A Prayer

“Pray as though everything depended on God. Work as though everything depended on you.”

St. Augustine

“Prayer is a confession of one's own unworthiness and weakness”

Mahatma Gandhi

“Don't pray when it rains if you don't pray when the sun shines.”

Satchel Paige

Dear Lord,

Here is my prayer for the day.  First of all, I love you.  I take you for granted too often, but if all I did were look up at the stars or in a child’s face, I would see that you are always there. I spend a lot of time worrying about the state of the world, but I know that you are still here, holding it together, holding me together.  Your patience with me, with us, is infinite. 

Your creations are amazing.  You are amazing.  It is not fashionable to say this, but there is so much good in this world and all of it, all of it, finds its source in You.  What’s even more amazing is that there is so much more beauty and wonder that has yet to be discovered, in the world and in each of us.  The capacity for love, for good, for beauty, and for variety is infinite.  Thank you that every day is a chance to see You, Your work and Your love for me in a new way.

Forgive me for my failures, which are constant.  Thank you that you have forgiven me for my mistakes, failures and outright hurtful decisions.  Thank you that you don’t even remember them!  Teach me how to be like You in this way, towards myself and towards others.

You have been kind, gracious, forgiving and patient with me, far more than I deserve.  Thank you.  I cannot thank you enough.  Thank you that every day, every hour, every moment is a second chance.  Thank you for all the times you have rescued me and prevented great disasters from befalling me, whether it was as an infant and being adopted or whether it was yesterday when your angels surrounded me and kept me from having a car accident.

Thank you for all the years you have been in my life, even the difficult years, especially the difficult years.

Thank you for giving me a restless spirit that finds rest in only three things:

·      Being with You

·      Being in the moment

·      Being in my Purpose.

Thank you for not letting me settle for mediocrity.  Thank you for pushing me to do more, to be more and to love more.  Thank you for giving me a Purpose, a gift, an ability that is meant to make life better for the world, for those around me and for me.  I’m not there yet, but at least, thanks to you, I’m on the path. 

The only thing I would ask of You today is that You keep me focused on the most important thing, whatever it is at that moment.  When I’m working, help me to work with all my strength.  When I’m with my girls, help me to give them all my attention.  When I’m writing, help me hear what you want me to say.  Thank you for giving me all the opportunities I have.  Help me to make the best of them.  Help me to Get Started and Keep Going…every day.

Amen.