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: 01. 19. 24

Today’s Reflection: Dear Lord, keep working on me. —Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration.

 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: 01. 18. 24

Today’s Reflection: A New Serenity Prayer

God, grant me the serenity
to accept the people I cannot change,
which is pretty much everyone,
since I’m clearly not you, God.
At least not the last time I checked.

And while you’re at it, God,
please give me the courage
to change what I need to change about myself,
which is frankly a lot, since, once again,
I’m not you, which means I’m not perfect.
It’s better for me to focus on changing myself
than to worry about changing other people,
who, as you’ll no doubt remember me saying,
I can’t change anyway.

Finally, give me the wisdom to just shut up
whenever I think that I’m clearly smarter
than everyone else in the room,
that no one knows what they’re talking about except me,
or that I alone have all the answers.

Basically, God,
grant me the wisdom
to remember that I’m
not you. Amen. — Fr. James Martin, SJ

 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: 01. 17. 24

Today’s Reflection:  Give us the wisdom to discover You, the diligence to seek after You, the patience to wait for You. — Jesuits

 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: 01. 16. 24

Today’s Reflection:  As we serve others we are working on ourselves.
Every act, every word, every gesture of genuine compassion naturally nourishes our own hearts as well. It is not a question of who is healed first. When we attend to ourselves with compassion and mercy,
more healing is made available for others. And when we serve others with an open and generous heart, great healing comes to us. —Mahatma Gandhi

 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: 01. 15. 24

Today’s Reflection:  God alone suffices. —  St. Teresa of Avila

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: 01. 14. 24

Today’s Reflection:  The most life-giving elements of our human existence are not the heart transplants or moon shots. They are the unnoticed conversations with the lonely ones; the listening ear we offer to the hurting ones; the word of affirmation that lifts a veil of fear.— Margaret Silf

 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: 01. 13. 24

Today’s Reflection: Serenity Prayer (full version)

God grant me the serenity

To accept the things I cannot change;

Courage to change the things I can;

And 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 things right

If I surrender to His Will;

So that I may be reasonably happy in this life

And supremely happy with Him

Forever and ever in the next.

Amen.— Reinhold Neibuhr

 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: 01. 12. 24

Today’s Reflection:  God’s unconditional love is the balm that heals our wounds. —  Jesuit prayer site

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: 01. 11. 24

Today’s Reflection:  Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. — from Peace Prayer of 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.

Morning Offering: 01. 10. 24

Today’s Reflection:  Strive to preserve your heart in peace; let no event of this world disturb it. — St. John of the Cross

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.