A MOTHER AND HER LOST CHILD

 

 

 

 

 

 

WITNESS

 

 

6-7-13

 

 

A MOTHER AND HER LOST CHILD

 

 

 

Do you know the story

Of Monica---and her lost child---Augustine

A Mother

With a lost grown-up child

 

Any mother---or any parent

For that matter

Knows the pain

Of having a child

Who has made some wrong decisions

And are on the road to destruction

 

They are unable to help themselves

And you their Mother ---their parent

Are unable to help them either

 

This is the story of two such people---Monica and Augustine

 

Monica was married to a pagan man

Or a nominal Christian at best

Her mother-in-law lived with them

And created further difficulties for her

 

Monica was the mother

Of 3 children

But it was her son, Augustine

Who brought her dismay

And ultimately great glory

 

Augustine was

Brought up a Christian by his mother

But was never baptized

 

Augustine completely turned away from God

And renounced the Christian faith

 

He became a notorious womanizer

And partier

He lived with a mistress

For 15 years

And even had a son

 

Monica was angry at him at first

Refused to even let him in to her house

But after awhile

Turned to God

With patience and prayer

For his conversion

 

She decided

To never ever give up on her child

 

I plead with you

As a mother

As a parent

To never ever give up

On your child

 

No matter

How much pain and suffering

They may be causing you

 

Augustine eventually

Returned to God

Became baptized

And went on to become

A Saint, and one of the great writers and thinkers

Of his time

And a Doctor of the church

 

ALL because

He had a mother---he had a parent

That refused

To give up on him

 

Saint Monica is seen

As the mother of ALL CHRISTIAN mothers

 

At her last illness, and death, she said,

 

“Nothing in this world

Now gives me pleasure

I so not know what there is left

For me to do

Or why I am still here

All my HOPES

In this world are now fulfilled”

 

Monica died a fulfilled mother---a fulfilled parent

 

I plead with you

To never ever give up on your child

 

To help them

With your patience and your prayers

 

AND TURN THEM OVER TO GOD

 

Robert P. Wallman

8-11-11

 

AUGUST 27^th is the feast day of Saint Monica

August 28^th-the feast day of Saint Augustine

 

 

Ps        WITNESS        6-7-13

 

8-27-14

 

THE HIGHWAY TO NOWHERE

 

 

 

 

 

 

AUGUST 27^th, 2012

 

 

THE HIGHWAY TO NOWHERE

 

 

I’m on a highway to nowhere

Sometimes don’t even know where I’m coming from

Sometimes I don’t even care

Because I know where I’m at

And that is all I need

To curb my inner fears

 

You got to run your own race

You’re not in competition with anyone

So set your own pace

There’s miles to go before it’s over

So just relax

And along the way have some fun

 

Back on the highway to nowhere

All the cars go flying by

I’m tempted to try to pick up the pace

But then I let it slide

I’m just trying to stay within myself

I’m not reaching for the sky

 

The highway to nowhere

Where does it begin

Where does it end

How many of us know where we are going

How many of us know where we’ve been

 

I’ve been on the highway to nowhere
Too many times in my life

I’ll be on the highway to nowhere

Probably too many times again

But right now I’m in the pits

Charting a highway to somewhere

So I know where I’m at

And that’s all I need

To curb my inner fears

 

You have to run your race

You have to set your own pace

You’re not in competition with anyone

Your only goal should be to get there

And along the way to have some fun

 

Standing in the pits and looking out on to the highway to nowhere

All the people flying by

Think they’re getting ahead

But they keep going around in circles

Over and over and over again

Wonder if they know where they began

Wonder if they know they’ll never reach the end

 

Back on the highway to nowhere

But I think I’m going somewhere

Because I’m running my own race

I’m setting my own pace

Some people keep passing me over and over again

But they keep winding up behind me

They don’t even know where they’ve been

That’s the way it is

On the highway to nowhere

 

Robert P. Wallman

5-27-1981

 

Ps        “I have seen something else under the sun

 

                  The RACE is not to the swift

                  Or the battle to the strong 

                  Nor does food come to the wise

                  Or wealth to the brilliant

                  Or favor to the learned

                  But time and chance happen to them all”                           Ecclesiastes 9:11

 

             “I have fought the good fight

              I have finished the RACE

              I have kept the faith”                                                               2 Timothy 4:7

 

              “Therefore since we are surrounded

               By such a great cloud of witnesses

               Let us throw off everything that hinders

               And the sin that so easily entangles

               And let us run with perseverance

               The RACE marked out for us”                                                  Hebrews 12:1  

 

 

8-26-2019

 

WHAT WE NEED MOST=IS THAT HUMAN TOUCH!

 

 

 

 

 

 

WHAT WE NEED MOST=IS THAT HUMAN TOUCH=

(and THE GOOD NEWS=Of our LOVING GOD)!

 

WE live in=The technological AGE=My sisters and MY BROTHERS=and there are

A LOT=Of benefits in that=Many wonderous things=Have Happened=But many other

Beautiful things=have BEEN LOST=WHAT WE NEED MOST=in this world=Is GOD’S LOVE

And that HUMAN TOUCH!

“Let NO ONE=Deceive you in any way”                                                                                     2 Thessalonians 2:3

 

I FIND=this technological age=a little bit frightening==It is indescribable=HOW GOOD=

Artificial Intelligence(A1) has become=But there is SOMETHING MISSING=and it is=THE

LOVE of God=and the LOVE for One another=WHAT WE NEED MOST=IN THIS WORLD=Right now=

Is THAT HUMAN TOUCH!=We need the GOOD NEWS=and Love of our God!=”He who is=The glory

Of Israel=Does not lie or change=His mind=for he is not=A HUMAN BEING=That he should change=

His mind”                                                                                                                                                1 Samuel 15:29

“Peter and the other apostles replied’=’We must obey God=Rather than

HUMAN BEINGS!’”                                                                                                                               Acts 5:29

“For prophecy=Never had its origin in=THE HUMAN WILL=But prophets=Though human=

Spoke from God=as they were carried along by=THE HOLY SPIRIT”                             2 Peter 1:21

 

WE NEED=THAT HUMAN TOUCH!=My brothers and sisters=We need the LOVE OF GOD=We

Need the LOVE of one another=We need KINDNESS=We need forgiveness=We need compassion!

Technology=Artificial Intelligence  can provide=NOT any of those things=WE NEED HUMANITY=

And ALL of its pitfalls=WE NEED=THAT HUMAN TOUCH!

“Since the children=have  flesh and blood=He too shared IN THEIR HUMANITY=so that by

His death=He might break the power=Of Him Who holds the=Power of death=--------that is the

Devil=--------and FREE those who all=Their lives were held=in slavery=

By the fear of death”                                                                                                                        Hebrews 2:14

 

At the END=of the  day=and at THE BEGINNING of it too=We need to recognize that=NO

TECHNOLOGY=Can provide LOVE=THE love of a Loving God=Like Jesus and THE HOLY FATHER=

Nor the love=OF ONE HUMAN BEING=for another=We need always=We need that HUMAN TOUCH!=That only Jesus and OUR family and friends can PROVIDE=

“Look at my hands and feet=It is I myself!=TUCH ME and see=a ghost does NOT=have flesh

And bones=as you see I have”                                                                                                          Luke 24:39

“Therefore’=’Come out from them=and be separate=says the Lord=TOUCH no unclean

Thing=and I will receive you’”                                                                                                         2 Corinthians 6:17

“Since you died with Christ=to the elemental spiritual forces=Of this world=Why as though=You

Still belonged=to the world=Do you SUBMIT to its rules”                                                    Colossians 2:20-21

 

Dear LORD=we Pray=as your 21^st century brothers and sisters=and  as YOUR APOSTLES=To

OPEN our eyes=to open OUR HEARTS=and to SHARE with each other=THE HOPE of love=and

The Hope of Jesus Christ=and the FATHER=For we know=What we need MOST=is NOT

Technology=But the LOVE of the Lord and HIS FATHER=and the HUMAN TOUCH of our SISTERS=and OUR BROTHERS!

 

In Jesus’ name=and in the name=of OUR EVER LOVING=our ever living=and our EVER

TOUCHING=Holy Father God!

 

Robert P. Wallman

8-24-2024

 

Ps        INSPIRED by an article=IN LIVING FAITH MAGAZINE=by Sarah Hart

FAITH WILL BRING YOU HOME

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AUGUST 26^th, 2012

 

 

FAITH WILL BRING YOU HOME

 

 

When you are alone

When you have

Nowhere left to go

Faith will bring you home

 

Faith will

Bring you through your trouble

And when you’re stuck

Down on your luck

Faith will bring you home

 

When you’re lost in the woods

When you have no idea

Which way to go

Faith will bring you home

 

Faith will 

Bring you through drowning water

Faith will

Bring you through a raging fire

Faith will bring you through anything

And everything

Faith will bring you home

 

FAITH will bring you home

 

Robert P. Wallman

6-03-06

 

Ps       Faith is defined as TRUST and reliance on God

 

“For it is by grace you have been saved

THROUGH FAITH

-And NOT from yourselves

It is the GIFT of God

Not by works-so that NO ONE can boast”             Ephesians 2:8-9

 

“Now FAITH is being SURE

Of what we hope for

And CERTAIN of we do not see”                                  Hebrews 11:1

 

“You see that his ( Abraham’s ) faith

And his actions were working together

And his FAITH was made COMPLETE

By what he did”                                                       James 2:22

 

THE LAST WORD=EVEN IN DEATH

 

THE LAST WORD-EVEN IN DEATH

Have you ever been

In a discussion

Or an argument-IF you prefer

With someone

TRYING to get the LAST WORD

You might as well

Take your head

And bang it against the wall

It will have

THE SAME EFFECT

On that person

But one thing

We KNOW for sure

IS THAT GOD

ALWAYS has the last word

Because his WORDS are true

EVEN in life and death matters

In his 7th chapter

Saint Luke tells us the story

Of the WIDOW NAIN

Jesus-his disciples-and a LARGE CROWD

Were in a town called NAIN

As Jesus approached the town gate

A dead person

Was being carried out

THE ONLY SON

Of his mother

And she was a widow

And a large crowd

From the town Was with her

“WHEN the Lord

Saw her

HIS HEART went out to her

And he said,

'DON'T CRY'                                                           Luke 7:13

Then he went up

And touched the coffin

And said,

“YOUNG MAN-I say to you GET UP”                           Luke 7:14

And , of course, HE DID

DEATH was NOT

The last word

And it IS NOT

THE LAST WORD

In this world

Or the next

“THIS is what the Lord says

Israel's King and Redeemer

The, Lord Almighty,

  

        'I am the first

         And I am the LAST

         Apart from me

        THERE IS NO GOD'”                                              Isaiah 44:6

“DO NOT be afraid

I am the First and the Last

I am

THE LIVING ONE

I was dead

And behold

I AM ALIVE

For ever and ever

And I HOLD the keys

Of death and Hades”                                                  Revelations 1:17-18

And WE ALL KNOW

The story of Christ

Bringing back Lazarus

(the loving brother)

Of Martha and Mary

From death

And CHRIST'S own victory

OVER death

He is-GOD IS

THE LAST WORD

Jesus said to Martha,

“I AM the RESURRECTION

And the LIFE

He who believes in me

WILL LIVE

Even though he died

And whoever LIVES

And BELIEVES in me

WILL NEVER DIE

Do you believe this?”                                                 John 11:25-26

Dear Lord

49 years ago

AFTER I was given the LAST RIGHTS

I LIVED

And like

THE WIDOW NAIN and her son

LIKE Martha, Mary, and Lazarus

AND LIKE YOU

I HUMBLY SAY

“I BELIEVE”

YOU LORD

have the LAST WORD

( even in death )

Robert P. Wallman

9-24-13

Ps        I THANK YOU LORD for ALL the additional years

            I have had to spend with family-friends-churches-etc.

DEAR GOD-I BELIEVE          

9-16-14                                   

12-30-14  and  8-22-2025 and 8-26-2026

SADLY RECOGNIZING=The PASSING of Dolly Parton and Shelley Fabares=Who BOTH PASSED

THIS week=and wer BORN=On the same day as me!

MY STORY/YOUR STORY

 

 

 

 

 

 

AUGUST 25^th, 2012

 

 

MY STORY/YOUR STORY

 

 

Are you a Christian?

Are you a practicing Christian?

If so-where are you at in your search

To find God

In your life

To find God

In others

 

What is your story?

What is your testimony?

Are you seeing God in your life?

In others?

In your neighbor?

Even in your enemies?

Even in the bad things

That happen in your life?

 

Because my friend

God is everywhere

He is everyone

He is everything

 

Because my testimony-my friend

Is that GOD is in you

God is in me

 

Every time you love someone

Every time you forgive someone

Every time you perform an act of kindness for someone

You are acting like God

 

Whoever you are

I want you to know that

 

GOD LOVES YOU

 

Robert P. Wallman

6-4-07

 

Ps        “He who despises his neighbor sins

             But blessed is he

             Who is KIND to the needy”                               Proverbs 14:21

 

             “LOVE is patient-LOVE is KIND”                     1 Corinthians 13:4

 

             “Be KIND and compassionate to one another

              FORGIVING each other

              Just as Christ God forgave you”                         1 Ephesians 4:32

GRACE AT WORK!=Are you ALL IN?

 

 

 

 

 

 

GRACE AT WORK!=Are You ALL IN?

 

IN today’s writing=We have an INVITATION from Jesus=To BE his 21^st century APOSTLES=

Just as the ORIGINAL 12 were=”Philip found  Nathanael=and told him’=’WE have FOUND

The ONE=About whom Moses wrote about=IN the law=and also the prophets=Jesus=

Son of Joseph from Nazareth’”                                                                                                                        John 1:45

Does a RECOMMENDATION=From a close FRIEND=Carry weight with you=It does with me!=

It means a bunch=and it did for Philip and Nathanael too!

 

Philip is=ALL IN about Jesus=Having received ENDORSEMENTS=About this Holy man Jesus=

Already from two other disciples=How about you?=Are you ALL IN about our Jesus?=Are you in

ENOUGH=to be Jesus’ 21^st century apostle?=IS GRACE AT WORK=Working within you?=

“You are the Most Excellent of men=and your lips=have been anointed=WITH GRACE=and

God has BLESSED you forever”                                                                                                                   Psalm 45:2

“For the law was given=Through Moses=GRACE and truth=came though  Jesus Christ”      John 1:17

“Now I commit you=To God=and to the word=OF HIS GRACE=Which can build you up=and Give

You an inheritance=Among all those=who have been sanctified”                                                Acts 20:32

 

GRACE was at WORK=In each of the DISCIPLES’ lives=but is it ALIVE=In your life?=My dear sisters

And brothers?=Is it?=GRACE should be AT WORK=Within each of us=If we consider=Jesus Christ=

To be our PERSONAL SAVIOR=and the HOLY FATHER God=To be in us too!=Let GRACE=be AT WORK=Within you=Let GRACE Live in you!=BE ALL IN!=Be a 21^st century apostle of Jesus Christ=

Just like ONE of the ORIGINAL TWELVE=Are you ALL IN!=IS GRACE AT WORK=Within you?

 

“For if by the trespass=Of the  one man=DEATH reigned through that one man=How much more

Will those=Who receive God’s abundant provision=OF GRACE=and the gift of righteousness=

Reign in life=Through the one man=Jesus Christ!”                                                                             Romans 5:17

“Three times I pleaded=With the Lord=To take it away from me=But he said to me’=’MY GRACE

Is sufficient for you=For my POWER  is made perfect=IN WEAKNESS”                          2 Corinthians 12:8

“In him we=Have redemption=Through his blood=The forgiveness of sins=In Accordance  with=

The riches=OF GOD’S GRACE……..”                                                                                                    Ephesians 1:7

My Brothers and Sisters=Take the YES=of the ORIGINAL APOSTLES=Into your Hearts=and put

YOUR OWN YES=Into your hearts=and ENCOURAGE your own Family=Your own friends=and ALL

Those around you=SAY YES=to being a 21^st century apostle=THE GRACE of God=was IN the

Original apostles=and is AT WORK=Within you too!=ARE YOU ALL IN?

 

“Let us then approach=GOD’S THRONE OF GRACE=With confidence so that=We may receive

Mercy=and FIND GRACE=to Help us=In our time of NEED”                                                         Hebrews 4:16

“But he gives us=MORE GRACE=That is why Scripture says’=’God opposes the proud=But shows

Favor=to the humble’”                                                                                                                                        James 4:6

Dear Jesus and=Our Holy Father God=We say thank you=For the GRACE you give to us=and

We PROMISE YOU=With ALL that we=have in us=To let Your GRACE=WORK WITHIN US!=for we

Are ALL IN!

 

In Jesus’ name= and in the name=Of our EVER LIVING=EVER LOVING=Ever Grace giving=

Holy Father God!

 

Robert P. Wallman

8-22-2026

 

 

Ps       INSPIRED by an article=IN LIVING FAITH MAGAINE by Sr. Chris Koellhoffer, I.H.F.