Looking ahead

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.
- St. Francis de Sales

 Image courtesy of David Castillo Dominici / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Using time

May the God of time and eternity
who gave us twenty four hours in each day. 
Enliven your senses so that you may truly 
See what you are looking at 
Taste what you are eating 
Listen to what you are hearing
Face what you are suffering 
Celebrate the ways that you are loved 
And offer whatever you are doing to God. 
So that the water of the present moment 
may be turned into wine. 
- Ray Simpson, Prayer Rhymes for busy people

Image courtesy of prozac1/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Wisdom from the east

“You were born with potential. 
You were born with goodness and trust. 
You were born with ideals and dreams. 
You were born with greatness. 
You were born with wings. 
You are not meant for crawling, so don't. 
You have wings. 
Learn to use them and fly." 
- Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī (30 September 1207 – 17 December 1273)

Image courtesy of prozac1/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Christ as a light - celtic prayer

Christ, as a light
illumine and guide me.
Christ, as a shield
overshadow me.
Christ under me;
Christ over me;
Christ beside me
on my left and my right.
This day be within and without me,
lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.
Be in the heart of each to whom I speak;
in the mouth of each who speaks unto me.
This day be within and without me,
lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.
Christ as a light;
Christ as a shield;
Christ beside me
on my left and my right
- Celtic daily prayer from Northumbria Community

Image courtesy of dan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net 

A prayer by St Columba

Be thou a bright flame before me,
Be thou a guiding star above me,
Be thou a smooth path below me,
Be thou a kindly shepherd behind me,
Today – tonight – and for ever
- St. Columba

Photo by me of a celtic cross on Iona

A prayer for beginning the day

"In the silence of the morning
we are alive to the new day's light,
alert to the early stirrings of the wind
and the first sounds of the creatures.
In the silence of our heart
we hear the yearnings that are in us and the fears,
the hopes that rise from within
and the doubts that trouble our soul.
In the beginnings of this day, O God,
before night's stillness is lost to the day's busyness,
open to us the treasure of our inner being
that in the midst of this day's busyness
we may draw on wisdom.
Assure us again of our origins in you,
assure us again that our true depths are of you."
- From 'Sounds of the Eternal: A Celtic Psalter'

(Image courtesy of Evgeni Dinev / FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

Celtic prayer

"As this day begins Christ be with us,
Be in our hearts and in our minds,
Be in our souls and in our spirits,
Be in our thoughts and in our desires.
As this day begins Christ walk beside us,
Show us the love only you can give,
Show us the light only you can provide,
Show us the wholeness only you can reveal.
As this day begins Christ surround us,
Circle us with your presence,
Keep protection near and danger far,
Bring us the assurance of your love."
- Celtic prayer

Image courtesy of zole4 / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

tutu

"Goodness is stronger than evil.

Love is stronger than hate.

Light is stronger than darkness.

Life is stronger than death.

Victory is ours through Him who loved us."

- Archbishop Desmond Tutu

The Prayer of St. Columba

Be a bright flame before me, O God

a guiding star above me.

Be a smooth path below me,

a kindly shepherd behind me

today, tonight, and for ever.

Alone with none but you, my God

I journey on my way;

what need I fear when you are near,

O Lord of night and day?

More secure am I within your hand

than if a multitude did round me stand.

Amen.

My photo of the beach at Iona....

An Iona blessing

May God, who is present

in sunrise and nightfall,

and in the crossing of the sea,

guide your feet as you go.

May God,

who is with you when you sit

and when you stand,

encompass you with love

and lead you by the hand.

May God, who knows your path

and the places where you rest,

be with you in your waiting

be your good news for sharing,

and lead you in the way

that is everlasting.

- A blessing from Iona

My photo of a stone cross on Iona

Paperback

My book of short stories for telling to children is now available as a paperback as well as a ebook download. It is available at
https://www.createspace.com/4390919

Soon it will also be available on Amazon - it takes a while to sync with the ebook version.

the gift

In the gift of this new day,
in the gift of the present moment,
in the gift of time and eternity intertwined
let us be grateful
let us be attentive
let us be open to what has never happened before,
in the gift of this new day,
in the gift of the present moment,
in the gift of time and eternity intertwined.
- A Celtic prayer

Image courtesy of dan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Ancient Celtic prayer

Be the eye of God dwelling with you, 
The foot of Christ in guidance with you, 
The shower of the Spirit pouring on you, 
Richly and generously. 
God's peace be to you, 
Jesus' peace be to you, 
Spirit's peace be to you 
And to your children, 
Oh to you and to your children, 
Each day and night 
Of your portion in the world. 
- Ancient Celtic prayer

Image courtesy of Danilo Rizzuti / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Night prayer

In the coming hours of darkness
may there be light in our dreams.
In the stillness of sleep
may there be strength for our souls.
In the wakeful watches of night
may there be peace in our minds.
Light for new vision
strength to make sacrifice
peace for our world.
On the pathways of earth's journey this night
let there be peace.
- From Praying with the Earth: A Prayerbook for Peace

Image courtesy of Exsodus / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Irish prayer

Dear Lord,
Give me a few friends who will love me for what I am,
and keep ever burning before my vagrant steps the kindly light of hope…
And though I come not within sight of the castle of my dreams,
teach me to be thankful for life,
and for time’s olden memories that are good and sweet.
And may the evening’s twilight find me gentle still.
- An Irish prayer

Image courtesy of Vlado / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Syrian prayer

May God, the unsearchable abyss of peace, the ineffable sea of love,
the fountain of blessings, and the bestower of affection,
who sends peace to those that receive it,
open to you this day the sea of His love,
and water you with plenteous streams from the riches of His grace.
May God make you a child of quietness, and heir of peace.
May God enkindle in you the fire of His love.
May God strengthen your weakness with His power.
May God bind you and me and everyone else closely to Him and to each other in one firm and indissoluble bond of unity.
- Adapted from a prayer from the Syrian Clementine Liturgy

 Image courtesy of  xedos4 / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

I wish you enough

I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright.
I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more.
I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive.
I wish you enough pain so that the smallest joys in life appear much bigger.
I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.
I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.
I wish you enough hellos to get you through the final good-bye.

Author unknown


  Image courtesy of photostock / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Old Celtic poem

The path I walk, Christ walks it. 

May the land in which I am be without sorrow.

May the Trinity protect me wherever I stay, 

Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Bright angels walk with me – dear presence – in every 

dealing.

In every dealing I pray them that no one’s poison may reach 

me.

The ninefold people of heaven of holy cloud, 

the tenth force of the stone earth.

Favourable company, they come with me, 

so that the Lord may not be angry with me.

May I arrive at every place, may I return home; 

may the way in which I spend be a way without loss.

May every path before me be smooth, 

man, woman and child welcome me.

A truly good journey! 

Well does the faith Lord show us a course, a path.

- An old Celtic poem attributed to St. Columba

   Image courtesy of chanpipat / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Blessing for a summer vacation

Take time to claim your strength;
they are gifts of God.
Take time to have fun;
it’s God’s way of teaching you your strengths.
Take time to grow yourself;
only you can grow you.
Take time to trust yourself;
God trusts you.
Take time to be self-reliant;
it is better than being dependent.
Take time to share with others;
they will bless you, and you will bless them.
Take time to have hope,
you are a child of God.

- Blessing for Summer Vacation (source unknown)

Image "Family" courtesy of arztsamui  / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

An Iona blessing

May God, who is present

in sunrise and nightfall,

and in the crossing of the sea,

guide your feet as you go.

May God,

who is with you when you sit

and when you stand,

encompass you with love

and lead you by the hand.

May God, who knows your path

and the places where you rest,

be with you in your waiting

be your good news for sharing,

and lead you in the way

that is everlasting.

- A blessing from Iona

Photo - Old stone cross on Iona by me

A prayer by David Adam

"Lord you are in this place, 

Fill us with your power, 

Cover us with your peace, 

Show us your presence.

Lord help us to know, 

We are in your hands, 

We are under your protection, 

We are covered by your love.

Lord we ask you, today, 

To deliver us from evil, 

To guide us in our travels, 

To defend us from all harm.

Lord give us now,

Eyes to see the invisible, 

Ears to hear your call, 

Hands to do your work, 

And hearts to respond to your love."

(David Adam, 'Border Lands')

Photo by me of Iona 

Summer blessing

Blessing of discovery be yours

and blessing of rest.

Blessing of scenery be yours

and blessing of sleep.

Blessing of friends and family be yours

and blessing of solitude.

Blessing of fun be yours

and blessing of thought.

Blessing of change be yours

and blessing of homecoming.

Image "Family" courtesy of arztsamui  / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

John Philip Newell prayer

"O Sun behind all suns
O Soul within all souls
grant me the grace of the dawn's glory
grant me the strength of the sun's rays
that I may be well in my own soul
and part of the world's healing this day
that I may be well in my own soul
and part of the world's healing this day."
- John Philip Newell


 Image courtesy of Photokanok / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Alone with God

"Leave me alone with God as much as may be.
As the tide draws the waters close in upon the shore,
Make me an island, set apart,
alone with you, God, holy to you.
Then with the turning of the tide
prepare me to carry your presence to the busy world beyond,
the world that rushes in on me
till the waters come again and fold me back to you." 
- Prayer of St. Aidan of Lindisfarne


Photo by me - a beach on Iona

God's promise

Dear God
Speak gently in my silence.
When the outer noises of my surroundings
and the loud inner voices of my fears
keep pulling me away from you,
help me to trust that you are still there
even when I am unable to hear you.
Give me ears to listen to your small, soft voice saying:
'Come to me, you who are overburdened,
And I will give you rest'.
- Thomas Keating

 Image "Yellow Cosmos Flower And Blue Sky" courtesy of Sura Nualpradid / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Orthodox prayer for the new day

O Lord, grant me to greet the coming day in peace.
Help me in all things to rely upon Your holy will.
In every hour of the day reveal Your will to me.
Bless my dealings with all who surround me.
Teach me to treat all that comes to me with peace of soul 
and with firm conviction that Your will governs all.
Grant me strength in unforeseen events. 
Let me not forget that all are sent by You.
Teach me to act lovingly, firmly, and wisely, 
without embittering or embarrassing others.
Grant me strength to bear the fatigues of the coming day 
with all that it shall bring.
Direct my will. Teach me to pray. Amen
- An Orthodox prayer


 Image courtesy of Photokanok / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Richard Rohr - butterfly

You do not catch a butterfly by chasing it: 

you sit still and it alights on your shoulder. 

Then it chooses you. 

That is true happiness. 

- Richard Rohr

 Image "Butterfly On Flower" courtesy of Patou /FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Native American prayer

Thus weave for us

a garment of brightness

That we may walk fittingly

where grass is green,

O our mother the earth,

O our father the sky.

- Native American prayer

Image"The Flow" courtesy of CNaene /FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Celtic prayer

I am bending my knee

In the eye of the Father who created me,

In the eye of the Son who purchased me,

In the eye of the Spirit who cleansed me,

In friendship and affection.

Through Thine own Anointed One, O God,

Bestow upon us fullness in our need.

Love towards God,

The affection of God,

The smile of God,

The wisdom of God,

The grace of God,

The fear of God,

And the will of God

To do on the world of the Three,

As angels and saints

Do in heaven:

Each shade and light,

Each day and night,

Each time in kindness,

Give Thou us Thy Spirit.

- Celtic prayer

 Image "Eye"  courtesy of  graur codrin /FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Celtic blessing

May the blessing of light be on you, light without and light within.
May the blessed sunlight shine upon you and warm your heart till it glows,
Like a great peat fire, so that the stranger may come
and warm himself at it, as well as the friend.
And may the light shine out of the eyes of you,
like a candle set in the windows of a house,
Bidding the wanderer to come in out of the storm.
And may the blessing of the rain be on you - the soft sweet rain.
May it fall upon your spirit so that all the little flowers may spring up,
And shed their sweetness on the air.
And may the blessing of the great rains be on you,
that they beat upon your spirit and wash it fair and clean,
and leave there many a shining pool, and sometimes a star.
And may the blessing of the earth be on you - the great round earth;
May you ever have a kindly greeting for people you pass
as you are going along the roads.
And now may the Lord bless you, and bless you kindly.
- Traditional Celtic blessing

Image courtesy of digitalart / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Prayer for spring (celtic)

A sleeping world emerges to new possibilities

Weakening winter’s icy grip And birdsong and bleating lamb

Announce to all the promise

That in due season

Creation bursts into life

And whilst leaves that fell in winter

Lie upon the ground

Soon to feed the earth

In nature’s wondrous cycle

Of death and rebirth

Within the tree is a stirring of new growth.

- Celtic prayer for spring (Fr. Peter Preble)

Image courtesy of graur razvan ionut / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Apache blessing

May the sun

bring you new energy by day.

May the moon

softly restore you by night.

May the rain

wash away your worries.

May the breeze

blow new strength into your being.

May you walk gently through the world

and know its beauty all the days of your life.

- Apache blessing

Image courtesy of Vichaya Kiatying-Angsulee / FreeDigitalPhotos.net