A time to remember to give thanks, even in the most difficult times.

Good Evening Family!

Happy Being Thoughtful and Thankful Thursday! Yes even in the hard and confusing times we must take time to give thanks. Here is why I give thanks today ! I posted this on Facebook earlier!

Hello Family! Happy Being Thoughtful and Thankful Thursday! Here is what I have to be thankful for.
We are blessed to have the people who do the diabetes education and nutrition at Marian. Kathy the nutritionist helped me get refocused on portions and give me creative ideas for eating within a food stamp budget. Kelly the nurse was able to give me a new diabetes kit that Medi-Cal approves of so I'm all set. Leticia the office manager is going to send some of the bills back up to Sacramento for review with a copy of my Cen-Cal Card as proof of my low income.
Walgreens had one of my prescriptions ready and was re-billed to Medi-Cal and no charge for my Anti depressant I will pick up my Metformin on Saturday. I am in tears because of the generosity of systems that seemed so monolithic. God is good. We all need to remind ourselves of the little things during these hard and scary times.

Here at Walk With Me On Our Journey we give thanks  to God for having 235,000 + page views in history and for everyone and you who have read the blog. Two years ago we celebrated and Gave thanks to God for 35,000 page views on this day!

So in these times of struggle and great hardship and the jangling of bodies, minds, and spirits we must take time to give thanks to God in all things even if they are the size of a mustard seed.  Tonight we make vigil and pray. We will use prayers and vigils from old blogs like we usually do but they are from last year's blog and two years ago. Also we will use lessons and the prayer for the feast of the Presentation.


Light and peace, in Jesus Christ our Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.

The following canticle is then sung or said, during which the candles are
lighted.



A Light to enlighten the nations,
and the glory of your people Israel.
A Light to enlighten the nations,
and the glory of your people Israel.
Lord, you now have set your servant free *
to go in peace as you have promised.
A Light to enlighten the nations,
and the glory of your people Israel.
For these eyes of mine have seen the Savior, *
whom you have prepared for all the world to see.
A Light to enlighten the nations,
and the glory of your people Israel.

Let us pray.

God our Father, source of all light, today you revealed to the
aged Simeon your light which enlightens the nations. Fill our
hearts with the light of faith, that we who bear these candles
may walk in the path of goodness, and come to the Light

that shines for ever, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Dear Ones It is time for our nightly Virtual Candlelight Prayer Vigil. Let us light our candles and be at prayer and give thanks to God for the rich and beautiful diversity of all God's creation. We celebrate our differences with CALM (Compassionate, Accepting, Loving, and Merciful) Hearts. We pray that these differences may unite us together as one beautiful human family made in the image and likeness of God. 

Let us pray.

Almighty and everliving God, we humbly pray that, as your only-begotten Son was this day presented in the temple, so we may be presented to you with pure and clean hearts by Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.


O God, you have made this day holy by the presentation of
your Son in the Temple, and by the purification of the
Blessed Virgin Mary: Mercifully grant that we, who delight in
her humble readiness to be the birth-giver of the Only begotten,
may rejoice for ever in our adoption as his sisters
and brothers; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.


We have waited in silence on your loving-kindness, O Lord,
in the midst of your temple. Your praise, like your Name, O
God, reaches to the world’s end; your right hand is full of
justice.

Psalm 84

Quam dilecta!

1 How dear to me is your dwelling, O LORD of hosts! *
My soul has a desire and longing for the courts of the LORD;
my heart and my flesh rejoice in the living God.

2 The sparrow has found her a house
and the swallow a nest where she may lay her young; *
by the side of your altars, O LORD of hosts,
my King and my God.

3 Happy are they who dwell in your house! *
they will always be praising you.

4 Happy are the people whose strength is in you! *
whose hearts are set on the pilgrims' way.

5 Those who go through the desolate valley will find it a place of springs, *
for the early rains have covered it with pools of water.

6 They will climb from height to height, *
and the God of gods will reveal himself in Zion.

7 LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer; *
hearken, O God of Jacob.

8 Behold our defender, O God; *
and look upon the face of your Anointed.

9 For one day in your courts is better than a thousand in my own room, *
and to stand at the threshold of the house of my God
than to dwell in the tents of the wicked.

10 For the LORD God is both sun and shield; *
he will give grace and glory;

11 No good thing will the LORD withhold *
from those who walk with integrity.

12 O LORD of hosts, *
happy are they who put their trust in you!

or

Psalm 24:7-10

Domini est terra

7 Lift up your heads, O gates;
lift them high, O everlasting doors; *
and the King of glory shall come in.

8 "Who is this King of glory?" *
"The LORD, strong and mighty,
the LORD, mighty in battle."

9 Lift up your heads, O gates;
lift them high, O everlasting doors; *
and the King of glory shall come in.

10 "Who is he, this King of glory?" *
"The LORD of hosts,
he is the King of glory."

Malachi 3:1-4Thus says the Lord, See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight-- indeed, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears?For he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap; he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the LORD in righteousness. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the LORD as in the days of old and as in former years.

The Song of Mary Magnificat

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,

my spirit rejoices in you, O God my Savior, *

for you have looked with favor on your lowly servant.

From this day all generations will call me blessed: *

you, the Almighty, have done great things for me,

and holy is your name.

You have mercy on those who fear you *

from generation to generation.

You have shown strength with your arm *

and scattered the proud in their conceit,

Casting down the mighty from their thrones *

and lifting up the lowly.

You have filled the hungry with good things *

and sent the rich away empty.

You have come to the help of your servant Israel, *

for you have remembered your promise of mercy,

The promise made to our forebears, *

to Abraham and his children for ever

Hebrews 2:14-18

Since God's children share flesh and blood, Jesus himself likewise shared the same things, so that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by the fear of death. For it is clear that he did not come to help angels, but the descendants of Abraham. Therefore he had to become like his brothers and sisters in every respect, so that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested.

A Song of Judith

Judith 16:13-16

I will sing a new song to my God, *

for you are great and glorious, wonderful in strength, invincible.

Let the whole creation serve you, *

for you spoke and all things came into being.

You sent your breath and it formed them, *

no one is able to resist your voice.

Mountains and seas are stirred to their depths, *

rocks melt like wax at your presence.

But to those who fear you, *

you continue to show mercy.

No sacrifice, however fragrant, can please you, *

but whoever fears the Lord shall stand in your sight for ever.

Luke 2:22-40

When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, the parents of Jesus brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord"), and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, "a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons."

Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Messiah. Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying,

"Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace,

according to your word;

for my eyes have seen your salvation,

which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,

a light for revelation to the Gentiles

and for glory to your people Israel."

And the child's father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, "This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed-- and a sword will pierce your own soul too."

There was also a prophet, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped there with fasting and prayer night and day. At that moment she came, and began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.

When they had finished everything required by the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.

A Song of Our True Nature

Julian of Norwich

Christ revealed our frailty and our falling, *

our trespasses and our humiliations.

Christ also revealed his blessed power, *

his blessed wisdom and love.

He protects us as tenderly and as sweetly when we are in greatest need; *

he raises us in spirit

and turns everything to glory and joy without ending.

God is the ground and the substance, the very essence of nature; *

God is the true father and mother of natures.

We are all bound to God by nature, *

and we are all bound to God by grace.

And this grace is for all the world, *

because it is our precious mother, Christ.

For this fair nature was prepared by Christ

for the honor and nobility of all, *

and for the joy and bliss of salvation

God we thank you for creating us  in your image and likeness.
We pray for those who feel invisible and out of touch. Help us to know who we are and whose we are.
God we thank you for creating us out of love and may we love like you.
We pray for all  who are unloving. May we love the unlovable.

God we thank you for making us worthy of your promises.
We pray that we may be worthy and up to the tasks that you call us to do.

God we thank you that you have counted each hair on our heads and made us precious.
We pray for the least of  these and our most vulnerable family members. We remember all those who are facing another night in the bitter cold.

God we thank you that you have made us a family and your beloved children.
We pray for all children and animals who are in need of loving and forever homes.

God we thank your for allowing us to bring ourselves and our gifts to you your table.
We pray that we may allow all of our family members to bring themselves and their gifts to the table without judgement.

God we thank you for empowering us to be a vital presence to others and our family members.
We pray that we may speak truth to power and do justice, love, mercy and be a voice for the voiceless.

God we thank you for giving us hearts to love and heart homes to hold our family members tightly 
We pray for all who are mourning, ill, and in need. May we give them love and along with you hold them lovingly with compassion.

God we thank you for giving us the courage to be authentically who we are.
We pray for an end to all bullying of  all of our family members.

God help us to make peace, bring joy, bear hope , and shine lights.
All this we ask in Jesus' most holy name. Amen.


A Prayer attributed to St. Francis
Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Where there is
hatred, let us sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where
there is discord, union; where there is doubt, faith; where
there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where
there is sadness, joy. Grant that we may not so much seek to
be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is
in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we
are born to eternal life. Amen.

The Wisdom of God
the Love of God
and the Grace of God
strengthen you
to be Christ’s hands and heart in this world,
in the name of the Holy Trinity. Amen.
(source: Celtic)

Live without fear: your Creator has made you holy, has always
protected you, and loves you as a mother. Go in peace to follow
the good road and may God’s blessing be with you always. Amen.
(source: from Saint Clare)

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For more information on today's feast day- please click on the link The Presentation ,

Today's resources are from 
Enriching our Worship
Book of Occasional Services
Lectionarypage.net
Satucket lectionary pages
Book of Common Prayer
Walk With Me on Our Journey original prayers and vigils.

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Good Night Dear Ones! I love you and  give thanks to God for you this night and always.

Peace, love, prayers, and God's Blessings!

Sara