I am the Vine you are the Branches....

This is one of my favorite verses. A frined of mine told me her minister said the problem these days is "we want to be the vine" we want control - we think we know what is best... I know that is true for me - I don't want to be a branch - a branch has to sit back and wait for growth - I don't have time for that... wow listen to that - Why can't I just say - ok you are the vine you know best but no not me.. I hurry up and take over - thinking I can handle things... then I hear that still small voice telling me .... Peace be Still... I know what is best - I have it in my Hands.. I love when I hear that still voice...

Good evening :)

Asking for God's Blanket of Protection

Hello - I have not posted since May 2008 - our world has been on somewhat of a rocky storm not sure where and when things would at least come to a point of some type of peace. February of 2008 our son - an adult was arrested. He has two beautiful little children who we love and see often. It has taken 13 months and he has been sentenced to two years of jail. I have many feelings - one being absolute comfort that God is holding me every moment of every day. I continue to pray for "a blanket of protection to surrond him" - I/we are taking life "one day at a time".

I read many blogs daily and have received comfort and knowledge from them. I feel I am ready to begin blogging again thru prayer. If you want please reply - if you have gone thru a simular situation in life - please reply.

In God's Grace, Mary

Green Lush Trees.....

Good Morning, I sat down to pray and look out the window (the birds are calling me) and see what a beautiful earth we have - how blessed are we? The trees are heavy with rain from the night and the flowers look like they are growing before my eyes...

I feed the birds each morning and it still amazes me when I go out they fly over and just sit waiting for me....they know they will be taken care of ...they trust me - why then do I not trust HIM as I should? HE will take care of things if I let HIM = why do I think I need to fix things? The birds are teaching me....HE knew they would..... have a blessed day....

Beautiful Morning

Good Morning -it is just a beautiful spring morning here in Western Pa.
It has been awhile since my last post. I have to say I read many blogs daily...
beautiful days...This I Do...many and I have learned so much and grown so much in my spiritual journey. I just do not feel like I have much to say compared to others - such beautiful verses and thoughts and bible knowledge....people have commented to my blog say Hello and I so appreciate it~

I know the more I blog the more I will have to say so with that said - I am back.

Enjoy this beautiful day the Good Lord has graced us with and have a blessed Memorial Week-end....Mary

Hello

Good Morning to all - I have had some password problems along with being very busy so I have not posted for a few weeks. Thanks to all who "comment" I love to know someone out there is taking a look at my blog.
Well, we are having a beautiful couple days of weather in Western Pa. I love to hear the birds in the morning as I sit reading and saying my prayers in the morning. I try to get up as early as possible so I have time for coffee, oatmeal and Bible reading.
Pleae keep us in your prayers my Husband and I are having some very emotional times with our (adult) son and his children. We are helping to raise the children and I just pray all the time we are doing what is best for them and that my son can find some peace in his life.

Thanks - have a blessed week-end...M

6 Word MeMe

I saw this on Mayden's Voyage and thought I would give it a try... not sure how to post pictures yet - my daughter will help me later...



Peace filled heart, breath of spring...

Hail Mary Full of Grace ~

Hail Mary full of grace blessed are you amont women and blessed the fruit of thy womb Jesus.......

I have prayed to the blessed Mother all of my life - daily, hourly since becoming a mother and now grandmother...I hold her in great esteem and connect her with such beauty.

Holy Mary Mother of God pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death AMEN~


Have a beautiful week-end...M

Guidance....

Praying for guidance over and over....how do you know what to do - I pray for the situtation with my two oldest grandchildren - there is such upheaval in their lives - Mom is sick with drug problems - Dad (my son) not responsible... their other Grandmother has custody and we help - I just pray over and over - show us the way - what can we do to help these children and keep them on the straight and narrow...

It is hard thinking of raising children again once you have your's raised - but we will do what we feel the good Lord is telling us...please pray for my husband and I to have direction. I feel God right there right next to me saying "I will never leave you"..

Spring has Sprung.....

It is still cold - still wearing the winter coat BUT - there is hope~

There are beautiful purple and yellow flowers poppin out in my front yard - is that a wonderful sight?
OH MY yes it it - it never ceases to amaze me how after the freezing ice and snow of winter when everything is gray....out pops those beautiful green leaves purple petals and how it can give you such hope..God is good -

Some other beautiful thoughts on changing the seasons....
fat robins
the smell of rain
opening the windows and seeing the curtains move in the breeze
blue skies with big white clouds
putting that winter coat and all that goes with it away until next year
watching the dog find that sunny spot to just lie down and enjoy
walking to the library
cleaning and actually enjoying it....
spring clothes
watching my grandchild run in the park
taking long walks and of course the Tastee Freeze...

Not long now and life will turn into the next long awaited season - Spring - I love the change in seasons. I will enjoy the spring, the summer - love the fall and even look forward to next winter - we are blessed...enjoy -

Happy 1st Birthday to both Grandbabies!!

We were blessed beyond messure last March with two beautiful baby girls...my daughters had daughters...

Maria - March 6, 2007 & Anna - March 29, 2007 - God is so wonderful - both babies are healthy and celebrating their first birthday party together on Sunday!

Anna's daddy is overseas - please keep him in your prayers - my daughter and Anna are staying with my husband and I for the time being - wonderful for us - however we keep Chris in our prayers and pray for his safe return soon.

Hope everyone had a blessed Easter - ours was beautiful - Praise God....Mary

Blessed Easter.....

I read Matthew 27:51-56 this morning and was just in awe of what that "seen" must have been like - I try to go there and feel what it must have been like when "the veil of the temple was torn in two" - "rocks were split" - "graves opened"~

I will try to remain - the next few days with that seen in my mind and pray to in someway - be thankful for what HE has done for us - not sure how to even comprehend the type of LOVE HE shown us. I do know HIS love is so great and all HE wants is for me/us "minute by minute" to reconize that Love and to have Faith thoughout our journey and know that He is with us always.....

I wish you all a very Blessed Easter - Mary

St. Paddy's Day ......

Hello, so it is St. Patrick's Week-end and when I was growing up that was a day like no other...good memories. We still - my brothers and their families and my family still hold it close to our hearts. May niece got married today. It was a small wedding but very pretty. We all talked about the old days when my Mom and Dad were with us....they are missed but so amazing how the "circle of life" develops - we have children they have children - blessings all around us.....

Have a blessed Palm Sunday and a quiet prayerful Holy Week..

God's peace....Mary

The Days of Lent...

Seems like yesterday was Ash Wednesday...where has the time gone and have I done what needs done? Sure I gave up Peanut Butter for Lent and that may make you smile but that my friends is very hard for me - so I think....Mary get a grip....

I read about the crucifixion Mark 15:22 "they brought Jesus to a place called Golgotha (which means The Place of the Skull) that alone makes me cold with fear -can you image our Lord? Luke 22:42-44 "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done"! He knew what was ahead of Him - an angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened Him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground."

We read in Mark 15:34 and at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani" - which means, "My God, my God why have you forsaken me? That was nine hours...can you image and we complain when we are tired, overworked, unappreciated. When we feel abandoned - when we feel frustrated - when we feel scared...go to the cross... I am just in awe that Jesus Christ would have gone to the cross for just me...

God's peace to all.....

Happy Birthday Annie...

Today was my mom's birthday and she never told the truth about her age... :)
She would have been 90!

I began this blog in her honor -she was a wonderful, beautiful, Irish lady...

Thanks Mom you were the best...

Rested from Retreat...

What a beautiful week-end I was blessed with. Quiet, peaceful and prayerful...
wonderful workshops beautiful music...

We had a snow storm on Friday afternoon - thanks to my hubby he was able to get me there safe and on time... I sat in the chapel and watched the snow cover the trees in the courtyard. The title of the retreat was "You alone are my God". HE is our personal God each of us - hard to understand that type of Love - but thru the grace of God we can feel it in our hearts...

Father Patrick spoke about "prayer" and how important it is to pray for others - how lives can change thru prayers. However we must remember it is in HIS time. Father said as parents and grandparents we may not even see the answer to prays for our family members on earth but we will witness it from above...

Another workshop was about the importance of "quiet time for prayer" how we need to still the busyness of our lives and become quiet. When our thoughts wander as they will i.e. what will I make for dinner? - what needs washed? - what needs done at work?....he said to pray for God to help you set those thoughts aside and consentrate on the here and now. Another great workshop was about forgiveness...she recommends a book by Lewis Smedes - Forgive & Forget -also - Forgiving the Unforgiveable by David Stoop.

I feel blessed and rested. What a wonderful time to go also during Lent...
Hope all are well..M

Here I am Lord..

Here I am Lord I have come to do your Will... Is there a more beautiful song?
Doing what we feel God wants us to do - trying to figure out God's will for our lives...seems so difficult sometimes - yet when I become very still and listen - really listen - I feel over-flowing peace in my heart.

Lately I have looked back and realized what I thought at the time would have been the very best outcome for a situation would have been just completely wrong...for everyone involved.

I continue to read the Word of God daily and sometimes it just speaks to me heart~
Other times I try my best to figure out what I am being told~ :)

I am off to my retreat this week-end - I know I am so blessed - an entire week-end to devote to the bible - and prayer - Thanks for all the encouraging comments - it means alot to me... God bless..M

This Side of Heaven~~

"Some things you may never understand this side of heaven, if you are always trying to figure it out, it will only bring frustration and confusion. Learn to trust God, and know that as long as you're doing your best, as long as your're keeping your heart pure before God, you are exactly where you're supposed to be. (Joel Osteen) (Become a Better You".)

I enjoyed both of Joel Osteen's books and I really like the quote about not understanding things "this side of heaven". I think we all at some time or another during our lives try to make sense of things that will never make sense.... I am thankful that on the journey I have been on lately I have really stopped trying to figure it out. I have accepted that it is ok to not understand. If I try to understand why God would allow things to happen that would be me thinking God is on our level - HELLO - not so...I feel peace in my heart and I praise God for helping me find peace in a confusing world.

God bless..

Praise God from whom all Blessings flow....

This is what came to my heart - love that song just started singing it in my head :)

Blessings....
My Bible and being able to really understand what I am reading...
My Journal and looking back thru and writing what is on my heart...
Rosie the cutest dog in the world who just loves you no matter what...
Snow, Snow, Snow - very pretty and peaceful...

I have found a week-end treat for next week-end - talk about the good Lord working.
I will have a week-end with my Bible, prayers and the most beautiful chapel you have ever seen. God is working in my life like I have never felt before - God's blessings to all - enjoy your week-end...

Guidance part 2...

So I am not one to ever say "God give me a sign" - but wow talk about a brick wall.
I have been reading the Word of God and I keep coming across scripture relating to
"LOVE" - and forgiveness. This is where I really get hung up - I know I will always love my son and I do forgive him because he needs my prayers. So this morning I am walking across the street and a car stopped to ask directions - he put his window down and he was an older man - gray hair - and asked for the directions and then he put his hand up to point to where I was telling him and he had a tatoo across his
fingers with - are you ready - L O V E on them....he was like 70 years old....
I said - ok Lord I know you are with me and will give me the strenght I need to face each day... Have a good day ....

Guidance

After reading many blogs it seems that people write what is on their heart so here goes..I (we) as a family have had many long years (15) to be exact of praying for, begging God, having others pray for our son (and brother) who is now 30 years old - so as you can see a long time................ He has been in rebellion - is that what you still call it at 30 years old? not sure.. I just know it makes your heart heavy. I have just read (along with many other books) Joel Olseen's books - On TV he is a little too happy for me however his books are amazing - at least I believe the good Lord lead me to read them. Like I said I am fairly new to really reading the Word on a daily basis. I have come along way and the Lord has been right there all the time however I have- just within the last few months have really stopped to listen to God and understand the Word. This is the first time I have ever felt this peaceful in my life. I pray and place myself in the Lord's hands daily - hourly. I do know HE is in control - HE knows what will happen and all the years of me "wanting to know what will happen" "needing to know before I can believe" have come to an end. I am done trying to figure it out - I do not even want to anymore.

I realized I must put MY GOD first in my life and I have been putting my son first. I was sure I could fix him - I could help him and I have for a very long time thought that would happen - I would be happy, my family would be complete if he would get his life together. I read when we feel we have any kind of power to change things -that is like us "tying the hands of God" - to put anyone or anything first ahead of God - WOW did that hit me. I first love and praise God for my life and all I have been blessed with~ wonderful husband, beautiful wonderful daughters, lovely grandchildren. I have fought it- how do you not put your children first - I would pray OK God - I will give you everything and do what you want but please do not let anything happen to my family - what is up with that? - I was negotiating with God!

Bottom line now as a 30 year old he has gotten into serious trouble and he has two beautiful children that we adore - so please keep us in your prayers and please pray for me to continue to listen to the Holy Spirit for guidance. blessings...