Cavities

Lord,

Just as the dentist today will check for cavities and clean my teeth, check me for iniquity and make me whole.  Make me not fear the drill or any pain in my soul because anything which is displeasing to you needs to go, regardless of how unpleasant it will be.

Help me to want only you, Lord.

Help me to rejoice in this day that you have made and only see the glory you have put there in it.

Help me to find the hidden joys that must be found rather than openly available.

Amen

Community

Lord,

Help me to shrug away from shyness and to be with people in community even though I always struggle to do so.  Help me to remember to just relax and let a conversation flow with someone whom I don't know.

Help me to give to my community but also to allow my community to give back to me.  It isn't all about me doing things by myself.

Help me to learn how to approach people rather than just standing back and hoping someone will invite me into a conversation.  Then, help me to always remember to listen.

Lord Jesus,

Please help me to remember that You gave your people a community of believers for a reason.  You were always gathering with people and teaching people in groups.  Help me to rejoice not only in personal communion with you, but to celebrate and rejoice in the community You have given to me.  Then, help me to have humility within the group.

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

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.