NIGHT PRAYER: Friday 4/19

Yesterday, 

an unusual noise led me to bring my car in for service

and I learned that my brakes were in need of repair,

which work was done this morning.

On way home, the first time I hit the brakes 

I became immediately aware 

of how bad my brakes had been!

 

Now, just a tap of my foot was enough to begin 

to slow my car towards a stop

    - but what about before ?

 

I was immediately grateful for that unusual noise

that helped me discover 

    I'd been living dangerously,

    that I couldn't stop as easily, as quickly

        as I'd imagined I could

    that something I took for granted

        had been slipping beyond my control...

So I'm praying tonight, Lord, help me hear

whatever strange noises I need to hear

lest I live in danger of loosing control

    of the thoughts I think,

    the foolishness I entertain,

    the words I speak,

    the feelings I harbor,

    the deeds I do,

    the resentments I feed

   and the grudges I bear...

    

And most of all, Lord,

help me maintain the wisdom I need

to put the brakes to my unchecked speed

    when I'm losing control and in harm's way,

    unable to stop when I want to stop,

    careening down a collision course

    with danger, destruction and damage

    of all I hold dear and cherish...

 

Help me check my internal brakes, Lord:

    help me hear when my conscience rattles and scrapes,

    when my will to stop is spongy and loose,

    when I'm losing control and need your strength

        to hit the brakes when it's time to stop...

And if and when I forget all this, Lord,

    please, put your foot on my brakes for me

        and save me before it's too late...

   

Protect me, Lord, while I'm awake

    and watch over me while I sleep

that awake, I might keep watch with you

    and asleep, rest in your peace...

Amen.

 

I couldn't find any music about brake jobs - but

here's a song praying for the Lord to slow me down...

Slow Me Down  by Robbie Seay

If a widget doesn't appear below, click here!

 

 

 

Slow me down, O Lord
Slow me down
Help my heart to hear Your sound
Speak into my life
Lord speak now
Slow me down, O Lord
Slow me down

 

Clear my mind, O Lord
Clear my mind
Bring me peace that I cannot find
Take my worried thoughts
Break my pride
Clear my mind, O Lord
Clear my mind

 

Wake my soul, O Lord
Wake my soul
With this mess I've made
Make me whole
Of this life called mine, take control
Wake my soul, O Lord
Wake my soul

 

Slow me down, O Lord
Slow me down
Help my heart to hear Your sound
Speak into my life
Lord speak now
Slow me down, O Lord
Slow me down

Slow me down, O Lord
Slow me down

Slow me down, O Lord
Slow me down 

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Pause for Prayer: FRIDAY 4/19

Image source

 

God in my thoughts,

God in my words,

God in my deeds, 
God in my choices,

God in my plans,

God in my work,

God in my rest,

God in my strength,

God in my weakness, 

God in my fear,

God in my courage,

God in my sorrow,

God in my joy,

God in my days, 

God in my nights

    and God my every breath...

God in my sleeping,

God in my waking,

God in my coming,

God in my going,
God in my watching,

God in my waiting, 

God in my willing,

God in my wanting, 

God in my hurting,

God in my grieving,

God in my healing,

God in my caring,

God in my hoping,
God in my loving, 
God in my laughing
God in my crying

    and God in all that I do... 

 

God to hold me, 

God to enfold me,

God to surround me, 

God to lead me, 

God to guide me,

God to fill me,

God to complete me,

God to console me,

God to judge me,

God to forgive me,

God to cleanse me,

God to redeem me

    and God to set me free...

 
God in my soul,
God in my heart,

God in my mind,

God in my gut,

God in my being
God in my life,

God in my past,

God in my present

and God in my future,

    forever and evermore... 

 

Amen.

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NIGHT PRAYER: Thursday 4/18

 

Lord, help me fall asleep tonight...

Help me pull the shades and draw the drapes

   on my worries and my fears...

Help me rest from this day's problems

   'neath the covers of your love...

 

Help me hand into your care

   all those I carry in my heart...

Help me lay my weary head down

   on a pillow filled with prayer...

 

Help me give my grief a rest

    and hide myself in your embrace...

Help me surrender my anxiety

   and pray for peaceful dreams...

Help me nod off, trusting fully

   you'll keep vigil 'til I wake...

  

Help me sleep in restful slumber

   to refresh my soul and body,

help me fall asleep tonight, Lord,

   help me fall asleep in you...

Amen.

Here's a beautiful, calming instrumental piece,

        to help us fall asleep tonight...

Evening Song (Sanctuary Rose Rondo in G Minor, Pt. 1) 

     by David Lanz 

 

 If a widget doesn't appear below, click here! 

 

 

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Pause for Prayer:4/18

It seems I was so excited by flowering trees on Tuesday afternoon that when I went to write Wednesday morning's Pause for Prayer - I totally forgot it was the day for Texting With God! So 24 hours late, here's this week's text message!

 

 

 

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NIGHT PRAYER: Wednesday 4/17

 

(For those who will read this and worry:

    my health is very good - thank God!)

 

This is the day the Lord has made...

    Today's the first day of the rest of my life...

        One day at a time...

 

These sayings are valuable on every day, Lord,

    but especially for me, especially today, 

        my birthday, my 77th...   
 

Today these words are unusually keen:

    filled with meaning, 

        solemn and joyful,

            poignant, mysterious, 

                graced and amazing...

 

For decades, Lord, the years slipped by

    but now's the time when each day counts,

when every sunrise comes as gift

    and every night's a reason to pray

        in thanks for all the life I've known

        and  in hope for all that's yet to be...

 

 My supply of days will have its end

    though I pray much more's in store for me:

        time to enjoy whatever you've planned,

        to seek your pardon for wrongs I've done,

        to deepen my faith in your love for me,

        to grow in your wisdom, more and more

        and to do what I might 

            to share the peace you've shared with me

                through decades of my life...

 

77 years, Lord - and I'm grateful for every one!

 

I give you thanks for the joy I've known

    and for your healing in times of grief...

 

I praise you, Lord, for all your blessings

    and for how you sustained me in times of need...

 

I thank you, Lord, for seeing me through

    the troubles I thought I couldn't survive...

 

And I pray this night for many more days

    - for weeks and months and years -

to seek and find and know your love:

    a day at a time, each day a gift,

       each day the first of the rest of my life...

   

Protect me, Lord, while I'm awake

    and watch over me while I sleep

that awake, I might keep watch with you

    and asleep, rest in your peace...

Amen.

Thank You For This Day  by Billy Causey

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Thank you for this day; thank you for this time.

Thank you for this moment in my life; I give you thanks.

 

Teach me how to live; teach me how to love you more.

Yesterday is gone, tomorrow's not yet come; thank you for today.

 

Thank you for this day, thank you for this time.

Thank you for this moment in our lives; we give you thanks.

 

Teach us how to live; teach us how to love you more.

Yesterday is gone, tomorrow's not yet come; thank you for today.

 

Thank you for today; thank you for this time

thank you for your presence in our lives; we give you praise

 

Teach us how to live; teach us how to love you more.

Yesterday is gone, tomorrow's not yet come; thank you for today.

 

Yesterday is gone, tomorrow's not yet come; 

thank you for today. thank you for today.

 

 

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Pause for Prayer: WEDNESDAY 4/17

    Photo by CP 4/16/24 Wayland, MA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 This prayer is modeled on a traditional Passover song,  

    Dayenu: It Would Have Been Enough

If you had warmed the winter's chill
but hadn't melted all the snow,
    it would have been enough...

If you had melted all the snow
but hadn't brought us longer days,
    it would have been enough...

If you had lengthened every day
but hadn't called the plants to bud,
    it would have been enough...

If you had budded every plant
but hadn't urged the buds to bloom,
    it would have been enough...

If you had bloomed in every garden
but not strung the trees with leaves,
    it would have been enough...

If you had releafed every tree
but hadn't coaxed a few to flower,
    it would have been enough...

Much more grateful then, am I,

for trees that flower come spring:

    a flourish of your grace, Lord,

    a gift so freely given,

    pure and unexpected joy! 

 

    Photo by CP 4/16/24 Wayland, MA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh, warm and longer days, 

    bless the Lord!

Buds and blossoms everywhere, 

    bless the Lord!

Green leaves dressing every branch, 

    bless the Lord!

Flowering trees, spring's promise kept,

    bless the Lord!

Bless the Lord and praise God's name,

    bless the Lord forever more!

Amen.

 

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NIGHT PRAYER: Tuesday 4/16

At the suggestion of a dear friend and faithful reader, this daily Night Prayer began four years ago this week during the pandemic lockdown.  At the outset, Night Prayer was specifically themed for the evening hours but has, over the years, become a more general praye - but always ending with a "nighttime" verse. On this anniversary, we're revisiting the first Night Prayer...

Night and day you watch over me, Lord:
with your strong arm and your gentle touch
you hold me and care for me as your child,
your own, your beloved...

Make me grateful for the day I've had, Lord,
with all its ups and downs, its joys and sorrows,
and forgive the ways I may have failed
to be helpful, loving and honest... 

Help me fall asleep, Lord,
trusting I'll find you at the foot of my bed,
when dawn's light comes to wake me...

Bless my night with good rest, Lord,
and fill my dreams with peace...

Comfort those who are restless tonight,
worried and afraid for themselves
and for the ones they love and care for...

Stand guard with all who serve and protect us,
at home and abroad,
and especially those in harm's way this night...

Be with those who staff our hospitals,
our nursing homes and care facilities
and comfort the elderly, the sick and the dying,
all who are in their care...

And tonight, Lord, I pray especially for...

(Here, name the people and the intentions

    especially in your heart tonight...)

 

As a mother tucks her child in bed at night, Lord,

tuck in all of us, around the world,

safe, warm and snug, 'neath a blanket of your love...

Protect us, Lord, while we're awake

    and watch over us while we sleep

that awake, we might keep watch with you

    and asleep, rest in your peace...

Amen.

If the music widget below doesn't appear, click here!

Psalm 33: In the silent hours of night

    sung by The Cathedral Singers; Richard Proulx, director 

 

 

In the silent hours of night bless the Lord.

O come bless the Lord, all you who serve the Lord,
who stand in the house of the Lord,
in the courts of the house of our God.

Lift up your hands to the holy place
and bless the Lord through the night.

May the Lord bless you from Zion,
he who made both heaven and earth.

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now and will be forever. 

 
Amen.

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Pause for Prayer: TUESDAY 4/16

Do you roll your eyes in frustration, Lord,
   when I pay no attention to you, to your truth,
      - not even to common sense?

Do you want to dope slap me, Lord,
   when I miss the better, right choice to make
     - staring me right in the face?

Do you ever turn and walk away
   when I, for the thousandth time,
      make the same foolish, stupid mistake?

No, Lord, you don't...

Instead, 
   you show me time and again 

      the things I've failed to see,
   you look with compassion and mercy 

      on me and all my folly,
   you always, freely, pardon my sins 

      and grant me a new beginning...

Patient, kind and compassionate Lord,
   be gracious to me today - as you always are -
      and help me grow in your grace...

 

Amen. 

 

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NIGHT PRAYER: Monday 4/15

This morning, Lord, 

as I opened my windows,

your Spirit breezed in and filled my room:

    the soft, sweet scent of springtime

    brushing my sleepy face

    with a kiss I've long been waiting

    to rouse and stir and wake me 

    from winter's hold and  spell...

On leaving the house 

I felt your touch, warm upon my arms, 

guiding me, step by step 

to a promise kept,

a hope fulfilled, 

a dream come true:

    your faithfulness now blossoming

    on dogwood trees in flower

    with your beauty and your grace...

Then I saw Forsythia reach out 

and stretch her arms to catch the sun

- and so she did:

    her golden flowers choired

    in a chant of praise and glory,

    in harmony with you

    and with the whole of your creation...

 

For the blessing of this day's

warm embrace of my whole being,

I lift my heart in gratitude

and add my voice to nature's:

    praising you, my Lord and God,

    for the splendor of your springtime 

    and your gift of healing peace...

 

Protect me, Lord, while I'm awake

    and watch over me while I sleep

that awake, I might keep watch with you

    and asleep, rest in your peace...

Amen.

 

Tonight's music might be more appropriate for a morning Pause for Prayer post but this Night Prayer began with my morning - so here it is!

All Things Bright and Beautiful  by John Rutter

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All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful,
The Lord God made them all.

 

Each little flower that opens,
Each little bird that sings,
He made their glowing colours,
He made their tiny wings.

 

Chorus

 

The purple-headed mountain,
The river running by,
The sunset and the morning,
That brightens up the sky;

 

The cold wind in the winter,
The pleasant summer sun,
The ripe fruits in the garden,
He made them every one;

 

Chorus

 

He gave us eyes to see them,
And lips that we might tell
How great is God Almighty,
Who has made all things well.

 

Chorus

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