Friday, August 27, 2004
O Lord,
this is another day
you have put into my hand,
a beautiful gift,
a time to yet chose you
instead of the darkness,
to walk with you
instead of walk alone,
a time yet
to do the work you ask for,
a time to love
as you have taught us to love.
O Lord,
this is another day
you have put into my hand.
May I use it
to heal and not to hurt,
to comfort instead of demand satisfaction,
to aid instead of harm,
to be your lantern
intead of filled with my own dark.
O Lord,
this day,
make me an instrument of your peace,
the beacon sharing your hope,
the channel of your light.
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
this is another day
you have put into my hand,
a beautiful gift,
a time to yet chose you
instead of the darkness,
to walk with you
instead of walk alone,
a time yet
to do the work you ask for,
a time to love
as you have taught us to love.
O Lord,
this is another day
you have put into my hand.
May I use it
to heal and not to hurt,
to comfort instead of demand satisfaction,
to aid instead of harm,
to be your lantern
intead of filled with my own dark.
O Lord,
this day,
make me an instrument of your peace,
the beacon sharing your hope,
the channel of your light.
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
Thursday, August 26, 2004
You warned us long ago
of how the world, shrouded in darkness,
would react to the light,
the light you chose to shine on it,
the light you lit
to enkindle hope
in the hearts of your children.
You gave us your peace
while the world gives us scorn,
You gave us your love
while the world strikes out in hate
You gave us the call
to do all in your name
while the world tries to stifle,
and muzzle,
and muffle,
and silence
all that we offer.
Lord,
help those of us who love you
to be lanterns
even as the world strives
to extinguish you light that we carry.
Help us to be carriers
of your living water
across the dry and weary land
even as others seek to dry up the source,
to be bearers of your hope
to those who feel there is no hope
in spite of those who want none
to bear that hope in their hearts.
Lord, may we have the strength
to be your witnesses
in small things as well as large,
may we have the love to love
even in our pain,
may we have the secret joy
that only comes
from knowing the source of true joy.
May we be channels of your living mercy
filled to the brim, overflowing,
ready to share that mercy
this day,
and always,
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
of how the world, shrouded in darkness,
would react to the light,
the light you chose to shine on it,
the light you lit
to enkindle hope
in the hearts of your children.
You gave us your peace
while the world gives us scorn,
You gave us your love
while the world strikes out in hate
You gave us the call
to do all in your name
while the world tries to stifle,
and muzzle,
and muffle,
and silence
all that we offer.
Lord,
help those of us who love you
to be lanterns
even as the world strives
to extinguish you light that we carry.
Help us to be carriers
of your living water
across the dry and weary land
even as others seek to dry up the source,
to be bearers of your hope
to those who feel there is no hope
in spite of those who want none
to bear that hope in their hearts.
Lord, may we have the strength
to be your witnesses
in small things as well as large,
may we have the love to love
even in our pain,
may we have the secret joy
that only comes
from knowing the source of true joy.
May we be channels of your living mercy
filled to the brim, overflowing,
ready to share that mercy
this day,
and always,
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
Wednesday, August 25, 2004
O Lord,
you hear the calling
of your children on earth,
the weeping of the wronged,
the grief of the bereft,
the misery of those who live through injustice.
How you long to show mercy to us.
O Lord,
you see your children
choosing each to go their own way,
choosing to believe
the whispers of the darkness
the promises of emptiness
the answers of meaninglessness.
How you are ready to have mercy on us.
O Lord,
you taught us what was true,
you who gave your life
as a sacrifice,
a sign,
a token
a marker in the wilderness,
in that wondrous outreach
where you showed us your true mercy,
yet like the father of the prodigal,
you let us all go our own way,
until we come to our senses
and realize what we have lost.
O Lord,
on that day
which comes to each of us,
some time
at some dark moment,
when like the prodigal
we awake and realize our emptiness,
when we reach out for your light,
may we find the hand of those you send to guide us
pointing us to the way home.
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
you hear the calling
of your children on earth,
the weeping of the wronged,
the grief of the bereft,
the misery of those who live through injustice.
How you long to show mercy to us.
O Lord,
you see your children
choosing each to go their own way,
choosing to believe
the whispers of the darkness
the promises of emptiness
the answers of meaninglessness.
How you are ready to have mercy on us.
O Lord,
you taught us what was true,
you who gave your life
as a sacrifice,
a sign,
a token
a marker in the wilderness,
in that wondrous outreach
where you showed us your true mercy,
yet like the father of the prodigal,
you let us all go our own way,
until we come to our senses
and realize what we have lost.
O Lord,
on that day
which comes to each of us,
some time
at some dark moment,
when like the prodigal
we awake and realize our emptiness,
when we reach out for your light,
may we find the hand of those you send to guide us
pointing us to the way home.
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
Tuesday, August 24, 2004
Today I saw
a single chickadee
hopping
in and out of the green leaves
of my forsythia,
waiting impatiently
for me to move
so he could get
to the sunflower heads
undisturbed.
A brave soul,
this little bird,
unintimidated by
the humans
who dared share the same space.
Sometimes,
we humans
are like that little bird,
impatient for you, Lord
to get out of the way
so that we
can do the things we really want.
O Lord,
remember,
when you see us flitting around,
guide us back
the way you intended,
and let us use that stubborn determination
to feed always
on your word,
this day and always.
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
a single chickadee
hopping
in and out of the green leaves
of my forsythia,
waiting impatiently
for me to move
so he could get
to the sunflower heads
undisturbed.
A brave soul,
this little bird,
unintimidated by
the humans
who dared share the same space.
Sometimes,
we humans
are like that little bird,
impatient for you, Lord
to get out of the way
so that we
can do the things we really want.
O Lord,
remember,
when you see us flitting around,
guide us back
the way you intended,
and let us use that stubborn determination
to feed always
on your word,
this day and always.
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
Monday, August 23, 2004
Help me, O Lord,
not to be like
the man given one talent,
who fearful of acting,
chose not to act at all.
and was thus cast out.
Ramind me, Lord,
that you give us our talents,
our gifts,
our goods
to use for your glory.
Teach me, O Lord,
ways to use what you gave me,
my thoughts,
the works of my hands,
the little things I barely consider of value,
my goods,
my time,
my example,
and all around me,
and in the end,
may I be one you tell well done
even when I didn't realize
how important that work was.
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
not to be like
the man given one talent,
who fearful of acting,
chose not to act at all.
and was thus cast out.
Ramind me, Lord,
that you give us our talents,
our gifts,
our goods
to use for your glory.
Teach me, O Lord,
ways to use what you gave me,
my thoughts,
the works of my hands,
the little things I barely consider of value,
my goods,
my time,
my example,
and all around me,
and in the end,
may I be one you tell well done
even when I didn't realize
how important that work was.
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
