January 15th

Loving God, it's a gray dull day outside, but my enthusiasm overflows nevertheless. Thank your for all that you do, for the friends that support me, the family that cares for me, and the world that provides all my needs. Help me to care for others as you care for me, to be attentive to their needs and moods, to be sensitive to their words and actions, and to be a means through which Jesus, the Light of the world, can shine and offer His brightness to everyone I meet.

January 14

Lord, as the day unfolds and I go from task to task, help me to do each one as if it were the most important thing on my list. Help me do each chore in a way that is fresh and new. Give me joy in each duty that I find boring, and ever more satisfaction with those things I love to do.
Help my passion for you spread through my writing, my visiting and all that I do for my congregation and your Kingdom

January 13th

God, as I do your work, help me to rest and to relax as well. Help me to balance what needs to be done with an attitude of calm and ease. Let me be at peace with your world and to recharge and refresh for the days ahead even as I prepare for Sunday and do the other necessary things that I need to accomplish today.

January 12th

Lord, I pray for clarity, both in my thoughts and in the way I express my self. Help me listen and hear to your voice and the voices of others so that I might hear exactly what is being said. Give me the patience and attention to hear beyond the words and to understand the meaning and intention. Help me to discern the truth and intentionality of what is said to me. Help to know the difference between being led to the core of the matter or being led down the garden path.
Help me, as well, to say things clearly and concisely. Help me to be understood in addition to being heard.
Finally, Lord, help me say only what needs to be said, and to have something to say worth listening to.

January 9th: Opportunists

Cats are opportunists. In any given situation, a cat will find a way to take it and make it their own. Whatever pops up, wherever it finds itself, whoever is nearby, a cat makes an opportunity to ensure that its needs are met.
Take our cat, Zed. A radio placed by a window is now a favored observation post. He knows that if he meows loudly while looking at his food, which has been placed in a rather lofty perch to keep it from the dog, he will be picked up and delivered to his dinner dish. In fact, one day while I exercised, he seized the opportunity to tell me said dish was empty by knocking it down to the ground, a good four foot fall.
In all situations Zed, and his feline counterparts know how to make it good for them. Forget the rest of the world; Cats live under the assumption that everything serves its own use and convenience. Even if something doesn’t quite go its way, or if it errs in its judgment, a cat will make it look like the outcome was preplanned. Cats do not make mistakes. Mistakes are simply proof that everything is inferior to a cat’s elevated opinion of itself.
This opportunistic nature means that cats always think they have won and that they have no guilt whatsoever. If a dog is scolded for even the slightest mistake they will display the greatest guilt and remorse imaginable. Dogs are only opportunistic when it comes to making their owner happy. Cats, on the other hand, couldn’t care less. They are not wired for guilt, shame or embarrassment. All they know is smug self-satisfaction.
Very few people are like cats. Like our canine pets we are prone to feelings of guilt, regret, shame and embarrassment. Mistakes wound our egos. Slip-ups tear at our self-esteem. Insults wound our souls. Yes, there are times when we are opportunists, taking advantage of others but whether we know it or not, our joy is only short lived. We are designed to feel guilty when we break the rules. It’s part of who and what we are and there is no escaping it.
God is an opportunist. God will take every opportunity to step into our lives and help. God is ready to heal our hurts and ease our guilt. In fact, God is always on the alert to help keep us out of trouble. Trouble is, we aren’t sufficiently in tune with God to take advantage of His presence. Stuck in our own minds, trapped by what we think we need or want, we forget, and sometimes even ignore, the fact that God is there for us.
Thankfully, when we blow it, God seizes the opportunity to forgive us. He is always ready to take our guilt away and ease our hearts. Of course, it would be easier on us if we took the opportunity to seek God’s help before we got into trouble, but maybe, when it comes to God, we aren’t opportunists.

January 11th

Lord, I thank you for a good day of work and the sense of accomplishment that comes from serving you. In some ways the progress was minimal, but by being able to reach out and touch others, by working together big things were done.

January 10th

God you ordained a day of rest, and society has interpreted that as Sunday. Since I have to work that day, I take Monday off as my holy day of rest. I thank you that today I was able to spend time with Lois and to relax. I also thank you that you have given me some time on my own to be renewed and refreshed.

January 9th

Lord, it's been a blessing to worship you today. I thank you for the folks taking part and those in the pews.
I thank you for the creative hymn and song writers that provide our music
I thank you for your living Word and the way that it speaks to us today, just as it has in the past and will continue to do so until we now longer need it on paper
I thank you for the gifts and skills you have given me.
I thank you for the church and congregation that allow me to lead and work with them.
I thank you for your son, Jesus, and the way that He works through me and those around me.
I thank you for all your blessings and I pray that I may be a blessing to others on your behalf

January 8th

What a glorious day, it was, God. The sunshine was bright and even though the temperature was gold, the sun's golden rays and the clear unobstructed sky took away the chill and warmed me to the depth of my soul.
It was a blessing to be outside taking down the Christmas lights, doing a simple chore in the glory of your creation, lit by the wonderful light of the sun.
I wonder, God, if that's what it will be like to see Jesus in His full glory? Will He be Son-shine bright, or just like the rest of us? Either way, I'm looking forward to it, because I know that as great as this day was, it will be nothing compared to the day when you let me see Him face to face.

January 7th

Lord, my broken computer is frustrating. I would like to have it back to it's normal state so that I can do my work more conveniently.
Of course, I realize that i don't really need a machine to serve you. Nor does my service need to convenience me. So help me, God, get over myself and my broken Mac. Help me get the job of preparing worship done without complaint. Help me say what you need me to say regardless of the tools at my disposal. Help me get my Mac fixed soon, so that I won't have a reason to whine. And God, should I be tempted to complain again, help me find a way to praise and enyou you instead.

January 6th

God, what a joy it is to try new things and succeed. It was such a great practice tonight; the music was fun, we learned it quickly and everybody pulled together. Well, mostly everybody, but it's understandable. Learning new things for singers isn't as exciting for the people on instruments, so I can understand if they get bored. We still and a great time and when we all came together, it felt truly blessed.
I pray that we will be able to take what we've learned and share it soon. I pray that our new songs will renew and refresh our worship and that they will be a good way to please you and to help all of us better worship you.

January 5th

Lord, help me set limits. Help me to know where I can help and where I cannot. Help me to know where I am needed and where I am in the way. Help me to know where I bring joy and where I bring sorrow. Help me to know where I bring a fresh perspective and where I simply repeat the obvious.
Help me, God, to know the boundaries of my skills and my necessity. Help me to respect those boundaries so that I might never dishonour another, myself, or you.

January 4th

Lord, the office is quiet; no-one is around yet I am not alone. I know that I am with you and you are with me. Your presence is tangible as I sit in solitude. You comfort and renew me, you give me the wisdom I need to work and the peace I need to work well.
It is a blessing to be in your presence and to know you are always there for me. I pray that I might be a blessing to you, too. May my thoughts align with yours. May my actions please you. May my prayers bring us closer together. May my love unite us.
Thank you for this time with you.