November 25, 2009

Everything can change in the blink of an eye.
But don't worry; God never blinks.
---anonymous---

Though our mouths were full of song as the sea,
and our tongues of exultation as the multitude of its waves,
and our lips of praise as the wide-extended firmament;
though our eyes shone with light like the sun and the moon,
and our hands were spread forth like the eagles of heaven,
and our feet were swift as hinds,
we should still be unable to thank thee and bless thy name,
O Lord our God and God of our fathers,
for one thousandth or one ten thousandth part of the bounties
which thou has bestowed upon our fathers and upon us.
---from the Hebrew Prayer Book---

Happy Thanksgiving!

The quote above came on an email from a dear friend. It reminds me that in the midst of all the changes this life brings, our life in God provides the stability with which to weather the storm. In the blink of an eye, our circumstances can change, for good or ill. I give thanks that God is there to keep us stable.

Tomorrow is our national day to give thanks. Many will gather with family and friends for feasting and fellowship, others will steal off to a quiet restaurant, still others will find the ghosts of days gone past visiting, reminding them of happier times. Like all holidays, Thanksgiving brings into sharp contrast the happiness and sadness of life.

As we remember to give thanks for the tangible blessings of life – family, friends, homes, jobs, pets – let us also remember to give thanks for the intangible things: our life of faith, and God’s persistent love, that finds us no matter what circumstance we are in – as millionaires, as mothers, as inmates….God’s love continues to move upon us like the ceaseless waves of the ocean. And nothing – nothing - can stop those waves from breaking upon us.

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor demons, nor things present, nor things to come…can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
---Romans 8:38---

Daily Morning Prayer

Daily Morning Prayer

Prayers Etc.

Give us this day our daily bread,
O Father in heaven,
and grant that we who are filled with good things from Your open hand,
may never close our hearts to the hungry, the homeless, and the poor;
in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
---from the Abbey of New Clairvaux, Vina, California---

For those on our prayer list:

• David
• Owen
• Betsy
• Gracie
• Read
• David W.
• Mimi B.
• Ann & Caleb
• Dan P.
• Jack D.
• Chuck S.
• Barry M.
• Brandon
• Meredith
• Dave T.
• Anna C.
• Sarah T.
• Joe S.
• Frank O.
• Carey B.
• Martina
• Georgie
• Lil A.
• Adam M.
• Ken
• Cathy
• Margie M.
• Gracia
• Valerie W.
• Bill B.
• Doug H.
• M.C.
• Peter B.
• Susie
• Peter C.
• Art & Priscilla
• Guy & Yvonne

For Matt Rogers, our Postulant
For those who are deployed and their families.

In Closing:

Thank You, Thank You, Generous God!
 
Thank You, thank You, thank You, generous God!
You have injected life with joy, thus we know laughter.
You have dabbed creation with color, thus we enjoy beauty.
You have whistled a divine tune into the rhythm of life, thus we hear music.
You have filled our minds with questions, thus we appreciate mystery.
You have entered our hearts with compassion, thus we experience faith.
Thank You, God, Thank You. Thank You!
---C. Welton Gaddy---

Pax et Bonum,
Loree+

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