Earth touches heaven – photo by Coe Hutchison
My weekly round up of prayers that are posted each morning on facebook at Light for the Journey and on twitter.
Lord Jesus Christ,
All things come from you,
In whom the ways of life are hidden.
All things hold together in you,
In whom the fulness of God dwells.
All things are reconciled through you,
In whom all things in heaven and earth find peace.
Thanks and praise and glory to you, Lord Christ,
You are the way the truth and the life.
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May your kingdom come O Lord,
On earth as it is in heaven,
May our words proclaim it,
And our deeds reveal it
May your kingdom come,
Through me, through us,
This day and every day,
May we feel its heartbeat of love.
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May we give thanks today,
For the wonder of love poured out,
For the beauty of life that is given,
For the joy of salvation received,
For the abundance of provision that is shared,
For the richness of friendship we enjoy,
For the glimmer of faith in the midst of doubt,
For light at the end of the tunnel,
For the glory of God in every thought and every moment,
We praise and than our God today.
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Lord may I come with all my heart,
And see it centred in you.
May I come with all my mind,
And allow it to be transformed.
May I come with all my being,
And welcome your life in all its fullness.
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Jesus expand the borders of our love,
That we might care for friends and strangers.
Jesus increase the love within our hearts,
Thant we might share with neighbours near and far.
Jesus bind us with your cords of love,
That we might be transformed into your image.
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God may we look and see what you have placed in our hands,
Five loaves, two fishes, a banquet feast for thousands,
Generosity overflowing, an inexhaustible supply,
May we taste and see, and have faith to share,
Your abundance will never run dry.
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I also thought that some of you might enjoy this prayer that comes from Prayer Changes Things
I pray today for ~
Those who are homeless to find Shelter.
Those who are depressed to discover Joy.
Those who are addicted to find Release.
Those who are lonely to find Friend.
Those who are confused or lost to find a Path.
Those who are Heartbroken to know that it will Pass.
Those who are sick to find Healing.
Those who live in darkness to be covered in Light.
Those who are Dying
to know that they have Lived.
I pray today for Peace where there is Unrest,
for love to prevail over All. In The Name Of God Amen…
Garden day at the Mustard Seed House
This morning I posted a link to this inspiring article An Urban Farm in Portland Feeds Local Neighbourhood with Help from the Disabled . It comes from one of my favourite urban farm sites City Farmer News. That made me realize that it is a while since I have posted any urban garden resources so I thought it was time to change that.
Here is the list that I posted last year in More Resources for Creating a Faith based Community Garden
Here are some other great sites to check out:
City Farmer News. This really is a site worth spending some time on. It is based in Vancouver but shares stories from all round the world.
Growing Cities provides a great hub for the urban farming movement in the US but also includes stories from all over the world.
Eagle Street Rooftop Farm. I love this inspiring example of creativity – rooftop farming on the top of an old bagel factor in Brooklyn NY
Reading International Solidarity Centre. This site has some great information on English urban gardens – from rooftops to schools.
Urban Beekeeping for those keen to have there own honey
Vertical Veg another great UK site for those that need to grow up rather than out.
Community Gardens At A Rocha Community gardens are growing in number and size across Canada and elsewhere. A Rocha resources help facilitate starting and maintaining a community garden. Hopefully A Rocha US will soon start a similar network in the US.
Backyard Chickens.com for those wanting to join the current craze for keeping chickens.
Obviously there are many sites out there with great resources for the urban farmer. What are your favourites?
As many of you know, in a couple of weeks we will celebrate our 21st annual Celtic retreat on Camano Island. There is still time to sign up. This year we have a special treat as Jeff Johnson, internationally known Celtic musician will provide music and a special service in the evening. I have used Jeff’s music for years as background for my Advent devotional videos. He is one of my favourite contemplative musicians. Here is a little more information:
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Jeff Johnson
Since 1977 Jeff Johnson has produced and recorded a body of work reflecting his journey of faith and creative musings. His many solo projects segue rich instrumental passages with songs that feature Jeff ‘s uniquely interpretive vocals producing soundscapes full of wonder and beauty.
Much of his current solo work is derived from his experience with leading the Selah service, which combines simple Taizé chant and other original choruses, hymns, as well as instrumental passages with Biblical based readings and silent prayer in the church’s rich tradition of contemplative worship.
Johnson is perhaps best known for his collaboration with Irish flutist, Brian Dunning. Their CDs have often been inspired by the evocative stories of best-selling novelist, Stephen Lawhead including the acclaimed Byzantium, which includes a track featured in the Martin Scorsese film, Gangs of New York. In addition, many of their songs have been included on some of the most popular compilations of the Contemporary Celtic genre including those released by Windham Hill and Hearts of Space.
Jeff has recently been collaborating with world renowned guitarist, Phil Keaggy, on the critically acclaimed instrumental CD, Frio Suite and the soon to be released, WaterSky.
Jeff lives on Camano Island, Washington with his wife, Susie. For more information, please visit: www.arkmusic.com
Christ Has Walked This Path music video link:
Today’s contribution is for the Lord Teach Us To Pray series.
Joy Wilson is the author of Uncensored Prayer: The Spiritual Practice of Wrestling with God, teaches her book on-line, and writes for Provoketive Magazine. She has a passion for prison ministry, and is an advocate for middle-aged and senior women, and anyone who suffers from depression. Joy’s website is joyleewilson.org and you may contact her at joyleewilson@gmail.com.
I’m a morning person. Always have been. Since I work at home as a writer and on-line instructor, I can sleep in as late as I want, but my husband has to get up at 5:30 AM, so I set the alarm clock every night. But it rarely rings, because most days I wake up naturally before then.
The first thing I do is make coffee and feed the six cats and two dogs while it brews. Then with a steaming mug of black Starbucks, I give God my full attention.
I’ve heard prayer described as talking to God and meditation as listening to God. I think both of those are inaccurate. Meditation is listening for God, whether we hear Him or not. Prayer is talking with God; words are optional. Talking with God without words? That isn’t a conversation, is it? God thinks it is.
And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groaning that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who know all hearts know what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will Romans 8:26-27 (NASB).
Did Jesus ever pray without words? I think he did.
One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God Luke 6:12 (NIV).
There were several reasons he did this. First, he had a very important decision to make the following day, and wanted God’s advice. Jesus was listening for God.
When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles Luke 6:13 (NIV).
Second, he needed a break from the crowds. He had “one of those days” a lot.
Jesus said, ‘You faithless and corrupt people! How long must I be with you and put up with you? Luke 9:41 (NLT).
Even Jesus got cranky when he was too tired.
Third, he wanted to spend some time talking with his Dad – sharing about what was happening, venting about his dense disciples and having to deal with the Pharisees, bouncing ideas back and forth.
And then I think part of the time the two of them sat together in companionable silence, just enjoying each other’s company.
“Be still, and know that I am God” Psalm 46:10 (NIV).
What does that have to do with prayer? Luke 6:12 says Jesus “spent the night praying to God,” but he didn’t have to talk all the time for God to hear him. Words aren’t always necessary for communication. There, in the quiet of the night, God heard his son’s deep need for rest and restoration, and answered it by giving him peace.
Remember skinning your knee as a child, and running, crying to your Mom or Dad? All you wanted was to be held. All they had to do right then was hug you to make things better. Have you ever cried out, “Oh God help me!” when you hurt really bad, and perhaps heard nothing in reply, but felt comforted which, at the moment, was even more important than answers or solutions? Nothing else needed to be said. Perhaps nothing else could be said.
Have you ever walked in the woods, looked up at the stars, or held a sleeping baby and sensed the presence of God? You and the Lord shared that sacred moment together. That was prayer, too.
God doesn’t have rules about prayer; we do. God says, “Come as you are. I already know what you think, so say whatever you want. I already know how you feel, so it’s OK to scream at me or crawl up into my lap in silence. Just reach out. I’m here.”
“And if you don’t want to talk, that’s fine. I may not talk, either.”
The post for today is the next installment in the Lord Teach Us To Pray series. Today’s post comes from Kimberlee Conway Ireton. Kimberlee is the author of The Circle of Seasons: Meeting God in the Church Year. Even though she’s completely unqualified, she blogs three times a week about great writing, great kids, and great faith.
I stand at the kitchen sink, washing kale for salad. Out the window, I can see my son shooting arrows across the backyard. He looses ten or twelve and then scampers out of sight to find them.
I dump the dirty water down the sink drain, and my vision shifts from beyond the window to the window itself. Little rectangles of paper line the window casing.
Each rectangle has a name on it. My eyes fall on the one that says, “PNC,” and I breathe a prayer for our church’s Pastor Nominating Committee. I pray that God would guide them, give them wisdom and discernment.
I shake out the wet kale leaves and pray for stamina and patience for the committee members.
As I slice the ribs off the kale, tear the leaves into small pieces, and toss them in our wooden salad bowl, I pray for agreement among these eight people who are looking for our next senior pastor.
Until recently, I struggled to actually pray for the people to whom I had pledged my prayers. It’s not that I didn’t want to pray for them, not that I wasn’t praying for other things (uh, mostly myself). All too often, I would just forget.
Then, almost two years ago, I started a prayer window. I’m not sure what inspired me to do this (though I suspect the Holy Spirit had something to do with it). On a quarter of an index card, I wrote down the names of the people I wanted to pray for and taped the little rectangles to my kitchen window.
Since I spend a fair amount of time at my kitchen sink, I see these names many, many times a day. And when I see them, I pray.
I have posted names of people seeking work, of people fighting illness, of couples whose marriages are failing, of writers seeking book contracts. Most of these people I know. Some, though, I do not. They are friends of friends, acquaintances from church and my online communities, or even strangers I’ve read about whose plight has tugged at my heart.
The scripture window has helped me remember to pray for those I have said I would pray for. It has inspired me to pray for others more than at any other time in my life.
Outside the window, my son is back at his arrow-loosing spot, and I am distracted watching him shoot off another round. By the time he is done, I am finished with the kale. As I turn toward the stove to saute the chicken, another rectangle on the window catches my eye. I breathe a prayer for a friend who is caring for her ailing mother. This reminds me of two other friends who are caring for their mothers.
As I melt butter into a pan and watch the chicken sizzle and brown, I pray for these friends, too, breathing the words of the Jesus Prayer on their behalf, adding my own hopes and desires, and bringing it all to God.
An Invitation:
Make Your Own Prayer Window.
1. Choose the window.
Actually, it doesn’t have to be a window. It could be a designated space on your cubicle wall at work, or a post-it stuck to the dashboard of your car, or a note on your front door. The only criterion is that it be a place you will see often.
2. Write the cards.
Once you’ve chosen the window, write down the names of the people or situations for which you want to pray. Start small, with the names of just one or two people or situations. As you find yourself praying over these names, you can add others that God places on your heart and mind.
3. Whenever you see the cards, pray.
If you struggle to find words to pray, try the Jesus Prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on (fill in the name).” Often, once I get started by voicing (or thinking) the Jesus Prayer a time or two, I find I have my own requests concerning the person for whom I’m praying that I want to bring before God.
A prayer window is great, but it only prompts you to pray. You have to do the actual praying. So: Remember to see the cards. Remember to pray when you do.
Abundant flowers at the Mustard Seed House
Yesterday I posted on Why Does God’s Path Always Seem So Narrow?, a reflection on our need to be thankful for the abundant blessings of God that are already present in this moment. Out of that has flowed this litany of thankfulness to God. Enjoy!
God the fulfiller of enduring promises,
Christ the sharer of abundant love,
Spirit the giver of eternal life,
Holy Trinity, One in essence, Three in person,
For your welcome to this lavish feast of plenty,
We praise and thank you today.
God of the plentiful and ever giving heart,
Christ of the generous and overflowing bounty,
Spirit who gives enough for our own needs and abundance for every good work,
Holy Trinity, One in essence, Three in person,
For the wonder of your provision that never runs dry,
We praise and thank you today.
God whose love never gives up,
Christ whose forgiveness never says no,
Spirit whose mercy never lets go,
Holy Trinity, One in essence, Three in person,
For the hope and promise of your inexhaustible abundance,
We praise and thank you today.
God may we look and see your abundance pressing in all around,
Rich fruit, luxuriant growth, laden branches hanging low,
May we remember they can obscure the path that winds so narrow out before us,
Holy Trinity, One in essence, Three in person,
May we remember your provision is inexhaustible, a harvest that never ends,
And give you praise and thanks this day.
God as we eat from your table of plenty,
May we see what you have placed in our hands,
Beauty beyond words, creativity beyond imagining, generosity overflowing,
Everything God bathed, Son drenched, Spirit inspired,
May we taste and see that all you give is good,
And raise our voices in praise and thanks and gratitude.
Amen
God’s narrow pathway laden with abundance
Our 21st annual Celtic retreat is only three weeks away. This year our theme is gratitude and thanksgiving. In preparation, at the MSA team meeting last week, as part of our discernment process, we took time to look back with heartfelt gratitude for the many blessings of God and for the incredible and often unexpected ways that God has provided. We thanked God for the gifts of friendships woven into a community of faithfulness.
We thanked God for the amazing ways that both Andy Wade and Cindy Todd came to be a part of our team, unexpected and much appreciated blessings. We thanked God for the volunteers who expand our team – for Forrest and Ryan and Jessica working on the CCSP Cascadia project. For Hannah working in the garden and for Nick helping us in the office over the summer, for our summer intern Chris, and Jackie who gives administrative assistance. For others like Wolt and James and Jon, Ricci and Judy who assist on a regular basis. For our book keeper Nancy. For those who contribute to this and the MSA blog. For those who help us with the Celtic retreat. The list went on and on and as we talked about this gratitude, awe and expectation welled up within us.
Andy commented: God’s narrow path is a wide open way of blessing and joy. It is narrow because it is surrounded by amazing abundance, with fruit and luxuriant growth hanging down. It is only narrow and sometimes hard to find because it is filled with so much abundance.
Hydrangeas obscure the path
I couldn’t help but think of that as I trimmed away my sage bush on Saturday so that the mailman could get to the letter box. The fragrance of discarded branches clung to my clothes. I also thought of it as I surveyed my hydrangeas so laden with flowers that they obscure the path beside them. Those I did not touch. When I focused on the beauty of the flowers it didn’t seem to matter that the pathway had disappeared.
How often do we miss the abundance of God because we want to make the pathway wider and easier to follow I wondered? How often do we cut down the luxuriant growth and fruit that God is growing because we are obsessed with always seeing and knowing where the way leads? How often do we missed what God has blessed us with here and now in this moment because our vision is focused somewhere out ahead where the pathway is still obscured?
God may we look and see your abundance pressing in all around.
Rich fruit, luxuriant growth, laden branches hanging low.
May we remember that sometimes they obscure the path that winds so narrow out before us.
May we remember that your provision is inexhaustible, like a plate of food that will never be empty.
May we taste and see that all you give is good,
And raise our voices in praise and thanks and gratitude.
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