FCCR-ACE Prayer Blog

Congregationalists Learning to Pray

Hi God,

It’s late and I’m confused.
I’ve had too many things
running around in my mind.
Very little seems clear.
Like the text book.
Is it wrong, out of date,
or just an alternate reality?
If I fix its errors,
do I make things worse?
Even more confusing?
If I don’t fix its errors,
am I saddling my students
with the no-longer relevant?
Does it matter?
I no longer have any idea.

So my prayer today,
is to ask You to help me
find some time to sit
and gather a few clues.
Of course, while I’m sitting,
you get stuck with the job
of providing said clues.
Sounds like fun? I hope?

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

Amen

Hi God,

I’ve been thinking
about Judah and Tamar.
I think it’s because James Dobson,
the alleged purveyor of family values,
also the bigot who speaks in your name,
recently retired from the radio business.

His retirement got me thinking
about family values,
about Bible-based family values.
So naturally, that leads me
to Judah and Tamar.
That story isn’t exactly
the model of good behavior
that the rest of us should emulate.

So my prayer today is
that you help us find better
models for family values.
Better models than Judah and Tamar,
and better models and James Dobson,
with his sunshiney bigotry.

I also ask you, please,
to have mercy on my soul,
intemperate sinner though I be.

Amen

Bible Reference
Genesis:38

Wow, it’s March already and
I hardly feel like the Christmas decorations
have been stored away.
Maybe because a few stragglers
still abide in my sight.

Paperwork continues to pile up.
I trick myself by reshuffeling the mounds
that I have dealt with some of it, but no.

I promise to do things and then forget
to follow through, creating more stress.

Help me, at least for today,
to feel forgiven for yesterday’s failings
and to start anew with fresh hope that
I can do whatever I need to do today
with your help, dear God.

Oh, and be with all our kids and their kids
and extended relationships,
and our parents and relations,
as we cannot
be everywhere like you can.

Hi God,

The day seemed a bit grim;
the check-book balancing,
in preparation for tax calculations,
seemed a bit grim;
not getting things done
that I need to address
seemed a bit grim;
even walking the dogs
seemed grim today.

So my prayer today
is to ask that you remind me that
cultivating equanimity in the face of set backs
wouldn’t be such a bad idea.
Somehow, I keep forgetting.
The occasional friendly reminder
wouldn’t hurt, would it?

Also, I ask you, please,
to have mercy on my soul
grim sinner though I be.

Amen

Hi God,

Between the Olympics and sumo,
I see that big-time athletes
have a mental toughness
that I can’t even imagine.
It’s a form of faithfulness, I suppose.
How do they cultivate that?

My prayer today is you help us
to learn to cultivate
faithfulness to the mission
you have set for us,
whatever that might be.

I also ask you, please,
to have mercy on my soul,
feckless sinner though I be.

Amen