Author Archives: fromareportersnotebook

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About fromareportersnotebook

Former reporter and city editor at The Tribune, Welland, On. Active in various community groups and initiatives, married with two grown children, interested in roses specifically and gardening in general. A collection of previously-written columns was published in book form in the fall of 2013 and is available by contacting the writer at: fromareportersnotebook@gmail.com. It sells for $20.

Morning Offering: 11. 23. 22

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Today’s Reflection: The Power of a Whisper
Slow me down today, Lord,
and whisper a word or two – or more,
in the quiet of my mind and heart…

When I’m cursing myself or others,
whisper words of blessing…

When I’m judging another’s words and deeds,
whisper words of patience…

When my voice is still and silent,
whisper words that I might speak…

When I’m saying much too much,
whisper words to shut me up…

When I’ve failed and when I’ve sinned,
whisper words of pardon…

When I’m facing loss and grief,
whisper words of consolation…

When I’m stuck in my own foolishness,
whisper words of wisdom…

When I’m confounded and confused,
whisper words of counsel…

When I’m caught up in my lies,
whisper words of truth.

When life is just too tough to take,
whisper words of hope…

When my heart is broken, hurt and wounded,
whisper words of healing…

When I’m at war with my neighbor or myself,
whisper words of peace…

Slow me down, Lord,
and help me find a quiet place to hear
the whisper of your word…

Slow me down today, Lord,
and whisper a word or two – or more,
in the quiet of my mind and heart…
Amen. — Rev. Austin Fleming.
Morning Offering is a daily post by Joe Barkovich who lives in his hometown of Welland, Ontario. Daily photo by Joe Barkovich.
Morning Offering is posted by 8 a. m.

Morning Offering: 11. 22. 22

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Today’s Reflection: When we think “It’s too late,” God whispers, “I still have a plan.” — Unattributed.
Morning Offering is a daily post by Joe Barkovich who lives in his hometown of Welland, Ontario. Daily photo by Joe Barkovich.
Morning Offering is posted by 8 a. m.

Morning Offering: 11. 21. 22

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Today’s Reflection: Let your God love you
Be silent.
Be still.
Alone.
Empty
before your God.
Say nothing.
Ask nothing.
Be silent.
Be still.
Let your God look upon you.
That is all.
God knows.
God understands.
God loves you with an enormous love
and only wants to look upon you
with that generous love.
Quiet.
Be still.
Let your God love you.— Edwina Gately.
Morning Offering is a daily post by Joe Barkovich, who lives in his hometown of Welland, Ontario. Daily photo by Joe Barkovich.
Morning Offering is posted by 8 a. m.

Morning Offering: 11. 20. 22

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Today’s Reflection: Take time to make your soul happy. Have yourself a morning coffee, and talk to the Lord.
Morning Offering is a daily post by Joe Barkovich, who lives in his hometown of Welland, Ontario. Today’s Reflection and photo by Joe Barkovich.
Morning Offering is posted by 8 a. m. daily.

Morning Offering: 11. 19. 22

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Today’s Reflection: It’s faith that will help you weather your personal storms.
Morning Offering is a daily post by Joe Barkovich who lives in his hometown of Welland, Ontario. Today’s Reflection and photo by Joe Barkovich.
Morning Offering is posted by 8 a. m.

Morning Offering: 11. 18. 22

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Today’s Reflection: Lord, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
the courage to change the things I can,
and the wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;
enjoying one moment at a time;
accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
that I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
forever in the next. Amen. – Serenity Prayer, Reinhold Niebuhr.
Morning Offering is a daily post by Joe Barkovich, who lives in his hometown of Welland, Ontario. Daily photo by Joe Barkovich.
Morning Offering is posted by 8 a. m.

Morning Offering: 11. 17. 22

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Today’s Reflection: God of silence and God of all sound, help me to listen.
Help me to do the deep listening to the sounds of my soul,
waiting to hear your soft voice calling me deeper into you.
Give me attentive ears that begin to separate the noise from the sounds that are you;
you who have been speaking to me and through me my whole life,
for so long that you can seem like background noise.
Today help me hear you anew. — Author Unknown.
Morning Offering is a daily post by Joe Barkovich, who lives in his hometown of Welland, Ontario. Daily photo by Joe Barkovich.
Morning Offering is posted by 8 a. m.

Morning Offering: 11. 16. 22

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Today’s Reflection: Show me your way O Lord; Teach me your path. Guide me in your truth and teach me. You are God my savior, in you I place my trust all day long. —from Psalm 25:4-5
Morning Offering is a daily post by Joe Barkovich, who lives in his hometown of Welland, Ontario. Daily photo by Joe Barkovich.
Morning Offering is posted by 8 a. m.

Morning Offering: 11. 15. 22

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Today’s Reflection: Disturb us, Lord, when
We are too well pleased with ourselves,
When our dreams have come true
Because we have dreamed too little,
When we arrived safely
Because we sailed too close to the shore.

Disturb us, Lord, when
With the abundance of things we possess
We have lost our thirst
For the waters of life;
Having fallen in love with life,
We have ceased to dream of eternity
And in our efforts to build a new earth,
We have allowed our vision
Of the new Heaven to dim.

Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly,
To venture on wider seas
Where storms will show your mastery;
Where losing sight of land,
We shall find the stars.

We ask You to push back
The horizons of our hopes;
And to push into the future
In strength, courage, hope, and love. — Attributed to Sir Francis Drake, c. 1577
Morning Offering is a daily post by Joe Barkovich, who lives in his hometown of Welland, Ontario. Daily photo by Joe Barkovich.
Morning Offering is posted by 8 a. m.

Morning Offering: 11. 14. 22

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Today’s Reflection: I wish only to show reverence to all and to convert everyone more by example than by word. — St. Francis of Assisi.
Morning Offering is a daily post by Joe Barkovich, who lives in his hometown of Welland, Ontario. Daily photo by Joe Barkovich.
Morning Offering is posted by 8 a. m.