Dear Family of Love,
Happy Take Care Tuesday! I hope everyone is trying to take care of yourselves during this stressful season. We sometimes run ourselves into the ground by going overboard. Today's hast tag with meaning i #Give. Giving is what this season is all about but that doesn't mean we give of ourselves to excess and run ourselves into the ground. We all must give wisely of ourselves, our monies, and our time this season. Tonight I had hoped that I would get to go to the Light up A Life ceremony for Dignity Health Hospice but since the weather has been cold I decided to stay in.and keep warm. Yes I gave myself permission to take care of myself. We all need to give ourselves permission and yeswe need to give others permission to take it easy. Now what exactly does the word GIVE mean and why do we think it is an #AdventWord and hash tag with meaning? Instead of placing the entire definition in the blog proper here is the link to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary (click on the link) Give . I think the #AdventWord and hash tag with meaning word #Give was given to us today as a reminder that when we are truly awakened and proclaiming the Gospel that is when we are in the giving frame of mind. Giving is what Christians and we ourselves should do best. You wouldn't know it by many of our family members' words and deeds these days. We must be giving from our hearts full of love and with open and gentle hands. If you are in a church family you may find yourselves in a time of stewardship from time to time and every year we talk about giving of our time, talent, and our treasure. Giving must come from the same place that unconditional love does. It must not be because we have to, it must be because we want to without expecting things in return. We must become human Free Will Offerings! I hope that makes sense! Tonight we must look and meditate at the first 3 #AdventWords ,#WakeUp, #Proclaim, and #Give and go deeper into the center by carrying them gently into God's holy presence.
Let's do this for about 10 minutes sitting quietly, Please take a look at the #AdventWord for Tomorrow!
Using one of the 4 selected words in Advent "Hope" Let us be at prayer.
God of Hope, as we enter fully into this season of joyful expectation may we be given lenses that show us many things and where you would have us go, and what we are to become. Help us to lay down our worries and fears so that we may wait, watch, pray, and listen to you with open ears, hearts, and spirits.
God of Hope we pray for all of our family members who are in need of hope when they feel hopeless. Help us to bring hope to Your fragile and broken world.
God of Hope we pray for all our family members who are forced to live on the streets and out of doors during the cold weather. We pray that they may find sheltered areas from the winds, cold, rain, and snow. We pray that there may be homeless shelters and warming centers that will meet their needs as we know that one shelter type doesn't fit all.
God of Hope, we pray for our littlest family members who are in children's hospitals and PICU that they may be healed and be able to enjoy the holidays with their families.
God of Hope, we pray for all those who are dying and have died today that they may feel your loving presence and give them hope as they enter the Thin Places.
God of Hope, show us how to help creatively without having to write a check.
God of Hope, we pray for peace in your fragile and broken world. May we truly be blessed as peacemakers and find ourselves as your children.
God of Hope, we pray for all caregivers that they my find rest and respite.
God of Hope, we thank you for the gift of rain. May we continue to have more rain to refresh, replenish, and renew your drought parched earth.
God of Hope, help us to see You in all of our Family of Love's faces and that we may act accordingly and love, honor, and respect each other.
God of Hope, help us to love more fully, care more deeply, comfort with more compassion, and be more accepting and inclusive of all our family members.
God of Hope help us to console and comfort all who mourn at any stage of grief. Give us courage not to let any of our family members fall through the cracks.
God of Hope, we pray this night for all refugees, captives, political prisoners, victims of violence and abuse of any kind, victims of human trafficking and slavery.
God of Hope, we pray for ourselves and on behalf of others remembering especially______________
God of Hope, we offer our thanksgivings remembering especially______________________
God of Hope, we offer these our prayers and thanksgivings in the name of your only begotten son Jesus. Amen.
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Good Night Family of Love! Do you know why I call you Family of Love? I call you this because God is Love! So we are the Family of Love (God). May our heart, spirits, and souls join together in love, peace, hope, joye, and harmony. I love you and give thanks to God for you this night and always.
Love, blessings, hope, peace, and joy be always yours!
Sara
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