Prayer of St Francis

Sometimes you just need a prayer that covers it all.  This is the one for me.  Life gives us all things that try us in every way.  When there are trials the question is, "was that necessary?".  The older I get the more I realize that almost every time for me the answer is yes.  I can find a blessing in every trial. While the trial is going on it doesn't seem like a blessing but it can be.

Prayer of St Francis

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.
Amen.

Emily Madden

My sweet neighbor from Oklahoma is leaving tomorrow to go be what we all wish we had the courage to be.  She will be participating in the World Race, 11 countries in 11 months!  It will test her in all ways.  Most of us will never be tested like this.  I could not be more proud of the wonderful young woman she has become.  If anyone sees this, help me remember her in prayer.

Here she is being "cool" with a truly cool man, John Gleason.

Emily, I love you!  Go get em!

Burning Bush

I LOVE Earth Wind and Fire, have many of their songs on my hard drive, the one in my head.  Here is one that I had forgotten and it is so pertinent for our situation today.  It's a new year and we all need to heal as a nation.  Listen to it all, read the words, who's with me???  Let's heal!

Burnin' Bush

Earth, Wind & Fire

What does it take to show an illustration
Of the hurt and the pain of a nation.
One glowing look upon a ragged canvas
Tells the story of our past and present situation

That old bush just keeps on burning
Nobody seems to show they're learning
That old bush just keeps on burning.
I wonder will we ever feel the flame.

Our way of life on total exhibition
Shows the way in which we live of an
Imperfect nation.
This tree of life so far from perfection
Share a little love to improve our situation.

That old bush just keeps on burning
Share the hope for future learning
I wonder will we ever feel the flame

Flow of light could really stand a listen
Bring the dark to the light, show us
What we've been missing.
Not many men are satisfied
Without no light, there ain't no pride

There's gonna come a time,
Things that are on your mind.
Trust and you will find
Everything in your mind
True love is here to find
Simple as number 9
Multiply you will find
Peace and love all the time

New Years Song

A good new year song.  Hope this has been a good one, and next year all you can make of it.