| Quote for the Day: "Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up." - Bible: Ecclesiastes |
Prayer for 17th Dayof Our Lenten JourneyWhat would it be liketo walk with you, Jesus along a quiet path?I wonder what we wouldtalk about?I wonder what it wouldbe like?You who live and reignwith the Holy Spirit,one God,for ever and ever.Amen.
Well I have to tell you I have decided to try something a little bit different with the JoyNotes. Because I so often have a difficult time thinking of what to talk about and end up talking about the same old things over and over... like how long is it till its time for bed and interesting topics like that - I read about a lady who writes every day but she has a different topic for each day. Well, I'm not going to do every day that way... but I thought I would do Miracles on Monday and Friendship on Friday.
I will try and share a story of friendship from my little collection but also ask you to please send your stories of friendship on the Blog as well.
This way we will have at least two cheerful selections of things to read - Miracles and Friendship... a great way to start and end the week!
My story today is about attending the second class of the Radio Publicity course. It was so much fun and people were open and responsive to each other so that it was very encouraging. Considering we are coming from all different spectrums of faith and practice and life styles it was interesting to see how everyone was sensitive and caring for each one's growth...whether is was a nun or a new age person or a man from the Royal Mounted police.
Friendship I think grows whenever we give it just the least bit of encouragement. Good, solid friendships take a long time to mature and develop but God is good to give us friends that help us sometimes just for a short time in our lives.
When I was in the Navy I was in sort of a not so good time in that I was being sent from Germany to the United States for a bit of drug rehabilitation. It wasn't one of those personal choice things don't you know - when the Navy decides you need a little "help" its not offered as a suggestion. Anyway, so I was assigned to a few days in a hospital ward until my special ride arrived to take me to the airport. While there one morning a group of christian ladies came to visit me. They were so nice I don't quite remember much what they said but what I do remember is that one taught me a very special way to fold my underwear!
Sounds silly but it was such a neat little way of folding them together and tucking them in so that they made a cute little package. I still use that method today sometimes and the sisters are very impressed with how neat my underwear can be. Which is very funny because the Navy has its own little rules and regulations of how to FOLD everything you wear but they didn't have this neat package way like this one lady showed me.And you know, I love that lady for showing me something nice like that.. not talking about religion or this or that but just being warm and friendly.
That is how Christ works in friendship I think. Maybe its something that only happens for the briefest of moments but it creates a warm spot in our hearts for a lifetime.
Please share a "friendship" story that you have!
Blessings of Peace and All Good,Sister Patricia and all the Sisters
8 comments:
It was so interesting to read this story because there is a wonderful lesson there, even beyond friendship - I think it is that we often look for God to come to us almost like the burning bush or some special interior light - and we miss the 1,000 ways He comes to us every day showing that His Love extends even to the littlest "unimportant" things like the thoughtfulness of someone showing us how to fold underwear - the important thing being not so much the underwear but the love that was behind the special consideration.
I have a wonderful friend.
The other week I was so stressed, I'd had a terrible day involving an uncooperative car and uncooperative horses!
My friend collected some clean clothes from my husband at home, picked me up from work, sat me down with a foot spa and a cup of tea, ran me a hot bubble bath with incense and candles burning, before teling me that dinner would be ready in 1 hour and to soak away! O.O!
No-one had ever done anything like that for me before and it turned a stressful day into something really quite special that I will never forget ^-^!
GREAT AND GRAND IDEA FOR...ANY DAY OF THE WEEK AS., IN LIFE WE ARE MOST LUCKY TO HAVE ACQUIRED..AT LEAST ! 3 SPECIAL LIFE LONG FRIENDS..THOSE WHO..MAYBE! YOU DON'T TALK TO ON THE PHONE FOR 1 OR 2 MOS. AND WHEN YOU DO CONNECT? WELL, YOU AND YOUR FRIEND ARE OR HAVE BEEN SO CLOSE FOR SO LONG/ THAT YOU CAN JUT PICK UP YOUR CONVERSATION WHERE YOU LEFT OFF FROM THE LAST ONE! THAT IS THE WAY IT IS WITH MY LONGEST (NOTICE I DID NOT SAY OLDEST!) FRIEND OF COMING UP ON 54 YEARS~ AND WE ARE SEPARATED NOW BY 1/2 OF THE CONTINENT OF THE USA~ HOWEVER..THER IS THAT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN.....
FRIENDS AND...ACQUAINTANCES !
TRUE FRIENDS ARE...FOREVER under ANY circumstances and are ALWAYS THERE FOR YOU and then?
ACQUAINTACES? are those 'friends' who pass thru your life for a reason that only GOD knows about and who...will always ADD something to or for your life! or...TEACH A LESSON TO YOU FOR WHATEVER REASON...sometimes? good or...BAD.
Nice...BEST OF BOTH WORLDS and all? Sponsored by...GOD !
So...cherish FRIENDSHIPS...encourage long lasting ones...BE A FRIEND...be a HELPER, LISTENER, SUPPORTER, PAL, and surely ! SHARE LIFE WITH YOUR BEST FRIEND, too...and the rewards? WELL....they ARE ENDLESS ~!
Hello Sister Patrcia! Loved your story on friendship, you have a great sense of humor too. Two stories come to mind.
One is in high school I was such a rebelious mess, I cringe when I think of things I did, ways I let people treat me. I had one friend though who wrote me letters while she was an exchange student in Mexico. Telling me I was a good person, sending me Bible Verses to look up, that God REALLY does love everyone of us. I can't tell you how this made feel! I still have those letters and I'm 40 years old.
The second is my best friend now, my sister. She has struggled with severe depression throughout her life, which of course is heartbreaking. When I had to leave my husband because of substance abuse, among other serious reasons, her and her husband took in myself, and my 6 children! SHe is a saint to me. I could be living in a womens shelter, which I know some just have to do because there isn't any other options available to them. SHe says when God blesses us we need to share. I hope I can repay my blessings with all those who have helped me someday!
God Bless YOU Sister Patricia!
(have to sign this anonymous for obvious reasons)
When my dear friend passed away I was so sad. I could not believe that she was gone and I would not be able to talk to her every day as in the past. At her funeral I sat in the pew with tears streaming down my face. Then I noticed a young girl in the seat ahead of me - she was crying as if her heart would break. As I glanced around all were in a state of grief. Then I realized that my dear friend had not only been just my friend but she was special to all these folks. It came to me that my friendship with her was a blessing to me as well as to many others.
Some years ago I lived in a villa which faced onto a rather busy pedestrian pathway to the main shopping plaza. It was new and so I helped God in planting His creation by way of a new garden. I was often in the garden with my watering can and met various people en route to the shops. One very special, young German woman called Stephie and I became friends "along-the-way". She had recently given birth to a beautiful, baby boy called Kirran. Unfortunately, little Kirran developed Crohn's Disease before he turned 1 year of age. I became as family to Stephie & Kirran, visiting and accompanying her to the hospital. At Christmastime she was told to take Kirran home as they could do nothing for him. He was just a bag of bones, could not digest anything and had permanent diarrhoea. He really was at death's door. At the worst time on Christmas Eve, Stephie phoned and was so desperate in her need for help. I told her the story I had been given from a Marist Priest during a very low point of my life. It was put very simply that the three wise men had to face the monster in Herod before they were led to Jesus in Bethlehem. Stephie was going to a Carols Service that night. It was a mother's remarkable faith, courage and act of love along with our sharing that proved Kirran's turning point. From then one, though still suffering the disease, that amazing infant began to improve. Stephie, her husband Andre and Kirran returned to Germany and there are now two boys. Justin, the younger one has begun high school. Recently, Kirran had the bag removed from him and a successful operation has given him a completely normal life-style once more. He is a happy, healthy teenager and so involved in life and learning. Every year at Christmas, Stephie always includes a star in some form with the Christmas parcel she sends to me.
Margaret from Oz.
Thank you sister Patricia for the encouragement you always give. I also like this idea of Friendship Friday. I have so many friends but i want to share with all of you this one friend, he had just turned 18 in August 2005 when he passed on, on the 8th of October the same year. Rodney was a friend for not less than two years but in those two years he changed all our lives, he always had us in stiches because of his stories, he always had something funny to say and he was one of those people you look forward to seeing even if it was just for a few minutes. The evening of his death for me was one of the worst days of my life, but the goodness of God was revealed once again for me, my best friend gave birth to a lovely girl on the same night, that was the best ever consolation and gift, and from that moment i loved my friend's baby and she became special, when she chose me to be the God mother, you can imagine what joy i had. whenever i think sadly of Rodney i remember that God gave me little Kiara.
Rita Geraldine
Friendship is a puzzle to me at this stage of my life. I'm looking for something/someone and really can't put my finger on why I have this missing feeling within myself, when my life is blessed with good health and supportive family. Currently, I'm taking people outside my immediate family, one person at a time. I'll post on your angel comment later this week. I agree with anonymous who posted the comment that God visits us in unexpected ways, on a daily basis and I am hoping to focus on those types of random meetings as "angel friends" who don't stay, but minister to my needs at the moment.
I have a blog saintjohnspurpose.blogspot.com if anyone is familiar with the Rick WArren Purpose Driven life book and would like to talk about the daily readings. Thanks to Sr Pat for working so hard on JOY NOTES. I don't miss a day!!
janine
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