Devotion

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 living 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.

Honour your father and your mother.....

Exodus 10:12

Foresight. Getting past the narrow ledge. Relationships by which  you are known by name. One day dry cleaners.  Clients who pay promptly. Friends who choose to stay in touch.  Herbalists. The ongoing creativity of the Lord. Lost teddy bears found. Eyes that smile. The Florida Everglades. Fellow Christian believers in Tonga. A career that's fulfilling. Interior designs who enhance your ideas. Chilled water from pure wells. Endurance for the final lap. Strength for the final lift. Quick wits. Seals sunbathing on the ice.

Dear God,

Teach me the way of freindship

So that I can be a good friend

To someone who needs me -

Someone who feels left out

Or is lonely . . .

Just as jesus befriended Matthew

And Zacchaeus, whom no one liked.

Help me to be like Jesus -

A friend to anyone who needs me.

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

Forgiveness. God's revealing areas of sin that need to be faced. Enjoying to the fullest the once-in-a-lifetime moment. Those who forgive. The joy of those forgiven. The birds that frequent the feeder outside my window. Orchids. Microwave ovens.  The survivors of sunken ships.  Affirmations. Shared visions. God's revealing memories that need to be released. Finding a method that works.  One size that truly fits your  "all" A skillful masseur. Workouts concluded. God's sustaining our loved ones until they come to know the Lord. Laptop computers. Cherry cobblers.  Sufficient yew  trees.

Lord Jesus,

We get angry at so many things - our teachers, work, friends and families. Politicians make us angry, so do unemployment, starvation and wars.

When we get angry we want to do something. That can be good - but not when we want to strike out and hurt.

Lord, help us to pray to you more when we are angry. Teach us to be more tolerant of others. Let us remember that harsh words and violence are not the answer. Calm us with your peace and love.

Amen.

Birdfeeders. Seeds born on the winds. Snowshoe rabbits. The first person to paint in oils. Ivy covered walls. Homemade salsa. A precious God~son. Sincere seekers. Greeting cards with just the right words. Washable athletic shoes. High-speed printing presses. Movies worth seeing mutliple times. Those who always expect dinner guests. Frustrations released. Belts with holes where you want them. Opera composers. Classical music. Freedom from mold spores allergies. Those who know how to make and read trail blazes. Short and to-the-point altar calls.

O God, all through today help me: 

Not to lose my temper even when people and things annoy me.

Not to lose my patience even when things do not come out right for the first time;

Not to lose my hope when things are difficult and when learning is hard;

Not to lose my goodness and honour, even when I I am tempted to take the wrong way.

Help me so to live today that i will have nothing to be sorry for when I go to bed again at night.

Hear my paryer for Jesus' sake.

Amen.

Unbitten nails. Copper wire. Those who truly care for the mentally physically challenged. Growing up with brothers and sisters. Waxed skis. Strong ropes. Those who finish what they start. Parents who don't manipulate their children.  Parents who don't spoil their children.  A day off school.  A day off work! Finding the perfect gift. A full cookie jar.  Jesus Christ, the Bishop of our Souls. Beachcombers. Plain backgrounds. The many shades of brown and beige. The many names for the colour brown.  Swimming with the current in a direction you want to go. The Angel of the Lord.

Thank you God for making me.  Thank you that you made me how I am. Thank you for my talents and weaknesses.  Thank you for all my friends. Most of all thank you for making me a child for you. Amen.

Matthew Biddlecombe (11 years old) 

Taken from 365 Children's Prayers. Written and  compiled by Carol Watson.

Dear God,

You know all about me; you know how I feel, when I'm happy or sad.  You know what I say, when i"m kind or rude.  You know what I do, when I"m good or bad. 

Dear God Thank you for knowing all about me and still loving me.

(Cited from 365 Children's Prayers) Written and compiled by Carol Watson