Author: rkcdlitt

Advent Word of the Day: Pray

“But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. Matthew 6:6

pray when you go to bed

pray when you rise in the morning

pray daily

pray hourly

pray when you visit

pray when you work

pray when you phone someone

pray when you answer the phone

pray when you vacuum

pray when you cook

pray when you shop

pray when you help a homeless person

pray when in church

pray when in school

pray when at work

pray when you stop for a red light

pray when you get a green light

pray when you talk with someone

pray when you go on vacation

make your life a life of prayer

PRAY WHEN YOU WANT TO LISTEN TO GOD

Advent word of the Day: Learn

“Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me

—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” Philippians 4:9

We learn from 49 parables

each a lesson for life

most from Jesus

some from the Old Testament

Isaiah relates a story of a vineyard

relaying an important life lesson

to build on the Word of God, only

as Jesus taught

without which our labors

bear inedible fruit

we follow Jesus

and learn

we follow Jesus

to help others learn

the fruit of God’s vineyard

is sweet and nourishing

follow the Word of God

learn and be nourished.

Advent Word of the Day: Gather

We gather together on Sundays to praise God

Our community grows closer with God’s Grace

We gather on Mondays for noon prayer and community dinners

Our dinners are gifts from God to those in need

We gather on Tuesdays for noon prayer and feeding the poor

Our market table is filled with God’s produce

We gather on Wednesdays for noon eucharist and healing prayer

God’s Grace is shared to heal all wounds, emotional and physical

We gather on Thursdays for noon prayer, quiet circle, and intercessory prayer

Our quiet times filled with God’s presence spreads to all who suffer

We gather on Fridays for noon prayer and group support meetings

Our neighbors seek God’s help with their addictive illnesses

We gather on Saturdays for music and congregational dinners

We share God’s love with food, wine, and wonderful stories of God’s glory

We gather to praise and honor God

We are thankful for his presence in our lives, each day of the week.

Advent word of the day: Water

Water vital to live

We drink it to stay alive

We bathe in it to clean ourselves

We are bathed in it to cleanse ourselves

John baptized by emersion, as do we

We also baptize with water

For purification

Jesus changed water to wine

Then offered his wine as life-giving blood

Life-giving in the world of God

God’s water is pure

God made us in His image

Our bodies are mostly water

The pure water created by God

Celebrate our purity in God’s baptism water

Advent word of the Day: Harmony

“ . . . let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5: 16

We doubt God’s presence in our lives, in our souls

And we lack the harmony of God’s words

When we search for God’s harmony

We go to our dark places, alone

What Jesus calls being in the wilderness

Looking for God but cannot find Him

We look for prophets to guide us

But cannot find one

We read the Gospels; suddenly

Jesus speaks to us

With truth enlightening our souls

Showing that God is within us

We are born new each day

As we rise to the light of God’s Son

Bring harmony to our lives, in our souls

Spreading God’s harmony through Christ’s teachings

His words are healing tools

We live in harmony in our world

When we are in harmony with Jesus Christ

Our lord, our God, our universal lover.

Advent Word of the Day: Grace

^. . . . the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see—

I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people.” Luke 2:10

Grace from God

given freely through Jesus

God’s promise I love you

Grace is His unbounded love

received and passed to others

clothing all in God’s Love

wrapped in compassion

kindness and patience

God created all of humankind

in His image of Grace

when we pray, we are open

to receive everlasting Grace

God prays we are open

to receive His Grace

as a free-flowing pipeline to others.

Advent word of the Day: Worthy

“Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; ⁷ therefore I did not presume to come to you. But only speak the word, and let my servant be healed.” Luke 7:6-7

Lord,

I am not worthy of Your Love

I am a broken human

trying to live in a world

filled with evil and greed

selfishness and misery

I pray  for Your Love and Grace

as I walk the path that You made for me

I am fulfilled by the Love of others

that You so graciously allow me to cherish

I long to pray with my brothers and sisters

to bring them into your light

to lighten their load as they also

navigate the hate-filled world we live in

allow me the opportunity to help us

live our worthiness in Your world.

Advent word of the day: Unity

If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united

with him in his resurrection. Romans 6:5

I was united with my birth family twenty-four years

then I married

I have been united with God for a lifetime

I have been united with my wife fifty-two years

and with my children for forty-five years

I have been united with God for a lifetime

I was united with my school years for twelve years

then untied with college professors for fifteen years

from a bachelors to a doctorate

all at night, all while working, all while raising a family

I have been united with God for a lifetime                                                                                                                                                                         

I was untied with my work life for thirty business years

then another twenty-four as a teacher and professor

I have been united with God for a lifetime

Through it all there has been miles and miles

of love, of companionship, of making life-long friends

with one uniting element

I have been united with God for a lifetime

Advent word of the day: House

He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers.” Matthew 21:13

Each morning, I enter the house of the Lord

As I awaken, God is with me

The air I breath, the birds I hear

As I walk through his garden

My yard of flowers and rustic plants

I am in awe of His beauty

Birds feeding from the feeders

Squirrels and groundhogs

Nibbling on the seeds the birds fling to the ground

His kingdom is all around

His kingdom is within me

my body is His temple

it is the house

within which

He dwells

Advent word of the day: Raise

Jesus rises from His tomb

bringing new life to all

as I rise each morning,

I awaken to a new life

all past sins are forgiven

walking a lighted path

one that Jesus has laid for me

I adopt a life of faith

loving all humankind

loving all creatures

loving all that God has made.

I am thankful for the life

given by God

led by Jesus

to eternal grace