The Holiday Season is a season to celebrate many very good things. Some people will probably not be able to get together due to economic restraints and other good reasons.
In my case, my two boys live out of town, and I will get to visit one in Gainesville, Fl. where he attends university. My oldest lives in Houston, Tx. and he is planning on visiting friends this year. Since my divorce in 2003, Christmas Season was always shared with the kids. My ex used to live just a couple of blocks away from me. Now that she has moved to California, the family has once again been split apart. None of the kids can afford tickets from Florida or Texas to California this part of the year to see their mother.
This is the reality of life. When families split, sacrifices have to be made. I don't recall a single Christmas in 30 years that I have not had the entire family with me for the Holidays. It saddens me to accept that this year will not be the same.
I know that there are many families in the U.S. who are going through very difficult times from the recession, job unemployment, and illnesses, but what has carried me through all of my life is prayers of gratitude.
For some good reason, when nothing is going right, I pray more every day. Not out of desperation, but instead to thank God for having given me my life, my challenges, and my share of disappointments. I today enjoy excellent health, my daughter keeps me company while she goes to university and works part-time. My youngest is in university but out of town, and my oldest is doing fine in his career.
Perhaps this Season of Joy, if you and I should pray in gratitude for whatever blessings we have today, and ask for a better year to come, God in his mercy and kindness will grant our wishes.
I hope that this Holiday Season brings plenty of happiness and blessings to you and your family.
I will say a special prayer to those that have followed this Blog, not knowing your situation, but understanding that perhaps a blessing of joy through prayer is what you need today to make your life just a little bit happier.
God bless you, and I wish you and your loved ones, a Very Happy Holiday Season.
Tony McCleary
tonymccleary@gmail.com
http://www.prayer-be-strong.blogspot.com/
Friday, December 18, 2009
Friday, December 11, 2009
The power of prayer when you need urgent help
I just returned from Haiti where I visited with a friend of mine. He owns a cargo ship, and he wanted me to drive for him around the countryside. His very large cargo ship is sitting on the bay in the city of Miragoane loaded with autos awaiting payment of freight from his customers.
We stayed in a hotel in Port Au Prince, a very busy city with loads of traffic, and with no street lights nor signs to follow. I speak French to the best of my ability, which is limited, but doable. I enjoyed asking for directions from everyone, including policemen. Haitians are very friendly and quite hospitable. I liked that part very much!
After seven days in Haiti, we started our journey back to the airport. My friend wanted to visit the office of a tugboat owner, who happens to have his office right on the fringe of downtown, and across from the old U.S. Embassy building. I got totally lost trying to get there, and found myself and my friend stuck in the marketplace. Just imagine thousands of people with their wares and foodstuffs laid out on the streets while you are trying to get out safely.
The marketplace is every single inch of downtown Port Au Prince, right to the middle of the streets. People place their entire sales possessions on the sidewalks and parts of the street. In other areas, you simply can't drive at all through the streets.
I got in by accident into the most congested area of the marketplace, and I was totally unable to move. This occurred at 11:00 am on Wednesday, Dec. 9th. I had no chance of continuing with my rental car, so I simply said a silent prayer for help straight to God. Within an instant, an employee who was directing a truck which I had followed right into the mess looked at me and pointed toward my exit route.
I called to him and asked him in broken French to help me to get out with my car. He smiled and told me to follow him. He then appeared to be "parting the waters" by walking in front of my car, and I just went forward careful not to hit a person or their stands which were laid out on the pavement. From a congestion of thousands of people on a busy market day, this gentleman led us right on to the main avenue.
It took me less than a few seconds to pray for help. It took 20 minutes to get us out of the mess that we were in. We got to the airport in time to catch our flight, and get back to Florida.
Does prayer truly work? I have no doubt that it does; otherwise, I could have never gotten out of the jam that I was in, and make it to the airport in time. Neither could I have figured out the direction to take toward the main avenue without some form of guidance. I was totally lost in the middle of the mass of people. Within seconds of my praying for help, a human being appeared to guide me, and successfully get us out.
Learn to pray for all of your needs, and wait for miracles to happen in your life. You will never regret it!
God bless,
Tony McCleary
tonymcclr@gmail.com
http://www.prayer-be-strong.blogspot.com/
We stayed in a hotel in Port Au Prince, a very busy city with loads of traffic, and with no street lights nor signs to follow. I speak French to the best of my ability, which is limited, but doable. I enjoyed asking for directions from everyone, including policemen. Haitians are very friendly and quite hospitable. I liked that part very much!
After seven days in Haiti, we started our journey back to the airport. My friend wanted to visit the office of a tugboat owner, who happens to have his office right on the fringe of downtown, and across from the old U.S. Embassy building. I got totally lost trying to get there, and found myself and my friend stuck in the marketplace. Just imagine thousands of people with their wares and foodstuffs laid out on the streets while you are trying to get out safely.
The marketplace is every single inch of downtown Port Au Prince, right to the middle of the streets. People place their entire sales possessions on the sidewalks and parts of the street. In other areas, you simply can't drive at all through the streets.
I got in by accident into the most congested area of the marketplace, and I was totally unable to move. This occurred at 11:00 am on Wednesday, Dec. 9th. I had no chance of continuing with my rental car, so I simply said a silent prayer for help straight to God. Within an instant, an employee who was directing a truck which I had followed right into the mess looked at me and pointed toward my exit route.
I called to him and asked him in broken French to help me to get out with my car. He smiled and told me to follow him. He then appeared to be "parting the waters" by walking in front of my car, and I just went forward careful not to hit a person or their stands which were laid out on the pavement. From a congestion of thousands of people on a busy market day, this gentleman led us right on to the main avenue.
It took me less than a few seconds to pray for help. It took 20 minutes to get us out of the mess that we were in. We got to the airport in time to catch our flight, and get back to Florida.
Does prayer truly work? I have no doubt that it does; otherwise, I could have never gotten out of the jam that I was in, and make it to the airport in time. Neither could I have figured out the direction to take toward the main avenue without some form of guidance. I was totally lost in the middle of the mass of people. Within seconds of my praying for help, a human being appeared to guide me, and successfully get us out.
Learn to pray for all of your needs, and wait for miracles to happen in your life. You will never regret it!
God bless,
Tony McCleary
tonymcclr@gmail.com
http://www.prayer-be-strong.blogspot.com/
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