21 Days of Gods Tender Words

I found this awesome freebie from www.annspangler.com, called 21 Days of Gods Tender Words. Everyday for 21 days, I will post inspiring scripture verses for you all to reflect on and to be encouraged by. If you have thoughts on the reflections that you would like to share with the group, use the comment boxes below the posts. I hope you all enjoy it!

 

 

 

As the rain and the snow

Come down from heaven,

And do not return to it

Without watering the earth

And making it bud and flourish,

So that it yields seed for the sower

And bread for the eater,

So is my word that goes out from my mouth:

It will not return to me empty,

But will accomplish what I desire

And achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

 

– Isaiah 5 5 : 1 0 - 1 1

 

Pope Francis: What Have You Done to Make the Church Holy?

Pope Francis: What Have You Done to Make the Church Holy?
By Cindy Wooden
Source: Catholic News Service
Published: Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Pope Francis delivers his blessing during his general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican May 29.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — All Catholics must ask themselves what they personally have done lately to build up the holiness of the church and ensure people feel welcomed and loved in it, Pope Francis said.

"Some people today say, 'Christ, yes; the church, no,' like they say, 'I believe in God, but not in priests,'" the pope said. Such a position does not make sense because "it is the church that brings us Christ and brings us to God. The church is the great family of God's children."

During his weekly general audience May 29, an audience that began with the pope getting drenched by a cloudburst as he rode through St. Peter's Square in an open pope mobile, Pope Francis announced he would begin a series of audience talks about the church.

"The church is the great family of children of God," he said. "Certainly it has human aspects from the members who comprise it, pastors and faithful. They have defects, imperfections, sins. Even the pope has them — and he has many — but what is beautiful is that when we become aware that we are sinners, we find the mercy of God. God always forgives. Don't forget this. God always forgives.

"Sin is an offense against God, but it's also an opportunity," he told the estimated 90,000 people gathered in the square and the avenue beyond. "Humiliation can lead one to see there is something beautiful awaiting you: the mercy of God. Think about this."

God's plan, the pope said, is to unite all humanity into one family where everyone recognizes he or she is a child of God and loved by him: "The church is born from God's desire to call all people into communion with him" and "to participate in his divine life."

During the Year of Faith, he said, Catholics should pray that their parishes and the entire church would increasingly be a family that lives and shares God's love and mercy.

Noting that many people today complain about the church, Pope Francis urged Catholics to ask themselves several questions: "How much do I love the church? Do I pray for it? Do I feel part of the church family? What do I do to make the church a community where everyone feels welcomed and understood, everyone feels the mercy and love of God who renews life?"

In his morning Mass homilies in the days leading up to the audience, the pope had been speaking about the church's identity and the attitude that Catholics should have toward those who come to their parishes and the attitude Catholics should have toward the world.

Celebrating Mass with Vatican employees in the Domus Sanctae Marthae where he lives, Pope Francis spoke on May 29 of the danger, even the temptation, for the church and its members of forgetting that salvation comes from the cross of Christ.

"The triumphalism of the church stops the church," he said. It becomes a church that journeys only halfway to its goal of salvation because people become satisfied with everything being "well-organized — all the offices, everything in its place, everything beautiful, efficient."

Martyrdom is part of the life and journey of the church, he said, as he urged those at Mass to pray for "a humble church."

During his morning homily May 25, the pope spoke about the importance of priests, parish workers and parishioners being open and welcoming to those who come to the parish asking for something. He used several examples, including that of a couple who goes to a parish to arrange their wedding, but before being congratulated, are told how much it will cost and asked for their baptismal certificates.

Too many times, the pope said, "we are faith-checkers instead of facilitators of the people's faith."

Pope Francis also used the example of an unmarried mother who goes to a parish asking that her baby be baptized only to hear, "No, you aren't married."

"This young woman had the courage" to carry her baby to term and not have an abortion, he said, and "what does she find? A closed door. And this happens to a lot of people. This is not good pastoral zeal. This pushes people away from the Lord."

"Jesus instituted seven sacraments and we, with this kind of attitude, institute an eighth: the sacrament of pastoral control," he said, using the term in Italian for the customs control at an international airport.
Catholic News | Pope Francis: What Have You Done to Make the Church Holy? | American Catholic

Debbie's Book List

For those who missed it, here is the book list Debbie shared with us during her testimony.

May Newsletter

 **If you have receipts to turn in for the fundraiser, please be sure to bring them tomorrow to meeting. 

Mothers and Others
Tea and Testimony

From the Coordinator

May 2013

Dear Ladies,

It has been a wonderful year and it has been my pleasure serving you. I am excited to see where the future of Mothers & Others is going to go. We have such a new and excited board coming this next year. They have already planned their new year.

Again ladies it has been a pleasure.

Davene Franklin.

Clubs

Bible Study:  We will be finishing up our study on "How to Explain and Defend the Catholic Faith" this month. Bible study will return in the fall with a new, yearlong study "The Great Adventure Bible Timeline". An exciting learning system to help us get the "big picture" of the entire bible narrative.

Book Club:   Book Club has finished its calendar of meetings for this year. But, if you are looking for a good summer read consider Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. The clubs discussion of this one will kick off on September 3^rd.  Enjoy a little time in a lounge chair with a good book and we will see you in September..

 Play Group:
Wed. May 15 9:30 a.m. Ronald Regan Sports Park, Temecula
Wed. May 22 9:30 a.m. Santa Rosa Plateau ,Murrieta.
Wed. June 5 9:30a.m. Torrey Pines Park, Murrieta, 39455 Torrey pines road .
Wed. June 12 11:00 a.m. Johns Incredible Pizza Tour, Riverside, 6187 Valley Springs Pkwy. Come make your own pizza and enjoy all you can eat. 
Tues. June 18 2:00 p.m. Beach Day!  Tamarack beach in Carlsbad. Come meet us in the swim area,  as close to Tamarack parking lot as possible. 
Wed. June 26 9:30 a.m. Murrieta Sports Park, main section, not tot lot. For more info call Myriam!

Recipe Club:  The Recipe Club, will resume in September. Thank you to all those who have participated this year.

Scrappers Club: Every Wednesday from 1:00 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Cynthia’s house. Please, make sure you  call Cynthia ahead of time to let her know that you are coming.

Tennis Club: If you would like to play tennis, call Cynthia.

Wine Club:  look for more information to come.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Save the date!!!

We have some big events coming up. Take the opportunity to get to know others in our community by joining us in our celebrations.

Tuesday, May 14th 9:30am-11:30am - Is our final meeting of the year. Debbie Bertran will be our guest speaker for our Tea and Testimony. Join us for a fun-filled brunch and an opportunity to connect with your friends one last time before we break for summer!

Saturday ,August 17th noon-4:00 - Is our first annual Mother's and Others family picnic! Bring your picnic basket, blanket, family and friends, and join us in a day full of fun and games!

Also don't forget that playgroup meets year round! For more information, contact your playgroup chairs or email us at stmarthamo@gmail.com.

Happy Mother's Day!!!

Happy Mother's Day! In May let us remember to thank God for Mary, our heavenly mother.

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you Lord for giving us such a great example in Mary our Blessed Mother. Please bless all of the wonderful ladies in Mother's and Others, that they may be strengthened as Christian mothers, give them wisdom and let the example of their faith and love shine as an example to all. You have given to woman the capacity of participating with You in the creation of new life. Grant that every woman may come to understand the full meaning of that blessing, which gives her an unlimited capacity for selfless love for every child she may be privileged to bear, and for all Your children. Watch over every mother who is with child, strengthen her faith in Your fatherly care and love for her and for her unborn baby. Give her courage in times of fear or pain, understanding in times of uncertainty and doubt, and hope in times of trouble. Grant her joy in the birth of her child. To mothers You have given the great privilege and responsibility of being a child's first teacher and spiritual guide. Grant that all mothers may worthily foster the faith of their children, following the example of Mary, Elizabeth, and other holy women who follow Christ. Help mothers to grow daily in knowledge and understanding of Your Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, and grant them the wisdom to impart this knowledge faithfully to their children, and to all who depend upon them. Assist all "spiritual mothers", those who, though they may have no children of their own, nevertheless selflessly care for the children of others -- of every age and state in life. Grant that they may know the joy of fulfilling this motherly calling of women, whether in teaching, nursing, religious life, or in other work which recognizes and fosters the true dignity of every human being created in Your image and likeness. We beseech You to send Your Holy Spirit, the Comforter, to all mothers who sorrow for children that have died, are ill or estranged from their families, or who are in trouble or danger of any kind. Help grieving mothers to rely on Your tender mercy and fatherly love for all your children. Comfort those who grieve the loss of a Mother, may they find peace knowing that she is at peace with you. We ask your blessing on all those to whom You have entrusted motherhood. May Your Holy Spirit constantly inspire and strengthen them. May they ever follow the example of Mary, mother of Our Lord, and imitate her fidelity, her humility, and her self-giving love. May all mothers receive Your Grace abundantly in this earthly life, and may they look forward to eternal joy in Your presence in the life to come. We ask this through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. AMEN.

Don't Forget!

Don't forget that our Gala is Tomorrow night! If you haven't bought tickets yet you can buy them up to the event and we are offering free babysitting!!!

 

  

 

21 Little Beauty Tips That Make a Big Difference - Parenting.com

Since we will soon all be getting ready for the big fundraiser I thought this might be helpful!

21 Little Beauty Tips That Make a Big Difference

Fast, easy, cheap ways to get (more) gorgeous

By Abbie Kozolchyk     

 

If beauty rest seems but a quaint idea from some distant, pre-kid past -- as does rest of pretty much any variety -- it may feel easier to duck the mirror altogether than to take a peek and see a pooped and puffy face looking back. Not to worry -- we're here to help. Culled from pros who know how to make you feel pretty, these hair, skin, and makeup tips seriously do the job. Multiple jobs, in fact: You'll look like you've slept when you haven't, showered when you haven't, and splurged when you haven't. In short (because, really, short's all you've got), you'll seem totally pulled together, even when your only fashion accessory is that oh-so-attractive Go-Gurt tube sticking out of your back pocket. (Yeah, you should probably toss that.)

No Sleep? How to Fake It
Whether your slumber deficit is thanks to a 2 a.m. feeding or an all-night rager, as it is for the celebrities Roncal works with, the result is the same: pale, poofed-out skin with dark blotches. Below, Roncal's tried-and-true tricks:
Look Bright-Eyed Using a soft, white liner, gently trace the inner corner of your eye. Then, using a pale shimmer shadow, soften that "V" and extend it a bit toward the inner part of the bridge of your nose. You'll lighten up the eye area and draw attention away from dark circles.
Hide The Evidence There are four spots (aside from under your eyes) where concealer can do a sleepy face a world of good, according to Roncal: the sides of your nose (next to your eyes, where concealer can lend extra brightening) and the outer corners of your eyes, nostrils, and mouth (three prime locations for sleep deprivation-induced darkness). "At the outer corners of your eyes in particular, even a little extra pigmentation can make your lids appear to sag," she says. Dab away in good light with your ring finger, and blend well.
Brush Up "Nothing darkens and closes your eyes like droopy brows with hairs pointing downward," says Roncal. Brush in a brow gel-upward, of course -- and lighten and lift the brow bone with a subtle, pale shimmer shadow. Avoid a high-shine frost. It not only screams "I love the eighties" but highlights every flaw and follicle.
Double-duty items can be time- and hassle-savers for moms -- except when they stink, in which case, they are double the frustration. Voila! Five that won't waste your money.
3 Things You Can Literally Do in Your Sleep
Make every precious minute of snooze time count even more.
Give Your Hair Waves This trick works best for medium-to-thick hair that's somewhere between straight and wavy, but can also help boost body in fine hair or curly hair that's been blown out. Before bed, brush (dry) hair and secure it on top of your head with the scrunchie that's been banished to bathroom-drawer purgatory since back when Jon-Bon was shot through the heart and you were to blame. (Don't use a rubber band, which would leave a mark.) If you have fine hair, says Toye, use a bit of volumizer at the roots before putting it up. Wrap the ponytail around the base, and tuck the ends into the fabric. Then simply release the ponytail when you wake up, tousle, and enjoy your lovely, loose waves or fuller-than-usual body.
Wash Your Hair Or create the illusion that you did: Spray or shake some dry shampoo into your roots.
Soften Your Feet Every night for a week, right before bed, slather on a salicylic acid- and/or urea-rich lotion, then pull on a pair of cotton socks. You'll gradually slough off the rough spots (the salicylic acid and urea dissolve the dead skin) and leave the fresh skin moisturized, says Dr. Day.


Kiss Magic Shine File If you have the rare adult interaction to look forward to and your nails are a mess, skip the polish altogether and try a buffer, which has all you need in one tool. After quickly shaping the edges of your nails with a file, use the light-gray side (and a continuous, steady motion) to remove any discoloration and ridges from the nail surface in about ten strokes, says Michele Pierno, a nail pro and Kiss spokesperson. Then repeat with the white side, but with increased speed and friction, to bring out the glossiest possible finish.  ***Edited for length- The full article, along with product suggestions can be found at the below link.

21 Little Beauty Tips That Make a Big Difference - Parenting.com

Love thy neighbor...

Do we love our neighbors enough? I know our days are busy, we have so much to worry about and occasionally, those things cause us to be unnecessarily and perhaps unintentionally short with our neighbors... But have you ever stopped to think, what struggles they might be going through? How many of us take the time to really get to know our neighbors? What about strangers? Does your attitude reflect that of a true Christian? Or are you flipping the bird with your rosary on the rearview mirror...

I am not going to deny I that I am not always as patient as I could be but hey if we were perfect we wouldn't need Jesus now would we? But maybe if we keep in mind that He commands us to LOVE above all, we can grow just a little closer to Him and a little closer to our neighbor.

 

What is LOVE?

courtesy of www.Catholicbible101.com  

We hear so much today about love.  What is love, anyway? Is it a feeling, an attraction, chemistry, or what?   Love can certainly be manifested in those ways, for sure, but the real definition of love is that you want the absolute best for someone.  In Christian theology, we are told to love our enemies (Matthew 5:44), so therefore, we as committed Christians should desire the absolute best for everyone, even those we can’t stand.  And what is the absolute best?  That would be eternal happiness in heaven with Jesus Christ.  And Jesus showed us all that love requires personal sacrifice on our part for that to happen, whether it’s by martyrdom, monetary sacrifice, time sacrifice, prayer sacrifice, or the sacrifice of just being there for someone when you would rather be elsewhere.

Some Christians think that they are saved because they go to Church every Sunday and receive Communion.  While that is excellent, Jesus says that there is work to be done in His vineyard (Matthew 20).  That work consists of building up His Kingdom on earth. How is this done?  Matthew 25:35 says the following:
"for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me."

Those people in the following verses who did those good works gained entry into heaven;  the ones that did not do those good works went the other way.  Building up the Kingdom of God consists of doing the will of God, which is taking care of the poor and boldly proclaiming His gospel.  So if you are one of those Christians who go to Church on Sunday and hate your neighbor and the poor the rest of the week, it is recommended that you think long and hard about God’s will for you in His vineyard.

True Christian love should inspire us all to do both the corporal and spiritual works of mercy:

• To feed the hungry;
• To give drink to the thirsty;
• To clothe the naked;
• To shelter the homeless;
• To visit the sick;
• To ransom the captive;
• To bury the dead.

The spiritual works of mercy are:

• To instruct the ignorant;
• To counsel the doubtful;
• To admonish sinners;
• To bear wrongs patiently;
• To forgive offenses willingly;
• To comfort the afflicted;
• To pray for the living and the dead.

After all, Jesus says that we must bear fruit or pay the consequences:
John 15:2,4,16: Every branch of mine that bears no fruit, he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.  You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide; so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.

Love Ain't Easy...

"When we're young, we think that love is a great wonderful attraction between parents and kids. Love means we get things from those we love. When we're young adults, we think that love may be some kind of gooey sexual attraction. Love means our constant urges must be satisfied. When we're middle aged, we start to learn that love is all about self - sacrifice, and that includes a lot of times when the person we are self-sacrificing for could care less about our self-sacrifice for them. When we are old, we learn that love is really about valuing the things of the next world infinitely more than the things of this world, and that heartfelt prayer to God is what love is all about.."

 

Here are some great Scripture verses on love:

Matthew 22: 37-40: And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.  This is the great and first commandment.  And a second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.  On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets."

1 Corinthians 13: 1-8, 13:  If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.  And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.  If I give away all I have, and if I deliver my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful;  it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;  Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  Love never ends; as for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. So faith, hope, love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Romans 13:8-10: Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.  The commandments, "You shall not commit adultery, You shall not kill, You shall not steal, You shall not covet," and any other commandment, are summed up in this sentence, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."  Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

 

Galatians 5:22-23: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness, self-control; against such there is no law.

 

1 John 3:13-19: Do not wonder, brethren, that the world hates you. We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death.  Any one who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.  By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But if any one has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him?  Little children, let us not love in word or speech but in deed and in truth. By this we shall know that we are of the truth, and reassure our hearts before him

 

1 John 4:7-21: Beloved, let us love one another; for love is of God, and he who loves is born of God and knows God.  He who does not love does not know God; for God is love.  In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.  In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the expiation for our sins.  Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.  No man has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his own Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son as the Savior of the world.  Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.  So we know and believe the love God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.  In this is love perfected with us, that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so are we in this world.  There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and he who fears is not perfected in love.  We love, because he first loved us.  If any one says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.  And this commandment we have from him, that he who loves God should love his brother also.