FCCR-ACE Prayer Blog

Congregationalists Learning to Pray

Hi God,

No big surprise here,
but I’m thinking about dogs again.
Dogs are stinky, stupid and annoying.
Yet we love them dearly.

So I’m wondering if
you find people to be like that:
stinky, stupid and annoying,
but dearly beloved just the same?
I certainly hope so,
the dearly beloved part, anyway.

So my prayer today
is you help us to feel your love,
even during the times we might be
stinky, stupid and annoying.

Also, please have mercy on my soul,
stinky, stupid and annoying sinner that I be.

Amen

Hi God,

I noticed yesterday
that the grass is beginning to grow.
That’s a good thing. Right?
That’s what we’ve dreamed about
for the past six months. Right?
So how come
that the first thing
that came to my mind
was dread at the realization
that I’ll soon have to begin mowing?

Instead of “the grass is growing;
Oh, crap! I’ll have to mow.”
How ‘bout teaching me to reframe this?
“The grass is growing;
Oh goodie, I get to mow:
mowing means playing with Brewster in the yard;
mowing means listening to Red Sox games;
mowing means feeling the warm sun on my back;
mowing means a nice, cold beer when I’m done.”

So my prayer today
is that you help my initial impulses
find a way to grasp the positives,
rather than the negatives,
in whatever situation arises.

Also, please have mercy on my soul,
sinner though I seem to be.

Amen

Why do Christians in so many places
wave palms and eat pancakes on the same day?

What is it about panckaes that pleases you Lord?

Is it just that they both start with the same letter?

I don’t like pancakes
never did

they are such an innocuous mixture of flour egg and milk
and all too often slathered in a sickly sweet confection some call syrup

so what is it about pancakes that so many find necessary to begin holy week with?

God
Just asking Amen

Where has Lent gone?
So many intentions….
So few follow-throughs….
I know, you forgive me anyway.
Forgiving myself is the trick, I guess…

If you are so gracious and so loving and so forgiving,
why is it so hard for me to accept the Gift and move on,
in a state of newness and forgiveness?
Why must I keep flogging myself or walking
around as though nothing has happened and I am still
burdened by my deed or undone deed?

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if I could begin each day saying
Thank You for the Gift of new life you give This Day and
then spending the day acting as though I really appreciated
that Gift?

God, This Day, help me try…..

Amen

Hi God,

I’m off to visit my mother.
It’s a long drive.
I expect to tangle
with a lot of people
driving inappropriately.
Some of them will think
that I’m the inappropriate driver.

My prayer today
is that you help us both
to stop for a moment
to place ourselves
in the other’s seat.
What might his, her, or my
particular issue be?
Can we have compassion
for the other even though
we’re momentarily finding
that other one to be annoying?
Please help that be so.

Also, please have mercy on my soul,
sinner though I be.

Amen