February thanksgiving prayer

Thank you God

for the noticeably lengthening days

the lighter mornings and evenings

and the sense of expectation

from the sense of edging slowly towards the cusp of spring.

As the dark days of winter recede

we see the promise of spring

in the budding bulbs

popping up in the still cold earth.

For your faithfulness

shown in the rolling round of the seasons

we give you thanks.

Image courtesy of arztsamui at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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)

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

Morning prayer

Keep your people, Lord,

in the arms of your embrace.

Shelter them under your wings.

Be their light in darkness,

Be their hope in distress,

Be their calm in anxiety,

Be strength in their weakness

Be their comfort in pain

Be their song in the night

In peace I will go out this day,

for it is you O Lord,

you alone who guides my paths,

your wisdom in my heart.

- Celtic morning prayer

Image courtesy of zole4 / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Celtic morning prayer

Guiding God

be with us 

in our going out

and coming home

in our journeying

and returning

in our decision making

and organising

Guarding God

be with us

through the calm

and through the storm

be our comfort

when we’re hurting

be our helper

when we’re falling

Gracious God

walk with us

every moment

of this new day.

- Celtic morning prayer from 'Faith and Worship'

(Image courtesy of Evgeni Dinev / FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

Morning prayer

Christ our healer

Christ our teacher

Our inspiration and purpose.

Christ our defender

Christ our redeemer

Our liberation and precious.

Bless both day and night.

Bless our travelling and arriving.

Bless our service and our sleeping.

Christ, our all in all,

into your presence I come, Lord;

a few moments of quietness,

closeness

in a busy world

that demands my attention.

Breathe on me now,

that I might know your power

to see this day though 

- Morning prayer from Faith and Worship

 Image courtesy of Photokanok / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Morning prayer from the Elders of Optino

"Lord, grant that I may meet the coming day with spiritual tranquility.
Grant that in all things I may rely upon your holy will.
In each hour of the day, reveal your will to me.
Whatever news may reach me this day, teach me to accept it with a calm soul, knowing that all is subject to your holy will.
Direct my thoughts and feelings in all my words and actions.
In all unexpected occurrences, do not let me forget that all is sent down by you.
Grant that I may deal firmly and wisely with every member of my family and all who are in my care, neither embarrassing nor saddening anyone.
Give me the strength to bear the fatigue of the coming day with all that it shall bring.
Direct my will and teach me to pray,
to believe,
to hope,
to be patient,
to forgive
and to love."
- Morning prayer from the Elders of Optino

Image courtesy of Danilo Rizzuti / FreeDigitalPhotos.net