Good Morning, God,
Lord, the headlines are causing much sadness today for good, red-blooded Americans! The headlines speak of how some Americans are not being the best Americans they can be, and, in fact, are acting against all that we stand for as Americans.
Lord, the latest headlines are about the shooting in the Sikh temple in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, near Milwaukee. Six people were killed and four were wounded as they worshipped together last Sunday. The gunman was killed by police officers. Sometime before the shooting, the gunman had spoken of a "racial holy war."
Part of the story also tells that the gunman was an "Army Veteran," as if this made him more or less likely to do this, depending on one's point of view. He was also many other things. We shouldn't besmirch the Army good name simply to try to describe a crazed man.
Then, last week we had to deal with the freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and freedom for life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness issues around the chicken thing.
Lord, help us all to live up to the basic tenets of being an American and "One Nation Under God," and merely being the best human being we can be.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
20120806
A Prayer for the Headlines for Monday, August 6th
Good Morning, God,
Now that Strassenfest is over around here, we can get to preparing for fall. Of course, with fall comes school, and in some parts of the country, school has begun. For some of us, school begins next week or soon there-after.
Lord, you gave us the incredible thing we have under our scalp and within our skull we call "the brain." You made it not only so it could perceive, sort and store information, but you made it so it could make decisions about that information and use the information for good and for ill. Indeed, Creator God, you have given us a miraculous item in our bodies!
God, as we begin to put in more information from what is taught in school classed from Kindergarten through college, from the school of hard knocks through the success of life-long learning, may we give you thanks for the potential power of our brain, fill it with the right stuff, use it to make wise choices, and seek to understand all of life around us.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
Now that Strassenfest is over around here, we can get to preparing for fall. Of course, with fall comes school, and in some parts of the country, school has begun. For some of us, school begins next week or soon there-after.
Lord, you gave us the incredible thing we have under our scalp and within our skull we call "the brain." You made it not only so it could perceive, sort and store information, but you made it so it could make decisions about that information and use the information for good and for ill. Indeed, Creator God, you have given us a miraculous item in our bodies!
God, as we begin to put in more information from what is taught in school classed from Kindergarten through college, from the school of hard knocks through the success of life-long learning, may we give you thanks for the potential power of our brain, fill it with the right stuff, use it to make wise choices, and seek to understand all of life around us.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
20120803
A Prayer for the Headlines for Friday, August 3rd
Good Morning, God,
Lord, the headlines have been about the owner of a fast-food restaurant business - and a very successful business, at that - sharing his views on how running his business in what he believes to be the Christian way and living his life, especially his marriage, in a Christian way, has blessed both. Part of the business success is being closed on Sundays, and his marriage success is believing that marriage is a sacred union between one man and one woman 'til death they do part.
Now, Lord, he is being castigated for taking this view of the Christian faith and Christian marriage. There have been calls to boycott the business. Towns are considering not giving a license for the business to operate. The epithets are being hurled against him, all because he expressed his own view of how his faith calls him to live.
Lord, may we all respect each other's viewpoints more than this. May we not be strident in our voicings, but seek to understand one another out of care and concern.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
Lord, the headlines have been about the owner of a fast-food restaurant business - and a very successful business, at that - sharing his views on how running his business in what he believes to be the Christian way and living his life, especially his marriage, in a Christian way, has blessed both. Part of the business success is being closed on Sundays, and his marriage success is believing that marriage is a sacred union between one man and one woman 'til death they do part.
Now, Lord, he is being castigated for taking this view of the Christian faith and Christian marriage. There have been calls to boycott the business. Towns are considering not giving a license for the business to operate. The epithets are being hurled against him, all because he expressed his own view of how his faith calls him to live.
Lord, may we all respect each other's viewpoints more than this. May we not be strident in our voicings, but seek to understand one another out of care and concern.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
20120801
A Prayer for the Headlines for Wednesday, August 1st
Good Morning, God,
God of good times and bad, we ask your blessing this week for the "good times." It's time for our Strassenfest weekend, our Street Festival time, and we want it to be safe and fun both.
We want to enjoy life together on the streets and sidewalks. We want to enjoy the concerts and food. We want to renew old friendships and wander around the square with those we love. We want to feel safe letting our kids go off by themselves. We want to make lots of money at our different stands.
Gee, Lord, we sure want a lot, don't we?
So, perhaps, if we will do our part; that is, behave ourselves, defer to each other, watch our alcohol intake, and even still attend the worship service of our choice over the weekend, then we will feel your blessing on these good times.
Lord, may we be wise in all things at Strassenfest.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
God of good times and bad, we ask your blessing this week for the "good times." It's time for our Strassenfest weekend, our Street Festival time, and we want it to be safe and fun both.
We want to enjoy life together on the streets and sidewalks. We want to enjoy the concerts and food. We want to renew old friendships and wander around the square with those we love. We want to feel safe letting our kids go off by themselves. We want to make lots of money at our different stands.
Gee, Lord, we sure want a lot, don't we?
So, perhaps, if we will do our part; that is, behave ourselves, defer to each other, watch our alcohol intake, and even still attend the worship service of our choice over the weekend, then we will feel your blessing on these good times.
Lord, may we be wise in all things at Strassenfest.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
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