LIVING WITH GRATITUDE-SERVING WITH GLADNESS........

LIVING WITH GRATITUDE SERVING WITH GLADNESS ……..and BEING THANKFUL I am sitting here in Maryland With FAIMILY all around me My sister Mary-her and her girls-Uncle Rege And many others What a BLESSING it is To be around family On this day-For families And REMEMBERING my mom and day- My sister Terri who IS across the country In Chicago And THINKING of all of you My family and friends-ALL over the country And all across the world I am so THANKFUL For this life And to LIVE IN GRATITUDE To the Lord And to SERVE the Lord-and you With GLADNESS In whatever ways that I can “SERVING THE LORD with GLADNESS” Psalm 100:2 I am so HAPPY To be ALIVE In this world That still has so much GOODNESS In it And so many good kind people In it Despite the evil in it I will happily SERVE the Lord With GLADNESS And be grateful For this WONDERFUL LIFE “May those Who delight in my VINDICATION Shout for joy and gladness: ‘The Lord be exalted Who delights in The well-being of his servant’” Psalm 35:27 YES!-I am living in delight For the Lord In GRATITUDE- For all the BLESSINGS He lays upon me/us “LET the message of Christ Dwell among you richly As you teach And admonish one another With all wisdom Through all psalms-hymns-and songs From the Spirit SINGING to God With GRATITUDE in our hearts” Colossians 3:16 I am just SO THANKFUL For EVERYTHING in my life To be BORN in this country- To the CHRISTIAN FAITH To have the FAMILY and FRIENDS That I have I am just AMAZINGLY BLESSED And so are ALL OF YOU LIVING IN GRATITUDE SERVING WITH GLADNESS And being oh so THANKFUL “DEVOTE yourselves to PRAYER Being watchful and THANKFUL” Colossians 4:2 “Therefore-since we are RECEIVING A kingdom that CANNOT be shaken Let us BE THANKFUL And worship God Acceptably-with reverence and awe For our God-is a CONSUMING FIRE!” YES I will live with gratitude SERVE the Lord with gladness And be thankful ALL the days of my life HAPPY THANKSGIVING! I LOVE YOU ALL! Robert P. Wallman 11-23-16 Ps INSPIRED by an article in LIVING FAITH MAGAZINE by Sr. Macrina Wiederkehr, O.S.B.

GOD PROVIDES US THE COMFORT THAT WE NEED

GOD PROVIDES US THE COMFORT THAT WE NEED We live in Very scary times TIMES of natural disaster War between and within countries And violence All over Our own country And the differences and personal battles Between people It is enough to Make one tremble It is enough To make one WONDER Are the last days Upon us? “While some people Were speaking about How the temple Was adorned with costly stones And votive offerings Jesus said, 'ALL that you see here--------- The days will come When there Will NOT be left A stone upon Another stone That will not be Thrown away'” Luke 21:5-6 Jesus PREDICTS The destruction of the temple It is poetry For the end of age It almost seems That the world IS unraveling around us But GOD PROVIDES-Jesus provides- The COMFORT that we need To get through To the next day “May your unfailing love Be my COMFORT According to your promise To your servant” Psalm 119:76 “COMFORT-comfort my people Says your God” Isaiah 40:1 “PRAISE be to the God And Father Of our Lord Jesus Christ The Father of compassion And the God of all comfort Who COMFORTS us In all our troubles So that we can comfort those In any trouble With the comfort WE ourselves receive From God” 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 YES-people Have been predicting end times FOREVER But the TRUTH is None of us know Not even Jesus ONLY THE FATHER God PROVIDES US The comfort that we need To get through To the next day But we must PREPARE For our own end times For none of us know WHEN our own end is coming We LIVE with HOPE Because of the COMFORTER The Holy SPIRIT We live in HOPE To serve and comfort Those who are suffering YES-even in these scary times- End times-or not GOD PROVIDES US with the COMFORT THAT WE NEED Robert P. Wallman 11-21-16 Ps INSPIRED by an article in LIVING FAITH MAGAZINE by Jessica Mesman Griffith

WHAT DOES LOVE LOOK LIKE?

WHAT DOES LOVE LOOK LIKE? LOVE is a Funny thing It is The MOST valuable commodity On this earth In this world Yet you can't touch it Feel it Nor is it Anything at all Neither can you hear it Or see it Saint Augustine once asked, “What does LOVE look like?” Then he said, “Love has HANDS to HELP others Love has eyes To see misery and want It has ears To hear the signs And sorrows of others That's what love looks like” Saint Augustine If someone asked me To show them What love looked like I would simply Show them A picture of Jesus He used ALL OF HIMSELF To help others And that is What we are to do too BE Jesus' eyes-ears-hands- And feet-in today's world “BEWARE that your hearts Do not become drowsy From carousing and drunkenness And the anxieties Of daily life........” Luke 21:34 We are to be Of HELP to others In today's world In whatever way We can Although I have done it I'm not much use In a soup kitchen anymore Or any type of volunteer position That requires me To be on my feet For long stretches Yet- We are to be of help In whatever way we can HELP to those hurting Physically-mentally-spiritually And financially WHENEVER we can “GOD is our refuge And strength An ever present HELP In trouble” Psalm 46:1 And in the 9th chapter Of Saint Mark We read about a boy Possessed by an IMPURE SPIRIT His father brings him to Jesus FOR HELP “IF you can,' said Jesus 'EVERYTHING is possible For one who believes'” Mark 9:23 Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, “I do believe- HELP me overcome my unbelief” Mark 9:24 The boy was healed So though We don't know what love Looks like We know it-when we see it- Or when we feel it And Saint Paul Gives us A wonderful description of love “Love is patient-love is kind It does not envy-it does not boast It does not dishonor others It is not self-serving It is not easily angered It keeps NO RECORD of wrongs It does not delight in evil But REJOICES with the truth It always protects-always trusts Always hopes-always perseveres LOVE NEVER FAILS” 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 So today CALL someone that you love WRITE someone a card Or bake a casserole-or Maybe a pie- Or invite someone in For coffee We may not know What it looks But we know What it is LOVE SOMEONE TODAY Happy first Sunday Of Advent I LOVE YOU! Robert P. Wallman 11-28-15 Ps INSPIRED by an article in LIVING FAITH MAGAZINE by Bernadette Snyder 11-21-16

GIVING THANKS IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES

TO ALL MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS= I will be TRAVELING for the next three weeks I will WRITE as circumstances PERMIT ENCLOSED is ONE OF MY FAVORITE POEMS OF ALL TIME LOVE YOU ALL! Happy THANKSGIVING! GIVING THANKS IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES As I sit here Reflecting on my life Preparing to fly to Maryland To spend Thanksgiving With my 2 sisters, my 4 nieces And other family members Some memories flash through my mind To times gone by Lying there Packed in an ice bed For 2 weeks---with a temperature of 108 I thank God for life Bleeding internally My blood count down to 3 I thank God for life The Good Father asking me If I wanted to say an act of contrition Or say something in my words Saying: “I don't think God Wants me to die But if he does He must have a reason And to please bless My father, my mother, my 2 sisters My family and my friends Because it would be harder on them Than it would be on me I would be gone But if God Wanted me to live I would live For my family, my friends, And for all people everywhere” And waking up a week or two later alive I thank God for life “May you never take One single breath for granted God forbid Love ever leave you empty handed” ( Lee Ann Womack—-”I HOPE YOU DANCE” ) THANKING GOD FOR LIFE All the support I received from my parents Never questioning---ALWAYS LOVING I thank God for family 2 sisters---4 nieces That give me emotional and financial support ALWAYS being there for me I thank God for family An extended family Beyond compare I thank God for family Old friends That are still there for me today I thank God for friends New friends That I have made from Miami To Palm Beach Gardens and beyond I thank God for friends People that I have met From all over the world I thank God for you Priests, clergymen and women That I have met I thank God for God I thank God for you By human standards My life is a total failure No health---no money or material possessions No family ( wife or children ) But along the way I found GOD And I found YOU “I have learned The secret of being content In any and every situation Whether well fed or hungry Whether living in plenty Or in want” 1 Philippians 4:12 “Be joyful always; pray continually; Give thanks in ALL circumstances For this is God's will for you In Christ Jesus” 1 Thessalonians 5:18 HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE---I LOVE YOU! Robert P. Wallman 11-14-11 REPRINTED 11-18-16

IN THE ARMS OF LOVE

IN THE ARMS OF LOVE Jesus died for us With his arms OUTSTRETCHED Nailed to the cross He was BRINGING The WHOLE world to him You-me-ALL of us- Even in a-sometimes-seemingly God forsaken world His death Was bringing us LIFE Was bringing us To and in the ARMS OF LOVE “As Jesus drew NEAR Jerusalem He saw the city And wept over it........” Luke 19:41 He KNEW What was to come His own death But he was NOT Weeping for himself He was WEEPING For the cold hard-headed nature OF his people And of the Romans And in the year 70AD the Romans Would destroy Jerusalem And he wept then Just as he wept=I AM SURE In the aftermath of 911 When the WORLD TRADE CENTER Was under attack And I WONDER if he is STILL weeping today As a seemingly fractured America With 50% of the people Each voting for a different President One thing that we STILL know Is that whatever-America Is-it is safe in The ARMS OF LOVE And whatever comes God is RIGHT HERE with us Praying-helping-sustaining- And loving us He LOVES this whole big world With his arms outstretched “SING to the Lord A new song For he has DONE marvelous things His right hand And his holy arm Have worked salvation For him” Psalm 98:1 We are SAFE In the arms of LOVE “With my great power And my outstretched arm I MADE the earth And its people And the animals That are on it And I give it To anyone I please” Jeremiah 27:5 YES-that's right The whole world BELONGS TO GOD So whatever is wrong in the world Whatever is wrong In our country And in our SMALL LIVES We are STILL Safe-in the ARMS of love The name Jerusalem-means PEACE So God is right here With us In whatever ways Our peace is shattered He TOOK on the cross For us And we are NOT in this battle-these battles ALONE We are HELD UP In the arms of love In whatever way(s) Our world is torn apart God weeps with us In our suffering- MY brothers and sisters No matter what Is wrong in the world We are SAFE IN the ARMS OF LOVE And God and Jesus WILL BRING LIFE Out of our circumstances In Jesus' name-WE PRAY Robert P. Wallman 11-16-16 Ps INSPIRED by an article in LIVING FAITH MAGAZINE by Patricia Livingston

THE INFLAMING OF OUR HEARTS!

THE INFLAMING OF OUR HEARTS Do you LOVE God? I mean-ALL the way- Are you TOTALLY IN for God? God and Jesus want us To be totally committed to them- ALL IN-so to speak God and Jesus HATE lukewarmness “I know your works- I know that you are NEITHER cold-nor hot …..... So because you are lukewarm NEITHER hot nor cold I will spit you out Of my mouth” Revelation 3:15-16 BE committed to God Be PASSIONATE about your love FOR HIM INFLAME our hearts-dear Lord For you and you alone “Commit your way To the Lord TRUST in him And he will do this: He will make your Righteous reward SHINE like the dawn Your vindication Like the noonday sun” Psalm 37:5-6 “Commit to the Lord WHATEVER you do And he will establish Your plans” Psalm 16:3 HELP US to be passionate About our LOVE for you-O Lord Help us to have The INFLAMING of our hearts It is easy to think That when we fall short As a FOLLOWER of Christ That we are not that bad That we aren't really All that evil We don't kill- We don't lie- We don't steal or cheat But God wants MORE from us He wants us to be PASSIONATE about our love For him He wants us to be ALL IN He wants us to be totally Committed to God and Jesus He WANTS US to feel The INFLAMING of our hearts For him Just the SAME way Jesus inflamed his heart For us Be passionate in your LOVE For God and Christ DON'T BE lukewarm BETTER to be INFLAMED For your love for God and Jesus Than to be inflamed By worldly passions GOD'S GRACE “Teaches us to say “NO” to ungodliness And worldly passions And to LIVE self-controlled- Upright and godly lives In this present age WHILE we wait For the BLESSED HOPE- The appearing of the glory Of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ........” Titus 2:12-13 Dear Lord-we PRAY for The INFLAMING OF OUR HEARTS for you And we pray for the PASSION To bring LIGHT to this world Of despair and darkness We are ALL IN for God And all in for Jesus Robert P. Wallman 11-15-16 Ps INSPIRED by an article in LIVING FAITH MAGAZINE by Karla Manternach

CRYING OUT FOR THE LORD!

CRYING OUT FOR THE LORD! Do the CIRCUMSTANCES Of your life Cause you to CRY OUT For the Lord? Maybe a chronic illness- Or daily pain Or financial limitations-the loss Of a job- Or broken relationship(s) LET us take a look back To chapter 18 of Saint Luke's Gospel “A blind man shouted, 'Jesus-Son of David have pity on me!'” Luke 18:38 There it is-a blind man Sitting at the side Of the road-begging He hears a commotion And asks what is happening The people do NOT tell him Instead they scold him And tell him to shut up But he IGNORES them And continues to cry out And KEEPS shouting things like: “Hey I am over here- I need your help” CRYING out to the Lord! Don't you just FEEL for him Don't you just feel How life is PASSING him by He is one DETERMINED MAN-and He is PERSEVERING in prayer Sometimes-we ALL just need to Cry out-HOLLER out for the Lord: “I need you-I want you- I LOVE you Lord” Persevere! “Watch your life And your doctrine closely Persevere in them Because if you do You will SAVE both yourself And your hearers” 1 Timothy 4:16 “You NEED to persevere So that when you Have done The WILL of God You will receive What he has PROMISED-for 'In just a little while He who is coming Will come And will NOT delay'” Hebrews 10:36-37 And you KNOW what happened To this poor blind man Finally-Jesus hears-pays attention- And HEALS the blindness In this poor unfortunate man And Jesus will HEAR our pleas too He will eventually RESPOND WITH MERCY For us and in us So keep on CRYING OUT TO THE LORD Keep on PERSEVERING The Lord will eventually HEAR your prayers “This is the CONFIDENCE We have in approaching God: That if we ask anything According to his will HE HEARS US” 1 John 5:14 My dear friends= The Lord heard my prayers And gave me ANOTHER chance at life He heard the poor blind beggar And he will hear you too So KEEP CRYING OUT to the Lord! Give him control You can TRUST the HOLY ONE With your life HE HEARS YOU! In Jesus' name, Robert P. Wallman 11-14-16 Ps INSPIRED by an article in LIVING FAITH MAGAZINE by Sr. Joyce Rupp, O.S.M.