flaming-pineapples

Growing Older

Lately I've been thinking about what I would like to do when I finish with high school, so on Friday I went to CMMC to job shadow.  At first it was pretty slow, but once the pace started to pick up it was pretty interesting.  I found out the "behind the scene" work it takes to help patients in the medical field.  Although I didn't find a definate answer of what I would like to do with my life, I did come to the realization that whatever I decide to do with my life it shall be to help others around me.

Response:  So now that us seniors only have one day left, its almost as if everything is coming and going.  I also can't believe that graduation is on friday, its all happened so fast yet at the same time so slow. I guess getting older is kind of hard, making your own desicions and having to move on from all that you've grow comfortable with. I am happy to say though that i'm all excepted into college and picked out my classes and that has definitely given me a sense of ease.  Lastly i want to thank all of you for all you've done this year, its been great!

Sunday, October 14, 2007

Peter's prayer miracle.

So at church today Jan talked about prayer and told the story of Peter being in jail.  It talked about Peter and how he was in jail and the next morning he was going to be killed.  But his friends and family, all through the night, prayed continuously for him.  Well, while Peter was sleeping an angel came down from heaven and safely led Peter past the guards and to a familiar place where he could safely find his way to Mary's house ( not Jesus' mother Mary).  When he arrived to the door he knocked and a maiden came to the door and asked whom it was, and Peter replied, "It's me Peter" well she went to the others and told them that Peter was at the door and they didn't believe her.  They even went to the extent as to call her crazy!  But when they finally believed, he was welcomed with open arms.

This is my version of what the passage said, but anyways.  My point of saying this isn't to talk about Peter, but to talk about prayer.  So many minutes out of the day are spent thinking about other things and I never make the time to pray much anymore.  It makes me wonder, if I spent more time praying would I see more of what God was really doing?  Probably!  But I ask you, how much time do you spend praying to God? Or do you just wait for others to do it and hope things will change. 

Response: So I was looking throughout my blogs and this one kind of stood out because in reading it and looking at my life I noticed a difference.  The blog above spoke of how much prayer really impacts your life, and I had said that I really hadn't prayed in a while, well that's changed.  I guess it all started after Christian Dunn came to our church.  He and another girl both prayed and got words for me, and I decided to write them in some old journal that I had gotten a year ago.  Then after that I started writing things that I wanted to pray for.  In the end I got to see different things happening, for example I've seen people start coming to church on a weekly basis and a bunch of other things happening.  I guess praying does making a difference!  :)

2. Is it sufficient, according to Wesley, to give generously to good causes? Must we actually go to the prisons? To the poor?

According to John Wesley it is a nice gesture to give to the poor but it is even nicer to go to them in person.  He talks about if not being able to go see the person than send someone to visit them.  But it also says that sending them assistance is different than visiting them, and one should do both.  He says that even if you can't heal them like a physician one should still visit them.  In going to visit it helps their souls better than anything a physician could ever do.  So, although it is a nice getsure to give money and send others to help the poor and those in prison, it doesn't have the same meaning as when one goes themself to visit those people.

Psalm 27:4 "One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple."

Isn't it amazing how wonderful a sunny day is after a winter and a few days of rain.  I mean being able to go outside, sit in the sun and read is such a nice feeling compared to being cooped up in a house.  Being able to see flowers bloom and trees with leaves on them and looking as vibrant as ever. When thinking about the verse it will be like this every day when we are in the house of the Lord, only we'll be in His presence and be able to see Him in His full beauty.

1.  What is the importance if "penance" in Assisi's prayers and admonitions?

I believe that those who give penance are those who are the sheep, they are God's chosen people.  In the book it says "And we give thanks to Thee because Thy Son Himself is to come again in the glory of His Majesty to put the wicked who have not done penance for their sins, and have not know Thee, in eternal fire..." (177). I think that Francis of Assisi believes that doing penance is something that honors God and it keeps you, and your flesh, in check with the fact that God is in control and we are but mere humans and make mistakes.