FCCR-ACE Prayer Blog

Congregationalists Learning to Pray

Hi God,

In today’s reading,
James says,
“A good person’s prayer,
is powerful and effective.”
I’m not sure what that means.
I’m pretty sure it doesn’t mean
that I would get a new iPod
if only I prayed properly,
and was a generally good person.

So what is the effect of prayer?
Earlier, James talks about patience.
So I guess the answer,
in a way,
is that if I remain patient,
and continue to pray,
I’ll understand one day.

So my prayer today
is that you give us patience
to remain faithful
whether or not there appear
to be immediate benefits.
Help us focus on a longer view.

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

Amen

scripture reference:
James 5:16

OK God

How can I not be grateful for the blessings that have been showered down upon me?

Your graciousness in the good things in my life should be shouted about.( but still I have these little niggeling thoughts that get in the way)
I am so blessed to have a loving family who overlook my shortcomings (most of the time)
I am so blessed to have employment to provide security in my day to day life (even if it is not terribly fullfilling work at least it pays the bills)
I am so blessed to have healthcare coverage (so that should I or my family need it hopefully it wouldn’t bankrupt us to become ill.)
I am so blessed to have a vacation on the horizon (Pennsylvania is nice but Prague would be better).
I am so blessed that the closest I come to hunger and poverty is in the movies ( Even so Slumdog Millionaire seems overated to me)

Lord help chase the niggeling thoughts away so that I might focus more on the greater blessings.

Thanks for not getting tired of prayers that are repetitive and may seem like a mantra after awhile…

Yours always…Connie

Hi God,

The reading I did today,
which may or may not be the correct one,
some issues with time scales here,
said we were to contemplate “joy”.
As a depressive, I’m not
completely sure I know what joy is.
However, I do appreciate blessings,
so, I’ll think about
some of this morning’s blessings.

It really helps to have a beautiful morning
when you’re thinking about blessings.
Cold and dank doesn’t generally cut it.
But this morning, because of the time change,
the sun wasn’t so far up
when Brewster and I headed out.
So we had that miracle known as Rayleigh scattering
provide a golden glow to the trees,
many of which had ice coatings.
Thus, we got golden halos on the trees,
or something like that.

Then we were blessed by a cardinal,
he was high in a tree,
having a fine time singing,
allowing the rising sun to
enhance his already bright plumage.

And it’s got to be a blessing
to have the sun do half of the work
required to clear off my back steps.
Yup, solar heating is indeed a blessing.

Later on, I expect, I’ll feel blessed
that my grandpuppy is coming for a visit.
She, Brewster and I will haunt the neighborhood
to see if any new sights or smells
have materialized since our last haunting
a few days ago.

I dunno, dogs take such joy in simple things.
I think there might be a lesson in that for me.
I think I may have already expressed
that thought a time or two.
I hope you don’t mind repetition.

So I guess my prayer today
is to thank you for providing
simple things in which we can take joy.
Please remind us, even us glass-half-empty types,
to stop to appreciate those simple things.

Also, please have mercy on my soul,
sinner that I am.

Amen

Dear God,

Thanks for the story on NPR today about the Gleaners in Paris. I think the reporter wanted us to pity the gleaners…

that they are so poor that they are PICKING through the garbage of the farmers market for the leftover produce rather than BUYING the best produce from the farmers.

And I do feel bad for the gleaners having to pick through the garbage
BUT then I also thought this activity has gone on for centuries, why should I expect it should end. ( My cynicism comes to the front)

Shouldn’t I be glad that the standards are so high that what the sellers regard as unsaleable is still quite useful..I mean a tomato that might not be good enough to slice for a sandwich could still cook up into a fine sauce. Bruised fruit can still make fine jams.

Was the grain missed by the intial harvesters in the field garbage? No it was quite useful and although it was time consuming and back breaking work the value of the leftover grain was not missed by those who needed it. What would they have done without that leftover grain. They would have suffered greater hunger than they did already.

The same with the boys who picked up the coal along the train tracks to heat their homes. It was lost as far as the railroads were concerned…. too little over too large an area to recover but it was a godsend to a cold family who could use the coal their boys brought home

So Lord TODAY I ask that you help me pick through the garbage of my thoughts and deeds and where pehaps I have deemed unusable you help me to realize the value. Help me see the sauce when I am looking for a slicing tomato. Help me find the warmth in a castoff phrase or idea. And Lord be with the hungry that they might not have to sacrafice their dignity to eat.

Amen

Today I pray for calmed waters, in the midst of great storms.
I ask for peace for my sister-in-law, as she makes decisions on how she will die.
I ask for comfort for my brother as he feels helpless right now, and for my sister and I as we don’t know how to assist either one.
I look for strength for a friend’s extended family dealing with four generations of cancer patients at once.
I ask for a bit of sleep for Joe who is now on meds to battle his pneumonia.
I ask for guidance for our church family as we move into an new age of being your servants at FCCOR.
I ask for courage for our country’s leaders, that they might find a way to work together towards a brighter future for all.
Calm our troubled souls, I pray and comfort us in our distress.

Amen