Good Evening Dear Family of Love,
Happy Labor Day and #YouMatterMonday! Last evening while I was writing the blog I used the phrase "Circling the wagons" not knowing who these words might offend and might find sensitive. Yes, dear family I have been called out! Just like I have been encouraging all of us to do regarding hatred, bigotry, etc. One of our new readers who called me on this, is a Native American sister who is concerned about Native American/Indigenous people's rights and treatment not only in the past but presently in North DakotaI If you haven't been following the news pieces from North Dakota having to do with a proposed oil pipeline going through the tribal lands then we have much to learn. The media isn't giving us much info on this tense and important time in our indigenous families' lives. Here is information we all should know:
Native Americans Protest New Oil Pipeline In North Dakota
Keep up to date daily instead of looking at the latest political memes that only get us into trouble. Memes don't always use words, phrases, and pictures sensitively and correctly. They are blood pressure raisers and this isn't good for any of us.
What we need to do is to continually strive to to is to choose and use our words, phrases, and writings with great thought and intention. It won't be easy but we must be called to task, just like I was today.
Here is my apology that I posted on Facebook today:
Today I was called to task about my choice of words and phrases! Please accept my apology if I have offended anyone. I had forgotten that I had written this blog awhile back and it seeks to be a reminder for me and to all of us. Let us remember #wordsmatter
The blog was this : Letters, Labels and Such! Stopping the Madness!
I promise to make and take note that yes #WordsMatter. I'm so glad that our new reader called me out. It keeps me honest and also helps Walk With Me On Our Journey walk with integrity in love and service to God and all of our family members
Tonight we go forward being sensitive and mindful of the words we speak, write, and use. Please call me out. I ask you for your forgiveness and promise to be better as your cyber-minster this day and as we go forward on this pilgrim journey together.
For our prayer time and vigil we will use prayers from three blogs that talk about using our words well.
God we light our candles and pray that we may use our words sensitively with loving and compassionate intention. We ask for forgiveness if we have said or written any thing amiss and we pray that we may practice right speech and right writing to your glory and in the benefit of others. We pray that we may change our hearts,minds, and grow ever sensitive heart homes so that we may help make peace in a positive and life giving way. Amen.
Let us be at prayer.
Prayer set I
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!
Prayer set II
Let us be at prayer!
God we thank you for making us.
Make us one
God we pray that we may learn to love more fully.
Make us more loving.
God we pray for those who haven't accepted all of our family members yet.
Open their eyes Lord so that they may see you in them.
God we pray for an end to bullying, abuse, and hate!
Make us kinder, loving, listening, and inclusive.
God we pray for peace among all peoples who haven't heard your message of love.
Give them open hearts and clear ears to hear.
God we pray for calm hearts, gentle spirits as we meet the days ahead in this new world you have given us.
Give us courage to live into new realities and paths with grace and kindness.
God help those who are transitioning into new lives, the Thin Places, and new life paths.
God may we love and comfort them during these times.
God give us each an expanding heart to love, a voice to speak kindly and gently, and broad shoulders that will make us all equal to the tasks to help the world to become equal and have universal human rights.
God Hear us as we pray!
God we pray for_________________
God we give thanks for__________________
Accept our prayers this night in the Name of Jesus who set our feet on the pathway of love, kindness, and acceptance. Amen.
From Blog: #LoveisLove #WeMustBeKind, #WeMustRespect, #WeAreOneInChrist, #WeAreOne, #WeAreAllGodsChildren
Prayer Set III
Let us be at prayer and pray to God to help us strengthen the holy connections God has given us.
God help us to strengthen the holy connections so that we may be united in the bonds of love and family-hood.
God help us to strengthen the holy connections that remind us that we are family to even the least of these and our enemies.
God help us to strengthen the holy connections that make us one with you so that we may serve you as in the paths you have set before us.
God help us to strengthen the holy connections that are needed at the time when our family members mourn losses of loved ones and friends.
God help us to strengthen the holy connections to reach out to all our family members who are ill and may we pray this night for all who are ill remembering especially_____________________________
God help us to strengthen the holy connections that unite us and not divide us.
God help us to strengthen the holy connections that call us to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with you so that we may become the voice of the voiceless. We pray for peace and an end to wars, violence, and terror. We pray for all refugees, captives,and victims of abuse and trafficking.
God help us to strengthen the holy connections to our loved ones who have died so that we may pray for those who are dying and transitioning into the Thin Places.
God help us to strengthen the holy connections that will help us to have a reverence for God's Cathedral of Life and all living things and beings.
God help us to strengthen the holy connections that we may bring ourselves and our gifts to the table daily and share them with all of our family members with love and for the common good.
God help us to strengthen the holy connections when we share our life's story with courage we may feel your loving arms around us as we speak our truth with love and mercy. May we not be afraid to come out of our closets what ever those closets may be and the secrets that need to be told. May with live our lives authentically with love, courage, and grace.
God help us to strengthen the holy connections as we pray for ourselves, on behalf of our family members, and those who have been afraid to come to us and ask us for prayer remembering_____________
God help us to strengthen the holy connections so that we may be united in the bonds of love and family-hood.
God help us to strengthen the holy connections that remind us that we are family to even the least of these and our enemies.
God help us to strengthen the holy connections that make us one with you so that we may serve you as in the paths you have set before us.
God help us to strengthen the holy connections that are needed at the time when our family members mourn losses of loved ones and friends.
God help us to strengthen the holy connections to reach out to all our family members who are ill and may we pray this night for all who are ill remembering especially_____________________________
God help us to strengthen the holy connections that unite us and not divide us.
God help us to strengthen the holy connections that call us to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with you so that we may become the voice of the voiceless. We pray for peace and an end to wars, violence, and terror. We pray for all refugees, captives,and victims of abuse and trafficking.
God help us to strengthen the holy connections to our loved ones who have died so that we may pray for those who are dying and transitioning into the Thin Places.
God help us to strengthen the holy connections that will help us to have a reverence for God's Cathedral of Life and all living things and beings.
God help us to strengthen the holy connections that we may bring ourselves and our gifts to the table daily and share them with all of our family members with love and for the common good.
God help us to strengthen the holy connections when we share our life's story with courage we may feel your loving arms around us as we speak our truth with love and mercy. May we not be afraid to come out of our closets what ever those closets may be and the secrets that need to be told. May with live our lives authentically with love, courage, and grace.
God help us to strengthen the holy connections as we pray for ourselves, on behalf of our family members, and those who have been afraid to come to us and ask us for prayer remembering_____________
God in the name of Jesus we lift up these our prayers who connects us to you and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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Good Night Dear Ones! I love you ! Have a blessed and restful evening. I give thanks to God for you this night and always.
With love and heartfelt apologies to anyone whom I have offended,
Sara
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