Prayer – Woodsmoke and Cardamom

Lord Be in My Eyes

Lord, be in my eyes.
Let me see beauty everywhere -
In earth and sea and sky,
And in the faces of my friends and family.

Lord, be in my ears.
Let me be deaf to harsh and cruel phrases.
Let me hear only pleasant words and lovely music
From the stars, the songs of birds,
And in the words of those around me.

Lord, be in my mouth.
Let me speak gently,thoughtfully,
And let me never speak an unkind word to hurt another.

Dear Lord, be in my hands.
Keep them ever gentle, kind and helpful.
Let them never be in anger raised against another,
But keep them ever ready to be used whenever needed
By stranger, friend or foe -

Then, Lord, be in my mind and heart.
Keep them clean and clear and open to receive Your word,
Ignoring hostility, intolerance and anger,
And helping me to know how best to love and serve You daily.

Grant Me Serenity

by Lucy M. Young

Dear Lord, grant me serenity,
That I may gracefully accept
Whatever comes my way that can't be altered.
If my body must be crippled,
Let not my mind and heart and soul be crippled also.
Grant me the strength
To rise above my physical affliction,
And be content with what I can accomplish
In spite of it.

Lord, grant me courage
To change my way of life to fit the limits
Placed upon me by my handicap;
To smile in spite of pain;
To laugh at difficulties, disappointments,
And find the strength to do my daily tasks.

But if it be Thy will, dear Lord,
I pray that Thou wilt heal my leg;
That pain may disappear,
And I may walk and work and live in comfort;
However, Lord, Thy will not mine be done.
Whatever be the outcome of this day, I will accept it;
And with Thy help,
I'll strive each day to live a useful, joyous life;
And make my home a pleasant, tranquil place,
That all who come may feel refreshed,
And go their way with peaceful, happy hearts.

Think Not of Tomorrow

by Lucy M. Young

Lord, let me think not of tomorrow
Or the sorrow it may contain;
It may hold either joy or sorrow,
Bright sunshine or gentle rain.

Sufficient unto this day alone
Is the evil thereof, 'tis said;
And we can do nothing about it,
We must gladly accept it instead.

So grant us the strength and the wisdom
To savor each moment today,
Let us love and be loved. May Your mercy
Keep sadness and sorrow away.

When darkness falls softly upon us,
And the stars shine brightly above;
May we rest secure in the knowledge
We're wrapped in Your infinite love.

Lord Keep My Faith Intact

by Lucy M. Young

Lord, keep my faith intact,
My courage strong;
And help me to ignore the cruel taunts
Of those who would destroy my confidence
In Your unfailing love.
I need Your strength
For I am weak and often feel discouraged.
Just hold me up, dear Lord, and keep me going
For yet another day.
I cannot stand alone, but with Your help,
I'll keep a cheerful smile upon my face
For all to see, and never let them know
There may be sadness in my secret heart.

Words

by Lucy M. Young

"Sticks and stones may break my bones"
  But words can break my heart;
No hurt is worse than that inflicted
  By a verbal dart.

A broken bone will heal in time
  And leave no lingering pain;
The memory of a bruise will fade,
  No soreness will remain;

But a careless word or a vicious taunt
  Leaves pain too deep to heal;
And an angry cruel word once said
  Can never be repealed.

One day we all must give account
  For every spoken word
As we bow in final judgement
  Before our risen Lord.
  


photo by Samuel Martins on Unsplash