I TRAVELED ON MY KNEES ----Adapted from a poem by Sandra Goodwin

          LAST NIGHT I TOOK A JOURNEY TO ISRAEL ACROSS THE SEAS;
          I DID NOT GO BY BOAT OR PLANE, I TRAVELED ON MY KNEES.
          I SAW SO MANY PEOPLE THERE WITH SCARS AND WOUNDS
          WITHIN;
          BUT GOD TOLD ME THAT I SHOULD GO---THERE WAS OIL TO
          POUR FROM HIM. 
          I REPLIED,  "LORD,  I CANNOT GO AND WORK WITH SUCH AS
          THESE"
          HE ANSWERED QUICKLY,  "YES  YOU CAN, BY TRAVELING ON
          YOUR KNEES."
          HE SAID,  "YOU PRAY, I'LL MEET THEIR NEED,  YOU CALL AND
          I WILL HEAR.
          BE CONCERNED ABOUT THE FATE OF THOSE BOTH FAR AND
          NEAR."
          AND SO I TRIED IT,  KNELT IN PRAYER,  GAVE UP SOME
          HOURS OF EASE,
          I FELT THE LORD RIGHT BY MY SIDE WHILE TRAVELING ON
          MY KNEES.
          AS I PRAYED ON AND SAW THEM HELPED AND THE BADLY
          WOUNDED HEALED,
          I SAW GOD'S WORKERS' STRENGTH  RENEWED WHILE
          LABORING ON THE FIELD.
          I SAID,  "YES, LORD, I HAVE A JOB----MY DESIRE THY WILL
          TO PLEASE, 
          I CAN  GO  AND  HEED  THY CALL  BY TRAVELING  ON  MY
          KNEES."

HAPPY THANKSGIVING DAY TO EVERYONE!!!

                    GRACE BEFORE THANKSGIVING MEAL  (John O'Donohue )


                         AS WE BEGIN THIS MEAL WITH GRACE
                     LET US BECOME AWARE OF THE MEMORY
                        CARRIED  INSIDE THE FOOD BEFORE US:
                                       THE QUIVER OF THE SEED
                                     AWAKENING IN THE EARTH,
                                UNFOLDING IN A TRUST OF ROOTS
                             AND SLENDER STEMS OF GROWTH,
                             ON ITS VOYAGE TOWARD HARVEST,
                           THE KISS OF RAIN AND SURGE OF SUN:
                              THE INNOCENCE OF ANIMAL SOUL
                                 THAT NEVER SPOKE A WORD,
                                    NOURISHED BY THE EARTH
                                 TO BECOME TODAY OUR FOOD;
                                THE WORK OF ALL THE STRANGERS
                                   WHOSE HANDS PREPARED IT,
                            THE PRIVILEGE OF WEALTH AND HEALTH
                          THAT ENABLES US TO FEAST AND CELEBRATE.
















         

GRANNY GOES SHOPPING (from SLDIGEST )

LITTLE OLD GRANNY WENT TO THE GROCERY STORE AND PUT THE MOST
EXPENSIVE CAT FOOD IN HER BASKET. SHE THEN WENT TO THE CHECKOUT
COUNTER WHERE SHE TOLD THE CASHIER, "NOTHING BUT THE BEST FOR MY
LITTLE KITTEN."  THE CASHIER SAID, "I'M SORRY, BUT WE CANNOT SELL YOU
CAT FOOD WITHOUT PROOF THAT YOU HAVE A CAT.  A LOT OF OLD PEOPLE
BUY CAT FOOD TO EAT AND THE MANAGEMENT WANTS PROOF THAT YOU
ARE BUYING THE CAT FOOD FOR YOUR CAT."   SO GRANNY WENT HOME,
PICKED UP HER CAT AND BROUGHT IT BACK TO THE STORE.  THEY SOLD HER
THE CAT FOOD.   THE NEXT DAY, GRANNY WENT TO THE STORE AND BOUGHT
12 OF THE MOST EXPENSIVE DOG COOKIES-- ONE FOR EACH DAY OF  CHRISTMAS.
THE CASHIER THIS TIME DEMANDED PROOF THAT SHE HAD A DOG, CLAIMING
THAT OLD PEOPLE SOMETIMES EAT DOG FOOD.  FRUSTRATED, GRANNY WENT
HOME, CAME BACK AND BROUGHT IN HER DOG.  SHE WAS THEN ALLOWED TO
PURCHASE THE DOG COOKIES.  THE NEXT DAY GRANNY BROUGHT IN A BOX
WITH A HOLE IN THE LID.  GRANNY ASKED THE CASHIER TO STICK  HER FINGER
IN THE HOLE.  THE CASHIER SAID, "NO, YOU MIGHT HAVE A SNAKE IN THERE."
GRANNY ASSURED HER  THAT THERE WAS NOTHING IN THE BOX THAT WOULD
BITE HER. SO THE CASHIER PUT HER FINGER INTO THE BOX AND PULLED IT OUT.
WRINKLING  HER NOSE, SHE SAID, "THAT SMELLS LIKE SOMETHING FROM THE
TOILET."   GRANNY GRINNED FROM EAR TO EAR.  NOW, MY DEAR, CAN I PLEASE
BUY THREE ROLLS OF TOILET PAPER?"