The Good

Lord,

Help me to see the good in people and not complain against them.  If something needs fixing, help me to help to fix the situation but to always see the good in people.

Help me instead to focus inward at those things in myself that need changing.  

Help me to turn away from the notion that there is nothing within me that needs changing.  This trap is laid out  for me in a new place in my life everyday.  I must always look for where it is hiding.

Lord,

Help me to rejoice in the goodness of others and see that it is the goodness You have placed there.

Help me to recognize that when I see and want to over-grasp those things I see as good in myself that I must also remember that these things are the goodness You have placed in me and not merely a testament to puff myself up.

Lord,

Please help me to keep my mind and my heart ready for You today.

Amen

Joy

Lord,

Help me to be open to joy in my life.

Help me me to accept that I can turn things around when I feel like the storm is rocking the boat too much.  You are with me, ready to walk, even on water, to help me.

Help me to know when to open my petals to others.

And when to close my petals to rest.

Lord,

Thank You for the gifts you have given to me and are giving me.  Let me learn how to best use them.  I have needed to be shown that the stream flows above ground and is not meant to be buried.

Amen

Seeing What I Should Be Seeing

Lord,

Help me discern what I should be seeing for how You want me to take action.  Are you calling me to take action in this way or that way?  Am I seeing a damaged tree or a survivor tree?

Should I be seeing the flower or the cars?

Should I be seeing the windows or the cross?

For what I think You're calling me to do is such a large decision that affects not only me but others around me.  Am I seeing within my heart my own will or Your will?  Please help me to know what I should do.

Amen

Trampled Underfoot

Lord,

Help me to stand up when I have fallen.

Help me to shine vibrantly for You even though the world may trample me underfoot.

Help me to be an answered prayer for someone else today, that I might add color to another's day by serving You.

Help me to open up to You and open up to others rather than closing in on myself.

Lord,

Please help me to again stand up, even as I fall again.  I fall often.

Help me to be there for others even when others want to curl up and turn away.  Help me to know when to back off and when to push so that they don't close me out.

Amen

Crack Me Open

Lord,

Crack me open so that I let You in rather than running away when I am afraid, tired, or stubborn.

Let your Spirit flow within me so that I might always seek to know You better.

Show me that there are places to rest along the journey of walking with You and toward You while picking up my cross and following You.

When I rest in You, help me to remember that it is ok to truly rest; I don't have to keep one eye open while looking for danger like those who rest in only the world must do.

Lord,

Help me to remember that it is wonderful to stand out from the crowd if I am standing out for You.

For even though there are thorns that come with standing out and standing up for You, there is great beauty and reward.

Amen

Teach Me to Make Time

Lord,

When I am surrounded with too many tasks to complete, let me peek through to see You.

Bridge the gaps I have between what it takes to follow You and where I currently am, for I fall often.

Help me to understand your what it means to love.  Your fullness of love is such a mystery to me.

Help me to look deeper into people and into situations than just the surface.  So many times the heart of an issue or the heart of a person's pain is found at the very center.  Help me to make time to see it.

And when life gets prickly, as it always does from time to time, help me to embrace You and to embrace others.  Help me not to shout out, "Don't touch me!  You or I might get hurt."

Amen

Fatigue

Lord,

Please help me to look to You when it seems that darkness surrounds me and is waiting to crush me.

Let me see that you are there, waiting for me to reach out to You so that You can pull me through the darkness into light and comfort. 

Lord,

Help me to open my eyes today.  I need to open them not only to see You, but simply to open them.  As my body is feeling fatigue even before I rise for the day, help me to rub the sleep from them and wake. 

Amen

Open Eyes

Lord,

Help me keep my eyes open today.

Help me keep them open so that I can work.  Open so I can drive.  Open so I can enjoy the company of a friend.  Most importantly, though, open so I can see You.

Oh yes, open so that I can prepare for my sleep-deprived EEG tomorrow too!

Amen!

Focus

Dear Lord,

Since I'll have my head down and working for longer than normal today, please give me colors.

For when I see colors, I see You.  Who else can make such colors?

Lord, let me be awed by your creation.  When I am awed, I forget about my muscle spasms.  :-)

When I am awed, I must think about how the work I do is valuable because just as You made colors, You made me.

Just as You made colors, You made those around me.  All those around me.  Not just the people I like.

You made everyone beautiful, even when I don't see the beauty.  I must still treat everyone as beautiful.

I must always remember that You died on the cross for the sake of everyone's salvation, so I mustn't ever judge myself more worthy than another.  We all make choices and then make more choices and then make more choices.

Lord,

Help me to stay focused today.  Focused on my work.  Focused on my driving.  Focused on staying awake.  Most importantly, focused on seeing You in others.

Lord,

Hold my hand today.  I am in need of a Companion today, especially as these jerks/spasms continue to get worse every day.  Hold my hand and let me focus on You rather than the electricity everywhere in my body.

Amen.

Cultivation

Lord,

Help me to remember that seeds sometimes need to be cultivated.

Sometimes, seeds need planting and watering.

You provide the soil, the sunshine, and the rains, but sometimes, water has to be brought to the flowers for them to grow.

May you help me to keep your gifts in my buckets so that I might help the seeds to grow: seeds in myself and seeds in others that sometimes need a little TLC.

For your goodness is all around me.  The task of carrying the buckets full of water to others is all that's necessary because you provide the rest of what is needed.

Help me to remember this and act upon it.

Amen

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.