In dealing with my nieces and my son and the trials and tribulations attached to all three of them, I've lately been relying on prayer. I'm no one's bible pounder, nor do I fervently worship or preach to the masses great or small. But I do have faith. I've felt so burdened in the last several months that my proverbial ass is draggin' all the time. I need some "lightening of heart and spirit" to bring ME back.
Mizfit's blog today is about gratitude. She asks - what would be on your gratitude touchstone? My answer this morning: faith. Here's what I posted there:
"Faith.” That’s what would be on my touchstone.
Faith that better times are coming.Faith that I am not alone, even when feeling my loneliest.
Faith that the answers are out there if I am listening or watching or feeling or smelling for them.
Faith that even though my relationship with food is a constant battle, going to the gym and getting daily exercise is having benefits every time.
Faith.
I've been praying around her a lot lately. Here's my first prayer of choice, only because I can do it quickly:
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can;and wisdom to know the difference. (stop here)
Living one day at a time; Enjoying one moment at a time; Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace; Taking, as He did, this sinful worldas it is, not as I would have it; Trusting that He will make all things rightif I surrender to His Will;That I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with HimForever in the next.Amen.
Yep, the Serenity prayer. It's become a prayer for addicts, but I think I qualify. I'm food addicted. And I'm addicted to trying to manage to much at once. I spent an hour mowing the yard on Sunday and prayed this over and over and over for that hour. When I start getting all tense, I bring it out again. And again. And again. It's about letting go. I need more practice.
Naturally the Lord's Prayer is on my top three. I love it for its power. I used it this morning while walking the dogs. I tend to try to work to MY will too often. I've got to get back to letting God run the show and making me a piece of the chorus or a principal player if that is meant to be.
One of my favorite prayers is this:
Irish Prayer
May the road rise up to meet you.May the wind always be at your back.May the sun shine warm upon your face,and rains fall soft upon your fields.And until we meet again,May God hold you in the palm of His hand.
I love the lilt of it. It's about having faith that good things are coming. And that we deserve those good things. The Irish Prayer gives me a full sense of peace. It makes me smile. It brings me serenity.
so if you see me out and about these days and I appear to be muttering - I am.
Last evening I found peace on the bike at the gym. And sweat. I think I rode thru a rain storm because when I was done I was drenched. I need to put a towel in my gym bag.
I wish I had more time. Gotta get in the shower.
Make it a great day.
linda
An Expensive Egg
1 day ago
7 comments:
I am not a religious person. I call myself agnostic, although if you ask me in the morning I might tell you I'm certain there is a God, at lunchtime I might say I'm certain there isn't, and at bedtime (after a glass of wine), I'll tell you I don't rightly know.
But the serentiy prayer has been so helpful to me recently. I have a keychain with it on it, and it's kind of my charm. For awhile, I carried it in my pocket, to hold it in my hand when things got to be too much.
Judy, I like the charm idea. Someone from my church gave me a coffee mug with a colorful heart on it. This mug is coffee-filled daily and a reminder to "keep a grateful heart." Maybe something like this will work for Linda too, something that's special to you that you can keep in your pocket.
Linda, you sure do have a lot on your plate AND even if you might not think so, you accomplish a lot every single day.
I love the Irish prayer...so serene. I hope things will calm down for you soon. Take a few minutes for you and breathe :)
That´s so great that you can rely on prayer. It is the only thing that helps me as well and I know that it is more than just empty words spoken in the wind. I know that your prayers will be answered!
I am praying for you too.
Jenn
You and me both, Sister, with the muttering.
I got my husband a disc he carries in his pocket (daily) with the word faith on it.
Me? It's just one of my mantras.
Miz.
Linda, what a wonderful post. I hope you will allow yourself a little more time to take care of yourself. You are definitely a caretaker. But if you use yourself up caring for everyone else, then sooner or later you will be no good to them either.
I really like that you answered Miz's question 'what are you grateful for?' with 'Faith." that is the answer I had rolling around in my mind, but I was trying to come up with something you could put a picture of on a charm...
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