Good Things

Lord,

Help me to see You in all good things.

Help me to see that green is not to remind me always of envy or money, but of your creation.

Lord,

Help me to remember that white is not only the color of purity, but of your blossoms.

Purple is not only the color of Kings but of your fragrance.

Lord,

Help me to remember that the setting and rising of the sun and moon are for many reasons, but also to remind me of your presence.

Lord,

Help me to see you in even the smallest of things, in the things others overlook.

Lord,

Keep my mind on how you provide for me, on the clothes of the lilies of the field.  Take my anxiety away on things like what tomorrow will hold, clothing, food, shelter, my JOB.

For not even Solomon, in all of his splendor was dressed as one of these...

Or these...

Or these...

Lord,

Point me to your forgiveness.

And to your mercy.

Keep me upright in your eyes.

Lord,

Thank you for showing me your colors today.  Thank you for giving me the opportunity to capture some of them with my camera (cell phone).  Thank you for giving me a steady hand as I snapped pictures.  Thank you for not allowing my muscle spasms to interfere with my pictures.

Thank you again, my Lord, for a steady hand during these moments of my day.

Thank you, my God, for steady hands for most of the day while I worked at my job.

Thank you, Lord, for guiding my mind to seek You and to want to know You.  Give me the will to do so all the days of my life.

Lord, teach me your ways.  Guide me as I practice, and practice, and practice.

Amen.

Peek into My Soul

Lord,

Peek into my soul today and let Yourself in.  Let me rest in You.  Remind me to rest in You, for I often forget and try to do things by myself.  I try to do things my way.  I try to go on full blast without Your help.

Lord,

Paint on me, Your canvas.  Paint your colors brightly, for You are an artist no other brush can equal!

Lord,

Help me to ask for You!  Let me grow in this life but with a constant companion, even when the world says I am alone.

Lord,

Remind me that Your many ways find me, even when I think I am alone.  You bring me friends when I need solace and help me to be alone when I need solitude.

I will walk today, Lord.  Let me to take from this journey whatever it is You have planned for me.

Amen

Colors

Lord,

Let me see your colors.  You named me with a name that would forever cause me to look for your colors.  I came into this world named Jennifer Reding.  Lord, thank you for showing me your colors today.

Thank you for warming me up to see your colors.

Again, thank you for warming me up to see your colors.

Thank you for making me nearly giddy for your colors, for I knew You would bring them to me if I was patient enough to wait today.

Yes, Lord!  How magnificent you paint the sky!  How much more beauty is there for the eye to see?  How much more beautiful must You be!

Thank you, Lord, for your colors.  Thank you, Lord, for your life-breath.  Thank you, Lord, for your insistence that we all be made differently from one another.  No two living creatures are quite the same.  Even the trees have their own shape, personality, and touch.

Amen.

Little Things

Lord,

I pray that I might always see the little things.

Help me to follow the way of little things.  They move in different ways than larger things.

Little things must avoid the dangers, pitfalls, and stompings of larger things.  Oh, Lord Jesus, if only I could look above to avoid the stompings of larger things!  I would always seek your Face when avoiding the pitfalls and perils of these stompings.

Lord, let me not be stung by false joy, but rather rejoice in You as you are in all good things. 

Let me see your beauty, as your colors are marvelous.  Your creation sings to me.  Let my ears be open to your voice in the vibrancy of your creation.

Ears!  Work with my eyes to see!  Lord, help my ears to work with my eyes.

Lord,

Help my tongue to sing together with my ears and eyes, for too often they are not together in your ways.

Lord,

Let me drink in the beauty of your creation, for it is a full cup.  It is a cup you have given to me over and over again.  It overflows with the spectacular colors of your creation.

Let me not see false beauty in myself, but the true beauty that You have placed within me.  Let me sparkle, but not of my own light but of your light.  Let your sparkle be a vibrant light for others, even as I struggle toward You.

Lord,

Clothe me with your colors and help me to avoid vanity.

Lord,

Help me to remember that without You, I have no shelter.  I am nothing but a slug without the house of the snail.

Lord,

Help me remember today to listen.  It is my job to listen.  Let me listen with both my ears and my eyes, for I want to see You today.

Lord,

Let me see your colors today, for your colors are in all of your creation.  Your colors are free, yet I spend money on false colors, on false vibrancy, on false majesty.  Open me, oh Lord.  I wish to be opened.

Let me hold your colorful hand today, my Friend.

Amen.