Guide Me in My Recovery. John T. Farrell
may light shine out of the two eyes of you,
like a candle set in the window of a house,
bidding the wanderer come in out of the storm.
And may the blessing of the rain be on you,
may it beat upon your Spirit and wash it fair
and clean, and leave there a shining pool where
the blue of Heaven shines, and sometimes a star.
And may the blessing of the earth be on you,
soft under your feet as you pass along the roads,
soft under you as you lie out on it, tired at the
end of day; and may it rest easy over you when,
at last, you lie out under it.
May it rest so lightly over you that your
soul may be out from under it quickly;
up and off and on its way to God.
And now may the Lord bless you,
and bless you kindly. Amen.
Great Spirit Prayer
CHIEF YELLOW LARK OF THE SIOUX
Oh Great Spirit, whose voice I hear in the winds,
whose breath gives life to the world, hear me.
I am small and weak, and I need your strength
and wisdom. May I walk in beauty. Make my eyes
behold the red and purple sunrise;
Make my hands respect the things you have made
and my ears sharp to hear your voice;
Make me wise so that I may know the things you
have taught your children. The lessons you have
written in every leaf and rock;
Make me strong, not to be superior
to my sisters and brothers, but to fight
my greatest enemy within myself;
Make me ready to come to you with straight eyes
so that when my life fades as the fading sunset my
spirit may come to you without shame.
Thanksgiving
RALPH WALDO EMERSON
For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food,
For love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends.
Morning Confession
BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER
Most merciful God,
We confess that we have sinned against you
In thought, word, and deed,
By what we have done,
And by what we have left undone.
We have not loved you with our whole heart;
We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.
We are truly sorry and we humbly repent.
For the sake of your son Jesus Christ,
Have mercy on us and forgive us;
That we may delight in your will,
And walk in your ways,
To the glory of your name. Amen.
You Are the Peace of All Things Calm
CELTIC PRAYER
You are the peace of all things calm
You are the place to hide from harm
You are the light that shines in dark
You are the heart’s eternal spark
You are the door that’s open wide
You are the guest who waits inside
You are the stranger at the door
You are the calling of the poor
You are my Lord and with me still
You are my love, keep me from ill
You are the light, the truth, the way
You are my Savior this very day.
Morning Resolutions
SAMUEL JOHNSON
My purpose is from this time
To reject or expel sensual images, and idle thoughts.
To provide some useful amusement for leisure time.
To avoid idleness.
To rise early.
To study a proper portion of every day.
To worship God diligently.
To read the Scriptures.
To let no week pass without reading some part.
To write down my observations.
I will renew earlier resolutions.
I will not despair. I will pray to God
for resolution, and will endeavor to
strengthen my faith.
How Can I Keep From Singing?
ROBERT LOWRY
My life flows on in endless song;
Above earth’s lamentation
I hear the sweet though far off hymn
That hails a new creation:
Through all the tumult and the strife
I hear the music ringing;
It finds an echo in my soul—
How can I keep from singing?
Be At Peace
ST. FRANCIS DE SALES
Do not look forward in fear
to the changes of life;
Rather look to them with full hope
that as they arise,
God, whose very own you are,
will lead you safely through all things;
And when you cannot stand it,
God will carry you in His arms.
Do not fear what may happen tomorrow;
The same everlasting Father
who cares for you today
will take care of you today and every day.
He will either shield you from suffering or
will give you unfailing strength to bear it.
Be at peace and put aside all
anxious thoughts and imaginations.
The Rhythm of Life
TRADITIONAL AFRICAN PRAYER
I am the drum,
You are the drum, and we are the