A Diary of Private Prayer

My very first attempt at video.... miiiiight be a disaster. Let's see if it works!

I found this book at the thrift store for $0.25!  There is a morning and evening prayer for each day. I'm reading the simple prayers after breakfast and before bed. The discipline and rhythm is anchoring. It isn't necessary to fret is nothing really "speaks to you", because there's always another prayer coming. And if something does speak to you, no matter how small, you do't have to dig for more out of it... just rest in that little bit of truth... because there's always another prayer coming.

It takes the nervous energy out of prayer and "quiet times" (as Christians like to call them).

(It's easier to digest with the words right in front of you... so I'll put the script below.)

(OK... yeah.... as far as I can tell on my end, this isn't working at all. Sigh. NEXT TIME!!!)

Lord of my life, whose law I long to keep, whose fellowship I love to enjoy, and to whose service I would long to be loyal, I kneel before you as your send me out to the work of another day.

Fort his new day, I give you humble thanks: for its gladness and its brightness: for its long hours waiting to be filled with joyous and helpful labour: for its open doors of possibility: for its hope of new beginnings. Quicken in my heart, I beg you, the desire to avail myself richly of this day's opportunity. Let me no break faith with any of yesterday's promises, nor leave unprepared any of yesterday's wrongs. Let me see no follow traveller in distress and pass by on the other side. Let me leave no height of duty behind me unattempted, nor any evil habit unsalted. Where deed of mine can help to make this world a better place for men to live in, where word of mine can cheer a despondent heart or brace a weak will, where prayer of mine can serve the extension of Christ's Kingdom, there let me do and speak and pray.

This day, O Lord--
give me courtesy:
give me meekness of bearing with decision of character:
give me long-suffering:
give me charity:
give me chastity:
give me sincerity of speech:
give me diligence in my allowed task.

O God, who in the fullness of time did raise up our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to enlighten our hearts with the knowledge of your love, grant me the grace to be worthy of his name. Amen.