Sunday Seven: in spite of

1. In spite of having been in pain for most of this week, I still praise God for the fact that I am ‘fearfully and wonderfully made’, and for all the physical blessings He has given me: sight, hearing, speech, mobility and good health most of the time! I choose to praise God for the opportunity to offer up my physical sufferings for the salvation of souls.

2. In spite of the terrible tragedy of Madeleine McCann, still missing, I thank God for the faith of her parents which has upheld them throughout their ordeal, and for the opportunity to visit the Holy Father, Pope Benedict, this week.

3. In spite of her many critics (and there are many!), I am thankful to be a member of the Church built upon the Rock, Peter…the Roman Catholic Church. I praise God that it is a Church which doesn’t need to rely on gimmicks, but on the truth of the Bible and the Catechism; a Church which doesn’t appeal to one demographic group of people, but to all…old, young, male, female, rich, poor, black or white.

4. In spite of the awful sense of shyness which seems to be a legacy of my illness and surgery, I thank God for the opportunity I had last week to meet my fellow Benedictine Oblates on retreat. I praise God for the fellowship we shared, and for the part the weekend played in my journey onwards.

5. In spite of the troubled relationships I have sometimes had with on-line friends, I thank God that He continues to bless me through internet relationships, old and new. I lift all my internet friends and aquaintances up to Him in prayer.

6. In spite of not having been there for the past 9 weeks, I thank God for my job, my work, and my employers who continue to pay me throught his time of recuperation and convalescence. I praise God for the security I have through work.

7. And finally, in spite of the occasional nastiness,back-biting and criticism I come across on the net as I visit various blogs and forums, I am thankful for this wonderful medium of communication, and for the blessings it has brought me. The following sites are all places which have blessed me today ~ please visit them if you can:

•  Suzy @ Diurnata

• Susan @ Celadon Pool 2

• Gil @ A Blustery Day

• Helen @ MUISTO

• 4HisChurch @ Dymphna’s Well

• Ginny & Marie @ View From The Pews

• Tabitha @ Violet Cottage

• Freddie @ A Friar Style?

• Coffee Wife @ The Walled Garden

and last but not least…

• Everyone @ The Rose Garden

 

More Sunday Sevens here!