Not much to say but lots to pray about!

Good Evening Dearly Loved Family!

Happy Self-Care Saturday! I hope everyone had time to do something for yourselves! If you haven't had the opportunity please do it after we have our time of  prayer. 

We haven't done our mindfulness and going deeper exercise for quite awhile so here it is.

Let's take out our timer, mindfulness app, or select a piece of music that is about 5 to 10 minutes in length.  Inhale and exhale slowly with eyes closed and listen to the quiet or the music. 

Here is a piece for beginners!

Bless the Lord My Soul -Taize

Then repeat this phrase interspersed with the breathing.

Peace be still.

Sit and listen.

The Temple Gardens

As we continue our time of  Sabbath Rest may we take time to light our candles once again  and pray and shine the light of Christ to a fragile and broken world. God help us to illumine our pathways so that we may follow in the footsteps where you are leading us. We pray that the light we carry may shine brightly into the dark places and into our family member's lives. We pray that the darkness that we are experiencing my be illumined by the light of Christ and God's grace. We pray for peace and that we may light candles to show that we are in unity with each other. Help us to hold the Christ light to everyone we meet. We pray this night for all of the least of these who are seeking food, clothing, shelter,and clean water. We pray for all or our family members who seek to do us harm that you O God may set their hearts ablaze with love and the difference between right and wrong. We pray that we may become peacemakers and light bearers and that we may seek to do God's will. We pray this night that we may continue to love one another with compassion, acceptance, love and mercy. The Light of Christ in me recognize the light of Christ in you this night and always. 

 

                                A Weekend of  Prayer  For the Peace and Unity of the World

Before we begin let us light a single candle in memory of all of our family members who have died and have been victimized by terror, violence, hatred, bullying and any kind of divisive action and degradation. 

We pray for healing of God's Cathedral of Life and divisions between all of the Family of God that we may all be united in Love and Purpose to come together and work to be good stewards for the common good of all and of all living things.

We continue to pray for rain to heal our drought parched land and the gifts that rain brings to your Cathedral of Life.

For ourselves and what ever is on our hearts and minds tonight and this weekend.

We pray for peace and unity of the World

We pray for our refugee,  homeless, hungry, poor, marginalized, and oppressed family members.

We pray for all those who are awaiting surgery

We Pray for all of our family members who are living with chronic illness and pain.

For our family members throughout the world

For those who are the unloved and unlovable

For our enemies who are our family members

For those who hate and bully and for the victims of hate crimes and the bullied
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For the LGBTQ community throughout the world who are in danger and lack the human and civil rights that our other family members have.

For a the Nations of the World and their  Governmental leaders that their hearts  may be softened to what is right and that they may grant equal rights to everyone.

We pray for Syria, South Sudan, Iraq, Afghanistan, Ukraine, Burundi, The Middle East, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central America, Pakistan, The United States,  and all areas of the world that aren't safe 

May we all be good examples of  loving and compassionate witness of God's Love and Good News to our family members throughout the world.

We continue to pray for all of us who are victims/survivors of assault and 
abuse and that we may have the support we need to go forward in confidence 

and without fear.

For all those whom we love______________________

For our many blessings we give God thanks for_____________________

We celebrate________________________________

We  remember those who have entered the Thin Places especially__________________

Lord God Enliven our Spirits, Quicken our Steps, Enlarge and tenderize our hearts so that we may feel  Your Living Water of Life coursing through our veins to do your will and in answer you call to love and serve all of your family O God,  in all that we do or say this day and always. Amen.

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Good night dear family of love and pilgrims on our journey and remember:

As you walk upon the earth, treat each step as a prayer.
~ Black Elk

With love and a heart home wide open with love energy for you,

Sara

It's Friday and we pray and light our candles and be at prayer! Our season of prayer continues.

Good Evening Dear Family of Love!

Happy Keeping the Faith Friday Fearlessly Without Fretting!  Wow! We are already at the close of Friday. That means preparing for our time of Self-Care and Sabbath Rest. Let us start by laying down and offering our anxieties, fears, anger, and worries and any thing else that is troubling you in to the Worry/Sabbath (jar, box, or journal) and then take time for a period of mindfulness and centering ourselves quietly. Turning off the TV and finding your quiet and happy room is essential.

Choose a word like peace or any other word that means something to you. After a space we will continue with our prayer vigil.


God we thank you for this day and the quiet that you bring us at the end of the day. We pray and light candles for our family members who do not know how to quiet themselves. We pray for our family members who find themselves in the hospital on the weekend and awaiting diagnosis. We pray for peace in this world and that we may come to know and love one another with courage and understanding. We pray for unity among all peoples and that division and hatred may cease. We pray this night for all who are meeting various challenges in their lives. We pray this night for all of our homeless and hungry family members who do not have sufficient food and shelter on the weekends. We pray for all of our faith leaders who are preparing for worship this weekend. We pray that we may find sufficient and peaceful rest and comfort this night. Help us to quiet the storms with in us and give loving comfort to those who who are going through the storms of life. We pray for all places that are experiencing severe weather. We pray this night that we may forever be CALM ( Compassionate, accepting, loving, and merciful) We pray that we may place all of our worries, anxieties and anything else that is not calming our hearts into the Worry Sabbath box so that we may be on retreat with you. We light our candles in memory of all who have lost their lives in acts of violence and hate. We pray for those who lost their lives in Syria. Let us recognize the Light of Christ in each other by these words: "The Light of Christ In Me Recognizes the Light of Christ in you!" Amen.

Tonight I ask that we all begin knitting a tight prayer circle around all areas of our country  and around the world that are plagued by severe weather,natural disaster, and  violence. Tonight we need to be at prayer! Being with God and at prayer is all we need, along with a heavy and life giving dose of Love.

Today's featured  prayer music: The Way Soundtrack

God we pray for all those who are in the paths of severe weather, civil unrest, violence, and natural disasters. We pray particularly for our family members Nepal and Baltimore.  We pray for our family members who are in danger and especially those who have lost their lives, property, and livelihoods. 

We pray for sound governance throughout the world and that there may be peace on the earth and that all wars, violence, and injustice may cease.

We pray for a climate of mindfulness and that we may not walk in a fog but clear headed and with clear vision to see what is happening in our worldwide neighborhood 

and that we may see God in each other's eyes. We pray that we may not pass people by on the road and may we always recognize Jesus in the least of these.

We pray for those who are struggling to find employment all over the world and that jobs may be well paying and permanent.   

We pray for all those who are in transition at any stage of life. We pray for all of our young people who are being promoted in school, those graduating, those retiring, and those discerning vocations to ministry and new life paths.

We pray for all of us who are learning to deal with a new normals in our health situations. We pray for those who are ill in whatever place the healing process they may find themselves.

We pray  for all those who work to keep us safe from harm. Remembering the people who fix our infrastructures, law enforcement, military, emergency rescue personnel, and all those who are involved in health and safety.

We pray that we may never stop growing into the Family of God you created us to be and that we may be loving, merciful, grateful, and compassionate beings who respect the dignity of all.

We pray this night for all of those who have requested prayer and those of  whom we have been asked to pray for. 

We pray for all of our family members who are finding life a struggle and we remember those with chronic pain and mental illness. We pray that a cure may be found for all memory related illnesses.

We pray that everyone who has challenging work loads this week may find peace and time for rest, relaxation, refreshment, and renewal. We pray that we all may master the art and necessities of rest and sleep.

May we lay down our burdens and worries O God and may we find our bodies, minds, and spirits lightened in order to serve you daily.

We pray for all those who minister to our family members at night especially the Automobile Club/AAA, Emergency Room personnel, Hospice workers, Night Caregivers, and those who work in the Mortuary ministries. 

We pray for caregivers of every kind from the Parish Priest to the family member who cares for their aging parents and all caregivers in between.

We lift up these prayers and any other prayers of thanksgiving, remembrance, and celebration to you O God who is Creator, Redeemer, and Holy Comforter. Amen.

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Good  Night Lovies! Take Care of yourselves! I love you and hope you all have a blessed and restful night. I give God thanks for you this day and always!

Love to the brim and overflowing!

Sara

Let's talk about love, prayer, and continuing to stop the hate! Our season of prayer continues!

Dear Family of Love!

Happy being Thoughtful and Thankful Thursday! I'm feeling that we all must remember to be loving, prayerful and and continuing to stop the hate and bigotry. Just when I think we are starting to nip this hate thing a little bit in the bud it rears its ugly head again. This is where being a role model for being the loving and prayerful children of God comes into play. Calling people names and casting aspersions upon our family members is most definitely a big NO NO! That's all I'm going to say about that tonight. I know that it is late and we all need sufficient rest to begin to wind down and prepare for our Self-Care and Sabbath Rest weekend. 

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God of all gentleness we light our candles tonight who have become victims of hate crimes and  hate speech. We pray that we may have courage to speak truth to power and lay down the weaponry of hate, bigotry, and any isms and phobias! We pray for all of our family members who are in need of clean water, nourishing food, warm clothing, and safe shelter. We pray that we may seek out the lost, lonely, and afraid. We pray that we may courage to serve the least of these who just may be us. We pray for peace, justice, love, and mercy throughout the world so that we may live united and with hearts ablaze in love for the common good of all and of  humankind and all living beings both flora and fauna. We pray that we may continue to be good stewards of God's Cathedral of Life. We pray for safety in all places throughout the world and that no one is harmed in anyway. We pray that we may continue to be CALM (compassionate, accepting, loving, and merciful) We offer these our prayers and thanksgivings in those that reside in our hearts this night and always. The light of Christ in me Recognizes the light of Christ in me! We lay these prayers in God's most holy and healing arms. Amen. 

Tonight we will meditate on stopping hate, bullying, violence, and inequality.  Please take out your timers, mindfulness apps, or music.  Tonight's music is this: John Michael Talbot mix . Take time to go deeper into the center and if you have any  negative thoughts that need to be let go of, this it the time, this is the place.

God of love and compassion help us to be truly loving and that we may protect all those who are being bullied, abused, and hated.

God of love and compassion, encircle this broken and fragile with you love, justice, mercy and light so that there may be peace on the earth.

God of love and compassion, drive away all things that divide us ! May we be one with you O God and stand and live united as one family under the shadow of your wings!

God of love and compassion, give us tender hearts to give comfort and help all those who are in any need or trouble.

God  of Love and compassion, heal all of our family members who are ill in body, mind , or spirit. Give us courage to help them and reach out to them when  our fears and anxieties hold us  back.

God of Love and compassion, we pray for all of our family members who are pre-grieving their loved ones who are transitioning into the Thin Places.

God of  Love and compassion, we pray for all those who live in places of  violence, especially The Middle East, Burundi, The Democratic Republic of the Congo,Central America, The United States,, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan , Africa. We pray particularly for the many refugees who have been displaced from their homes and workplaces.

God of Love and Compassion We pray for all who are dying and those who have died today that they had a peaceful and warm journey into the Thin Places. 

God of Love and compassion, We pray that we may become the voices of our voiceless and vulnerable family members.

God of Love and compassion, please shower  upon us the gift of rain to heal and cleanse all drought parched areas of the world and in our country.

God of Love and compassion, we pray for all the leaders of the nations that they may learn to  lead with compassion, justice, and mercy. and that their citizenry may be afforded human and equal rights and that they may respect the dignity of  every human being.

God of Love and Compassion, we add our prayers for ourselves and those who have asked to pray on behalf of others ______________.

God of Love and Compassion we offer these prayers in the name of his only Son Jesus, Amen.

Matthew 5:13-16

Jesus said, "You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot.

"You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven."

Or these!

Hear, O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One.

God may we resist the need to put labels, letters, brands, and such on your children.

May we be one.

God may we resist using these labels, letters, brands to harm, hurt, discriminate and hate.

May we be loving and united.

God may we resist the need to use labels, letters, brands in describing our family members.

May we see each family member as you see us.

God may we seek to see you in each of our enemies faces and do good to them by remembering they are part of our family too.  May we seek to follow the example Jesus set and look to Him as our role model in our family and in our faith.

God may we continue to widen the circle of our family by expanding and tenderizing our hearts and  loving each other fully without fear and suspicion. 

God we pray for all of our family members who are ill, need, danger, homeless, hungry, and especially these our family members we now name before you________________

God we pray for all our family members who are in nations where there is danger remembering South Sudan, Syria, The Ukraine, and all other parts of  the world where there is danger and especially those places that are on our hearts____________________

God we pray for rain and a gentle return to normal weather patterns throughout the world. and in our nation.

God we pray for those who have died today and this hour that they may feel your warm embrace as they begin a new chapter where they are truly one with you.  We pray for all who continue to grieve losses of  any kind regardless of time. We remember especially_____________________________

God we give you thanks for our family members and all our many blessings and especially all those many blessings _______________________

God we celebrate those special times , family members birthdays, and special saints and persons who are on our calendar and hearts today remembering especially_____________________________

God we wrap these our prayers into a Sabbath Box and know that you are already at work responding to these our prayers, receiving our thanksgivings, acknowledging those special celebrations and consoling us as we remember those who are near and dear to us who now reside with you.  All this we ask in Jesus' name. Amen. 

"Hear O, Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One". May we all be one!

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Good Night Dear Family of Love !  I love you ! May you have a blessed and restful and peaceful night. May you awaken relaxed, refreshed, renewed, and restored  so that you may serve God in God's broken and fragile world. If you don't know what to do, look around  and  when all else fails pray. I give thanks to God for you this night and always! Remember tomorrow is Keeping the Faith Friday Fearlessly Without Fretting!

Peace, love, prayers, and God's Blessings be always with you,

Sara

It's time to become a family ! Period. Our Season of Prayer Continues.

Good Evening Dear Family of Love!

I have returned from the One Community Action Coalition meeting that was held at the Minami Center down the block from me. It was the most well attended community meeting I have ever attended here in Santa Maria. The meeting focused on how we as a community can stem the tide of violence and build good relationships with each other for the benefit of our youth. We heard from quite a few community leaders in both Spanish and English. I know that might bother you but if we lived in the EU countries and the Middle East we would have to know more than one language. Prayers were said and a memorial candle lighting was done at the start and the families who lost loved ones in the past 7 years due to gang violence brought up a votive candle and placed it on an ofrenda that was in the spirit of El Dia` de los Muertos. One of the attendees who is indigenous did the ceremony of the 4 directions with the blowing of a conch shell and the smudging ceremony with sage. Because Mother Deborah had a scheduling conflict she asked me to to the prayer which was at the end. It was posted earlier this evening and was from Walk With Me On Our Journey. Our family members in attendance really liked it. You know who really liked it was our Mayor Alice Patino! You just never know how God is going to use you each and every day. This was the first time in quite awhile that I have had the privilege of praying one of my original prayers. The first time was long ago at the Daffodil Days Banquet for the American Cancer Society. Today it was in front of our family and you know what ? That's what we truly are! It's time to become a family not just any family but the family of Love of God. Here is the prayer that was said this evening!

Gracious and loving God as we meet in community this evening to pray and light candles let us remember all of our family members who do not have community, family, where loving shoulders and soft places in which to fall are available. We pray for the lost, lonely, and afraid that they may be found and brought into the family of God and wrapped in a quilt of comfort. We pray for our family members who are refugees, asylum seekers, children in foster care, children who are seeking to be adopted and all who are waiting for their forever homes wherever that may be. We pray that we may practice radical hospitality and welcome all of our family members and especially the strangers who are in our midst. We pray that we may keep our eyes on all of our loved ones and pray that no one, not one will fall through the cracks. We pray that a community of CALM (Compassion, Acceptance, Love, and Mercy) may spring up around the world and especially where there is hatred, violence, terror, and division. We pray that peace, justice, and mercy may prevail upon Earth, that we may be be peacemakers and called the Children of God. Amen.

Holy God,as we pray and light more candles let us pray that we may truly and fully become the loving Family of God. God we know that it is time. We know that this journey into family hood won't be easy but we must take time to lay down our, rage, fear, anger, suspicion, hatred, bigotry, terror, and all that seeks to divide us. Give us we pray courage to learn to love one another as Jesus first loved us. Help us we pray to realize that we are one family and that whatever our race, color, creed, gender, and sexual orientation may be we are made in your image and likeness O, God. Tonight we pray for safety in our cities, towns, counties, states, and nations. We pray for all of our family members nearby and far away who have been affected by violence, abuse, bullying, and degradation this day. We pray for their safety and that you'll wrap your loving and holy arms of protection around them. We pray for the least of these who lack clean water, safe and permanent shelter, nourishing food, and warm clothing. Help us to walk the walk and talk the talk and spread your Gospel of Love to this fragile and broken world. Let us be CALM (Compassionate, Accepting, Loving, and Merciful) people this night and forever more. Amen.

Tonight we are going to spend our time together with a  Time of prayer for the healing of lives, world, nations, and the Earth

Gracious and loving God, we pray for all of our family members this night who are in our hearts and on our minds especially_________________.

Gracious and loving God, we pray for the healing of all lives who are touched by abuse and violence.

Gracious and loving God, we pray for the healing of  all those whose hearts are hardened and feel the need to act violently.

Gracious and loving God, we pray for the healing of all family members of the animal kingdom that are facing being endangered and extinct.

Gracious and loving God, we pray for the healing of all of our personal wounds that have kept us from moving on and living lives well lived.

Gracious and  loving God, we pray for the healing of all of those who are mourning losses of  family members and pets. We remember especially those who have lost children.

Gracious and loving God, we pray for the healing of all children who are suffering from any untimely disease that keeps them from enjoying childhood.

Gracious and loving God, we pray for the healing of all of our family members with whom we might be estranged. May we lovingly be united once again with them.

Gracious and loving God, we pray for the healing of  your Cathedral of Life and that we might be good stewards of  the Earth you made.

Gracious and loving God, we pray for the healing of all hearts and heart homes who are facing any family holiday alone!

Gracious and loving God, we pray for the healing of all divisions that we may be one.

Gracious and loving God, we pray for the healing of all who have had surgery that they may receive healing and recover fully.

Gracious and loving God, we pray for the healing of all who are homeless, hungry, and ill-clad that they may find warm shelter, nourishing food, and warm and comfortable clothing.

Gracious and loving God,we pray for the healing of all nations where there are warring factions and terror that peace may prevail upon earth.

Gracious and loving God, we pray for the healing of all faith communities that they may find common ground rooted in love.

Gracious and loving God, we pray for the healing of all the hate and rancor in this world.

Gracious and loving God, we pray for the healing of all those who are feeling isolated and outcast that they may feel accepted and loved as the beautiful people whom you created that they may see  as you see them.

Gracious and loving God, we pray for the healing of  anything that is being brought to mind this night remembering especially__________________________

Gracious and loving God we pray in the name of Jesus,Your Son. Amen.


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Today's wish is this! May you all take time to smell the roses and enjoy God's Cathedral of Life in God's Sunshine of Love.

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Good Night Precious Treasures! I love you! You are truly gifts from God and bring us love and joy.Tomorrow is Being Thoughtful and Thankful Thursday! Take time to get a new box or Jar we are starting a new thing a Gratitude and Thanksgiving Jar/Box . We are going to begin placing our thanksgivings and things that we are grateful for into the new box.

I love and give thanks for you this day and always!

Sara