Devotion

Guide us, teach us, and strengthen us, O Lord, we

beseech thee, until we become such as thou would'st 

have us to be: pure, gentle, truthful, high-minded 

courteous, generous, able, dutiful and useful; for thy

honour and glory.

Charles Kingsley (1819-1875)

Taken from 365 Children's Prayers by Carol Watson

May the road rise to meet you.

May the wind be always at your back.

May the sun shine warm upon your face,

the rains fall soft upon your fields and,

until we meet again,

May God hold you in the palm of his hand.

An Irish blessing 

Taken from 365 Children's Prayers by Carol Watson

Patient choir directors.  The one who can fix your hair the way you  like it.  Peace between enemies.  Volunteers. A room in the inn for you.  Pink. Pink cheeks.  Pale pink baby dresses.  Three dozen pink rosebuds in an antique vase. The hit that brings victory. A cool environment to escape opppressive heat. Instincts.  The spiritual insight to realize more fully our influence on others. The grace to use our ability to influence others wisely and for the Lord's purpose.  Getting promoted to the next level.  Fingernail files.  Tweezers.

Marble bathtubs. Fresh sweet raspberries. Cakes that bake evenly. Organists. Wide-brimmed straw hats.  Shampoo. Potted flowering pots that bloom their heads off. The ability to breathe freely. The ability to see clearly. The ability to hear sharply. The one who forecasts correctly.  Easy-to-read maps. The patience to unknot tiny knotted chains.  The Sabbath rest. Scissors. Deodorant. Unique fingerprints. Unique voiceprints. Unique footprints.  Unique cellular structures. Green marble. 

Dear Lord,

There are so many lonely people in the city - people we don't always notice among the bustling crowds.

No one seems to care about them.

Lord Jesus, if there is someone we know who is lonely, help us and our families to overcome ourshyness and to make friends.

Amen

(Taken from 365 Children's Prayers by Carol Watson)

A violin in the hands of a master violinist.  New medicines proven effective.  Sculptors and sculptures.   A good haircut. The wisdom of the Lord's choices.  The exactness of the Lord's timing.  Brooms.  Those who encourage.  Phone calls returned.  Spot lifters that do. Having a clear complexion for the big event.  Temptations denied.  A long-lasting unfrizzy permanent  wave.  A roll of hard candies.  The friend with whom you can share comfortable moments of silence.  An invigorating nap.  Modesty.  White Easter dresses.  A new box of crayons.  Hair that stays braided. 

Thank you, dear heavenly Father, for making us part of your family.

It is good to know that we belong to you, and to each other as brothers and sisters.

Please teach us to love one another however difficult it may seem, and to care for those who are in your family and live in countries where they have very little to eat and maybe nowhere to live.

Help us to share things with them as we would with our own family.

For Jesus' sake, 

Amen

(taken from 365 Children's Prayers by Carol Watson)

The fun of cotton candy at a circus.  The no-spot rinse cycle.  The fun of feeding day old bread to the ducks.  Large, close-knit loving families.  Garbage collectors.  The fun of jumping into a big pile of autumn leaves. Grandmas who take their grandchildren to Saturday ball games. High-flying park swings.  Sermons that compel growth.   Mercy when you mess up. Marshmellows.  A blanket to cover your knees during a cold football game.  Freedom from mixed up signals.  No wax linoleum.  Bright eyes. The friend who will love you "anyway" and "in spite of" Distinctive signatures.  Breath mints.

God be in my head,

And in my understanding;

God be in my eyes,

and in my looking;

God be in my mouth

and in my speaking;

God be in my heart,

And in my thinking;

God be at my end,

And at my departing.

16th-century Sarum Primer

Taken from 365 Children's Prayers by Carol Watson

Real estate in heaven! Bodies that heal.  Relationships that mend. The fun of sliding down splinter-free banisters. Ear muffs. Red hair of all shades.  All varieties of beetles.  New insights into the Word.  Pastors who hug their children in their congregations.  Christian believer in Hawaii.  New blank books.  All the waternmelon you can eat on the fourth of July.  Sermons that challenge misconceptions.  Answer pages in the back of math books. Foods that melt in your mouth like butter.  A full arch of vivid rainbow colour against a dark sky. Water slides.