"Give us this day! "

(A meditation on each word(s)
of the Lord's prayer)

Lord,
Give us this day
to live and share our love.

Lord,
Give us this day
to take delight in You.

Lord, 
Give us this day
to be peacemakers in this hostile world. 

Lord,
Give us this day
to be patient in this "me-first" world.

Lord,
Give us this day
to show kindness to strangers.

Lord, 
Give us this day
to value our friendships.

Lord,
At the end of this day
may we surrender all back to You
and petition You, 
our heavenly Father
to grant us one more day.

"Give us this day"

(A meditation on each word(s) 

of the Lord's prayer)

The Hand You’re Dealt

Every day

God deals us

our hand

for the day.

Some of us

fold

in resignation.

Some of us

bluff

our way 

through the day.

And the rest

play the game

the way the Master 

taught them.

"...our daily bread"

(A meditation on each word(s) 

of the Lord's prayer)

The people of the Empire

wonder why 

the God of abundance

parcels out

His Providence

in daily packages,

while 

the rest of the world

utters a 

grateful

alleluia. 

The Vast Ocean Begins Just Outside Our Church: The Eucharist

Something has happened
to the bread
and the wine.
They have been blessed.
What now?
The body leans forward
to receive the gift
from the priest’s hand,
then the chalice.

They are something else now
from what they were
before this began.

I want
to see Jesus,
maybe in the clouds
or on the shore,
just walking,
beautiful man
and clearly
someone else
besides.

On the hard days
I ask myself
if I ever will.

Also there are times
my body whispers to me
that I have.

Mary Oliver

Happiness by Carl Sandburg

I asked the professors who teach the meaning of life to tell
     me what is happiness.
And I went to famous executives who boss the work of
     thousands of men.
They all shook their heads and gave me a smile as though
     I was trying to fool with them
And then one Sunday afternoon I wandered out along
     the Desplaines river
And I saw a crowd of Hungarians under the trees with
     their women and children and a keg of beer and an
     accordion.

“On earth as it is in heaven”

(A meditation on each word(s) 

of the Lord's prayer)

Christian Nation

How will the

people of the Empire

who value

freedom

and 

individual rights

be able to

comprehend

an eternal life 

under

the singular rule 

of a 

King

and 

a world

based on

serving

community

rather than 

self-interests?

"Be done"

(A meditation on each word(s) 

of the Lord's prayer)

Why can't 

Your will

be done 

like mine?

Just

cross off

another

task from

the to do list.

Instead

Your will

is accomplished

by the faithful

doing its best

to follow 

Your path

with their crosses

in an 

eternal march

You lead.

"Thy will"

(A meditation on each word(s) 

of the Lord's prayer)

I hate clichés.

But 

where 

there

is a

will,

there

is a

way.

And

we don't need

to search for direction.

For 

You 

declared:

I AM

the 

Way.

Teaching us Your will 

by

 following You.

Lord,

may we 

fulfill Your will

by 

moving closer

to You

each day

in Word,

Work,

and Worship.

Amen.

I'll Be Your Mirror

Songwriters: Reed, Lou / Lang, David

I'll be your mirror 

Reflect what you are, in case you don't know 

I'll be the wind, the rain and the sunset 

The light on your door to show that you're home 

When you think the night has seen your mind 

That inside you're twisted and unkind 

Let me stand to show that you are blind 

Please put down your hands 

'Cause I see you 

I find it hard to believe you don't know 

The beauty that you are 

But if you don't let me be your eyes 

A hand in your darkness, so you won't be afraid 

When you think the night has seen your mind 

That inside you're twisted and unkind 

Let me stand to show that you are blind 

Please put down your hands 

'Cause I see you 

I'll be your mirror

I'll be your mirror

I'll be your mirror

Music - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFQWflbG4h4

"Come"

(A meditation on each word(s)

 of the Lord's prayer)

On the second Christmas,

When He comes.

Not as a baby

But as the King.

No star directing those to see Him

But He who is the Light in the darkness

Not escaping to Egypt

But reclaiming those who kept the faith.

No gifts from the wise men

But reviewing what the faithful and unfaithful

did with theirs.

On the second Christmas,

When He comes.

“Thy Kingdom”

(A meditation on each word(s) 

of the Lord's prayer)

I agree.

This is Your kingdom.

Where Your Presence

permeates the

place like

a mustard tree

annihilates a

garden

or the 

yeast that goes

throughout the 

loaf.

A kingdom that

has a declaration

that every ruler

has dreamed of -

A kingdom that will

never end.

A kingdom

whose citizens are

the ones 

who found the pearl

and knew its

true value.

The ones who 

kept their hand

on the plow

without looking back

Where

good thieves

tax collectors

prostitutes

the childlike

are allowed in.

While the rich 

desperately hope 

for their

advocates

to show up.