Discovery

Good day,

God. It is indeed a wonderful day that You have created. My choice today is to delight in the smallest details of this life You have given me. I intend to search out Your joy in my heart, to seek Your beauty in design, shape and spirit. My hope is to feel the warmth of the sun and the gentle brush of my cat's tail against my leg. My desire is to pay attention to the face of each person I encounter, praying that they may reach out for You, seeking and finding, knowing and believing in all that You are. Amen.

Open Hearts, Open Minds

Dear God, our hearts originated with Your heart, and our thoughts with Your thoughts. But sometimes we discover that we have separated ourselves from You, devising our own ways and means apart from Your loving, graceful intent. We pray then to reacquaint ourselves with the strength and peace of opening our hearts to You through opening our lives to our neighbors, friends, colleagues, those with whom we have differences, and even those with whom we experience conflict. We pray then to remind ourselves of Your creativity in solving the unsolvable and Your ability to unwrap the mysterious, revealing the truth that makes us free and binds us to You. Amen.

For Today

Gentle Shepherd, We are about our own work today, focusing on a direction for our lives, then running with it for all we are worth. Our habit is to believe that nothing else matters but to reach the goal, the end of the day, with as much done as possible. You did a lot in six days, right? Aren't we supposed to emulate You in our thoughts, words, and, particularly our actions? This is what you want from us, isn't it?

Perhaps we have confused creativity, the joy with which you brought the world into being, with mad, frenzied doing. Perhaps we may ease our attention to the direction you have for us to follow, for today, and in doing so, we may feel the joy you felt on Saturday evening when you decided to rest and rejoice. Amen.

Evening

Heavenly Creator, as the sun eases softly to rest and remembrance, so we gather our thoughts, closing our day. All we have accomplished, all we have left undone, has shaped this place in time called today. Have we welcomed You to co-author the stories that remain among us? Have we encouraged others to share in the delight of Your presence? If not today, tomorrow comes, and with it, the fresh chance to nurture Your spirit within us, with grace, and truth and love. Amen.

To God Who Tends Us

Great Earthly Gardner, you gently tend our souls, hurture our hearts and sustain our spirits. Like fresh flowers dancing with the wind, you partner your energy with us at creation, forever linking your vitality and generosity to our growth and strength. Thank you that we are rooted in you, and through you, to each other. Amen.

They Who Now Mourn

The Virginia Tech web site simply states: "Two shootings on campus today have left 33 dead. Thirty-one, including the gunman, died at Norris Hall; two died at West Amber Johnston Hall."

Where to begin? With prayer, I think.

Prayer for families who are about to hear or have already heard that their child died this morning at the hands of an unknown gunman. Prayer for the wounded and their families. Prayer for the people who witnessed these attacks and came out alive. Prayer for the faculty and staff and students who will be back on this campus in the days to come. Prayer for the medical teams who cared for those who lived and attended to those who died. Prayer for law enforcement authorities who will be investigating and sorting through the pieces of information to understand the whole of it, what happened and why.

Prayer is where we must start because it is too soon for anything other than making our way to the love of God from which nothing can separate us. We must pray for those touched by this tragedy because they may not be able to pray for themselves. This is our time to carry their burden of sorrow and grief until they can carry it for themselves.

Tonight we pray and tomorrow the Virginia Tech community will gather to begin the process of healing. The university's president, Charles Steger, has said this is what must come first so that they can decide what must come next. We will be with them in prayer through whatever comes next. Amen.

Journeying

Welcome, God, to sharing this day with me. Whatever it holds, You are already here, standing beside me, working with me, guiding me with love and grace through each step of the way.

Today I dance with You, skipping joyfully, flirting with the breeze. Your refreshing spirit swirls through me, lifting me with inspiration and hope beyond the boundaries of my wildest dreams. With You in my heart I can only know Your peace and goodness in its fullest measure.

Today I know Your presence and believe Your promises of faith and love, understanding that you will always listen, always hear my voice even when those around me may not. You know my needs, my wants, my desires, and You feel them keenly. You cherish me with tenderness and mercy.

Today I am grateful, content that You are always with me, walking, talking and sharing my heart on this journey. Amen.