that time Jesus said, "I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth." Matthew 11:25

Loving Creator, Living Christ, Wonderful Holy Spirit, please hear our prayer.
We are blessed with such a beautiful day to which we wake up. Thank You for all the opportunities You will put before us. We are surrounded with Your love every second of this day.
Lord, thank You for all of the workers in the health field. We know that it is with Your wisdom that they are trained and the skill they have comes from You. You are not only the healing, but the healer. Thank You for the discovered knowledge that guide these people, and for the wisdom yet to be discovered. We are truly blessed by these workers.
Please be with all that are going though medical test today and those that are being treated.
We are aware all day that You give us our breath, don't let us waste it. In the name of the Living Christ, AMEN.

Pray With Me Friday: Psalm 9:10

Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you. Psalm 9:10

Most loving Creator, Living Christ, Great Counselor hear our prayer.
You have surely blessed us with a beautiful day. Whether we have crisp, cold air, rain, snow, clouds or sunny skies we know You are there. We are blessed with the breath we take in, the sights of our eyes and the beat of our heart. Thank You for life. Thank You for a friend or many friends, for we know you have put them in our lives.
Lord, in those times we forget You or think we cannot feel Your presence, help us to remember this Psalm. You never forsake us. You are here with us now and will be with us forever.
Lord, let us be a light to this world, that those You bring to us see You shining in our lives and faces. Put in our mouths the answers to their questions about You. Let us turn no one away from You, because of our actions. We who know your love want all to know it.
In the name of our Living Christ, AMEN.

His Patients

The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you. 2Peter 3:9

I am slowly getting back into shape after a while off from golf because of my ankle. Slowly getting back into shape after two many meals consumed on the trip to New York. Slowly getting the house back into shape after too many days away. I control the "slowly" in these sentences. I can speed all of them up by my actions or throw myself a curve and slow them down. I have done both.
How impatient do you get when you turn a problem over to God and it is not resolved quickly enough for your satisfaction? Do you stew, worry, whine, pout? Are you going thorough one of those waiting periods right now? Are you waiting for a healing in your body, mind, spirit; deep down in your soul?
"The Lord is not slow". Wait, pray, wait, pray. Your Creator loves you and will take care of you with love and grace in God's will. Don't count your impatiences as God's slowness.
Step out in faith that you are loved and God is and will be with you in every step.

Prayer Friday

Who is this coming up from the desert leaning on her lover? Song of Songs 8:5

Loving Creator, Living Christ, Help of the Holy Spirit...
I am so blessed. Glory be for the beautiful creation you have set around us. Thank you for all the beautiful souls you have placed in my life.
May I please always recognize love and return it with care and tenderness in the Spirit. Where I fail to see love may I bring it to the situation, asking not why, but what would you have me do?
Please bless all who come to this page with open eyes, ears and hearts.
In the name of our Living Christ, through the Holy Spirit...AMEN