FCCR-ACE Prayer Blog

Congregationalists Learning to Pray

Hi God,

The visit with the in-laws went well.
They seem to have accepted their fate,
to have a son-in-law like me,
with good grace.
We had some nice chats
and shared in some errands.

The news folks in NH are busy 
stirring up the populace
over the issue of gay marriage.
They claim it will be bad for families.
I don't see how that can be. 
I wish someone would show me how.
But, of course, they can't.

So my prayer today
is that, whatever we think about gay people,
we actually get serious about _supporting_ families:
    that we see that all children have health care
    that we see that all children have good schools
    that we see that all children live in a clean place 
        and are able to have nutritious meals. 
    That we see that parents aren't forced apart
        by debt or unemployment
    That we see that parents aren't forced apart 
        because they can't afford proper marriage or family counseling 
        to help resolve their differences. 

Is is asking too much
that people who bloviate over families
actually demonstrate, in practical ways, 
that they are truly serious about _families_?
I'm beginning to think so,
but I know you can change hearts.
Please, do change ours.

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

Amen

Limited education would prove to be an obstacle for Patrick, and considering that “every word [he] spoke had to be translated into a foreign tongue,”⁴¹ communicating with the pagans in Ireland became a daunting task.

A complete lack of adequate translators hindered Saint Patrick’s attempts to explain the Gospel message and herald his message of the dogma of Jesus Christ. In fact, later Christian missionaries aware of the challenges faced by Patrick would ensure that a sufficient knowledge of foreign languages was known before embarking on missions abroad. Jesuit missionaries in later years would pay particular attention to the details of languages while traveling in Asia and North America.
(source wikipedia)

Dear God

Help me to learn the foreign language of those around me

the men the teenagers the business people the republicans
the economists…
the conservatives
the folks who believe that military invasion/occupation is the right path
the union folks who prefer layoffs to wage freezes
the basketball junkies

not just so I can tell them my own personal dogma but so that I might understand what they are trying to tell me as well.

amen

Hi God,

We’re off to check in on the in-laws.
I pray that we’ll find them in fine fettle,
and also that the day and a half away
will prove energizing for us.

Please grant peace of mind
to those who aren’t doing so well,
…and even to those are.
Also, please have mercy on my soul,
sinner though I be.

Amen

Well God,

It seems like you blessed me by seeing to it that I was out of town for what promised to have been some clear displays of intolerance.

I thank you for that.

I so want to focus
on the beauty and joy around me

and although I know
the darker and unpleasant sides of life are around me

I do so much better emotionally and psychologically
when I can stick my head in the mountains as it were
and carry on just loving the beauty of the days you have made….

Yet somehow I don’t think that beauty is all you would have me focus on …
with that I ask you
to help me find the best ways to be a force for good
in doing your work with the unpleasantness that surrounds us.

Ways that don’t compromise
my fragile well being that I struggle to maintain.

Amen.

God,
Thank you for caring grandparents
who travel several times a year from PA to
visit their granddaughter.
Despite the divorce which separated her parents,
our granddaughter knows that she is surrounded
by loving family and friends.
Help us to remember that we can be the loving influence
someone needs to feel worthy.
Give us smiles and hugs and affirming words to share
with those around us, that we can show your love.

Amen