10/18/26 Through 10/24/26

 10/18/26 Through 10/24/26

Sunday

Lord, giving what belongs to Thee

Means giving every part of me

My life, my death, and in between

All seen and what remains unseen

I need to trust Your love is good

And act the way I know I should

Refusing little pleasures when

They make me turn from You again

The emptiness they never fill 

But pull me from the Father's will

Then scorn and laughter come my way

From those who led me on astray

What body needs should body get

But let us never once forget

Who made it all and so deserves

Our all be given; no reserves.

Monday

Have riches taken hold in me?

Are riches taking over me?

What point in all we have or do

Except to be as one with You

What's temporary does no good

To see as such, believers should

And readily begin to share

The all we have of temporal fare

Good stewards all are meant to be

To share with generosity

The goods with which He blesses now

So all may have enough somehow

Tuesday

Blest are those ready when Jesus arrives

In want or in plenty, whichever, he thrives

The ones who are listening, ready to act

Never their fervor is loosened or slacked

Christ came as the Savior for all of mankind

So, peace in the Cross, opponents would find

Peace through forgiveness, confessing of sin

Repentance and love, and welcoming in

Uniting all men with the sign of the Cross

In want or in plenty, in gain or in loss

Be ready whenever He knocks at the door

The faithful receive all He has in the store

Wednesday

Be one prepared in every day

To live His word in every way

To follow in the steps He trod

And listen for the voice of God

He speaks in many varied ways

Sometimes it's clear or in a haze

So, we must always look to see

The word He sends to set us free

It calls to greater letting go

So greater we might come to know

The grace and riches offered still 

To those who do the Father's will

How blest they'll be when Christ returns

And then the stubborn sinner burns

The time for change has come and gone

Division lines now firmly drawn

No turning back upon that day

Forever set, our future way

A one forever far from Love

Or one in perfect bliss above

Thursday

My best is so paltry, but all that I own

My sacrifice, loving the Godhead alone

The Father, so loving, so giving and kind

The all of creation conceived in His mind

The Son, who would sacrifice all for His will

The Cross and the beating, astounding me still

A lack of respect for the love of our Lord

In place of the Cross every mercy outpoured

The Spirit who leads to the way up above

Is sent by the Son through His great act of love

To strengthen and prosper and ever remind

That all we must give, so that all we may find

Division He brings between light and the dark

A contrast so clear and astoundingly stark

When love is at work, every selfishness pales

In weakest of light, every darkness but fails.

Friday

So intricate, detailed and fine

And yet so simple, thoughts of mine

What is a thought but love from God

To draw us on the way we trod?

We know not how, or why, or when

Our Lord began His thought for men

But when He did, twas love that ruled

When He allowed that they be fooled

And given will that they might choose

Eternal life, or life to lose

Forever in the Maker's care

Or left alone in selfish fare

We are so small, yet great indeed

The product of the Father's seed

His thought alone and we are here

A life with Him should have no fear

For he is love and love alone

The source of love since love was known

A total gift of self He gives

And all creation, through Him lives

The sky, the wind, the sun, and moon

Are quite enough to make me swoon

But every grain of sand He knows

And through His love all blessing flows

So, recognize Him here or there

Then recognize Him everywhere

You have not made a grain of sand

But He has all for blessing planned.

Saturday

Every part in trial faces

Need for God and special graces

All not given there to any

So anointed are the many

Each a sacred, holy unction

Given to improve our function

See the good and how they matter

Not to charm or simply flatter

But a body so in union

Full, complete, and in communion

That in Her the Savior seeing

All might come to be believing.

More Notes from My Phone

 

My Children You're Loved

My children, you’re loved, and I hope that you know
That Heaven is where I am trying to go
My duty as parent, is show you the way
So, all are together on that final day
 
The practice of faith, indispensable key
Our pipeline to God and to setting us free
An hour a week is the key to success
It works well with more, but not so with less
 
He waits for us patiently, ready to speak
If only His Counsel and Wisdom we seek
No scheduling needed. He’s always at hand
Just waiting with vistas of love to expand
 
The quiet and peace of His presence are here
And all that is missing is you to be near
You'll find it uplifting and calming, I say
The highlight for sure of your busiest day
 
So, make an appointment you never shall break
If only the time with our Lord you will take
I promise you’ll hear in the depths of your heart
”I love you, and never My love will depart”

Don't Turn Back

Oh Lord, our returning to vomit we do

Instead of our placing of trusting in you 

We look to the temporal to quiet the heart 

When all that it does is eternal depart

 The source of our longing, our looking for love

Is only contented by you from above 

No pleasure can slake it. No drug can remove.

But only dig deeper the sinfulness groove

For you are the filling of all that we lack 

Repentant, you always are welcoming back 

The great absolution we get from above 

Comes from the Sacrament given in love 

Grace Enough

Grace enough I give to you

But it’s you, must choose to do

Grace ignored for want of pride

Grace employed by one who died

 

Died to self for greater gain

Bearing with the temporal pain 

Choosing as the Savior did

Not to keep the mysteries hid

Oh What a Blessing

Oh what a blessing to be with my Lord

With graces and blessings abundant outpoured 

Away from the bustle of everyday life 

An hour with Jesus, to fend off the strife

 

The weight of your presence upon me I feel 

The weight of a presence that’s true and that’s real. 

I sing of your mercies and bask in your love.

I find here on earth a taste of above 

10/11/26 Through 10/17/26

10/11/26 Through 10/17/26

Sunday

Oh, why refuse so great a gift

To be like one who's set adrift;

Not knowing where or how to go,

Just following the tidal flow?

The table's set, the feast prepared

No elegance or favor spared

But yet the guests refuse to show

And choose another place to go

They fail to see what lies ahead

Or dangers in the route they tread.

When Love is calling, they refuse

And so, the feast of Love they lose.

Monday

Oh, Mother Mary, be for me

A source of strength and dignity

A sign of docile love for God,

A loving mom and helpful prod.

An aid to help me hear His voice

A stalwart sign in every choice

That points the way to Perfect Love

And helps me find the One above

So, help me see all Earthly pain

As just the path for future gain

Undaunted by the wicked men

Who try to make me turn again

I want the Lord alone my prize

And pray you teach these lustful eyes

To turn from sin each tempted time

And higher on the ladder climb

'Till I can see that final day

The Light surround in every way

Where mercy washes clean my soul

And love will make the broken whole.

Tuesday

All righteousness comes from above

In perfect peace, and perfect love

The rules intended as a guide

Cleanse only that which lies outside

But Christ has come to cleanse the whole

To make our peace and joy be full

To train the heart to love as Him

And so, to cleanse the soul within

The fool has fallen far from grace

By failing to the inner face

By caring just for what is seen

The inside so remains unclean

Did not our God make in and out

And call for all to be devout?

One cannot be one clean within

While holding on to selfish sin

Wednesday

Woe to the stingy, though outwardly clean

A tithe on the smallest of gain can be seen

But weightier things never come to the mind

And fruits of the Spirit, you never can find

The fruits come when men will but hear and obey

Not tempted by looks that will lead us astray

Not jealousy, hatred, or lust now in play

But simply a soul that will follow Your way.

I've been to the place where the latter is born,

It's suffering well all the hatred and scorn

And learning to live in the Lord every day

By choosing His will over mine on the way

Thursday

Father of mercy, Father of love

Turning my thoughts to Your Kingdom above

Chosen before the foundation was laid

With blood from Your Son, the bounty was paid

Forgiveness of sin is the mark of Your grace

Our sin, with Your love, You fully replace

Lavished on us, undeserving at all

You make us anew, as before of the fall

With Wisdom and insight, You light up the mind

So, fullness of truth, and Your beauty we find.

The orchestra playing each day by Your will

Divinely conducted to knowledge instill

The prophets bore witness, the seers proclaimed

In humble beginnings, was Jesus He named

The Son You would send us to die in our stead

Redeemed with Redeemer, unworthily wed.

No way we can fathom His Mercy for man

Yet some will choose justice, and justice demand

But woe to the ones who refuse to forgive

Forever in justice, o'er mercy they live.

Friday

He cares for the sparrow, how plainly absurd

This tiny, abundant, and plentiful bird

Not worth much to man, but one cared for by God

His love so abounding, to man it is odd

But more than the sparrow, He cares for His child

And even the one that by sin was beguiled

Confess of your sins to be free from His wrath

Forgiven, be placed on the Heavenly path

The sparrows may come, and the sparrows may go

But always one thing that His children must know

He knows every hair on your beautiful head

To Heaven the humble and docile are led.

Saturday

To man You give the rule of Earth

Not for need, or cause of worth

But out of love and for Your praise

And so, a thankful hymn we raise

A little less than angels made

But still, their Maker disobeyed

And pride took hold to fell the man

But in Your love, You had a plan.

Your Son would come to show the way

To sacrifice in every day

To give His life for love of man

And so, the gap of sin to span

The One who died and rose again

Became the Saving Grace for man

So, now we have the loving sign

Who conquered on the Cross Divine

 

10/4/26 Through 10/10/26

 10/4/26 Through 10/10/26

Sunday

Accounting is a horrid thing

To think of what to Him I bring 

For all He's done and what I do

There shall be no escaping You

One day we'll answer every deed

And then for mercy, mercy plead

For then we'll see in perfect light

How we divide, and You unite.

The love of self will overtake

And of the saint, a sinner make

If we allow our passions rule

We make ourselves, for fire, fuel.

The vineyard planted must produce

Or we, this life, to naught reduce

We're meant to be a fruitful vine

Producing choice, delicious wine

Don't live for just this day alone

Far greater things you shall be shown

If you just do your duty here

And know the final day is near.

Monday

The mountain height, the depth of sea

Are not enough of You for me.

The gems in hidden earth below

If all of them I come to know

The sky above, and stars beyond

The moon, and where the morning dawned

The heavens in their vast array

Which I explore in endless day

Are none of them enough for me

For all I want is only Thee.

For only Thee can satisfy,

And only Thee can answer why.

Why such beauty everywhere?

Why the gems and flowers fair?

Why the sun and moon and stars?

Why a love as such is ours?

No one knows the reason why

Except the God of gods on high

And all I want is One so good

Who came and died upon the wood

All comprehension flees the mind

And nay a reason I can find

That God should love a person so

That to such lengths of love He'd go

It all eludes this mind so small

That when we from His graces fall

His mercy waits at every turn

Forgiving us who never learn.

So, no created thing I know

Can get me where I want to go

For only when I'm one with You

Will I be satisfied, it's true.

Tuesday

When burdens are many, then come to be filled

When soil is hardened, then come to be tilled

Turn over the soil and break up the clods

Now harrow the field and remove other gods

The cares of the day can distract from the good

When busied with much, we don't hear what we should.

The voice of the Lord should be pondered each day

To lead us and guide us along of the way.

He calls us to share in this work of His love

And so, to secure us a place up above.

But first we must listen, digesting His word

Before, with the masses, we share what we've heard.

Be patient and listen, there's always a gem

And we must be always, attentive to them.

Before we can share with the world what we know

To His feet, the teacher, as student must go.

Wednesday

We know how to pray, but rarely we do

It calls for a grace, and humility, too

Relying on God for all we receive

Trusting and waiting for all who believe.

Not looking on any as lower than thee

All kindness is serving One greater than thee

The lowliest place we assume with a cheer

And serve as if Jesus, quite truly, was here.

To service the King is our greatest reward

A service beyond what the poor could afford

But Jesus, He shows us throughout every day

He's there in each beggar we pass on the way

He gives what we need to one generous be.

He opens our eyes, so it's Jesus we see.

The service is sweeter than honey we find

When open our eyes, we refuse to be blind.

Thursday

Persistent in my prayer to You

I ask one thing that You should do

Anoint me in the Spirit pow'r

Prepare me for the final hour

I need You every time of day

I need just how and what to say

I need to be a witness when

I speak with other sinful men

I need to curb my sinful pride

And ask that You be at my side

Throughout the day whene'er may come

A time to witness to Your Son.

Within these times I clearly show

If only self, or Christ I know

If I could change one heart each day

I'd light a much more perfect way.

Friday

Who died and rose on high to save

His flesh and blood, to eat, He gave

He broke the curse from long ago

So man, the Lord of all, may know

Our death from sin, as fact, was known

But now, forgiveness, well was shown

For sinless sacrifice was made

And all the price for sin was paid

Well-known was yea, the empty tomb

And gone was now the dark and gloom.

For light re-entered Earth that day

And Light would know not Earth's decay.

Repentant sinners in the fold

The unrepentant, in the cold

For only through the Gate we come

It's meant for all, but not for some

The choice is clear: believe or die

Yet proud refuse to even try.

They can't admit the wrong they've done

Or how they crucified God's Son.

Saturday

Only a fool seeks not to grow

Deeper in love, deeper to show

Jesus, we see what You did on the Cross

Sacrifice all, so to gain in the loss

So too, this day, freeing from sin

Sacrifice made, freedom to win

Only when giving the best that we own

Freedom for humble and docile is known

Virgin most holy, Virgin most true

Help of sinners following you

Teach us to listen and quickly obey

Teach us to follow the self-giving way

Sacrifice made, holy and pure

Sacrifice made, life to secure

None are as you in the Heavens above

So fit for the King and perfect in love