We thank Thee who hast moved us to building, to finding, to
forming with the ends of our fingers and the beams of our eyes.

And when we have built an altar to the Invisible Light, we may set
thereon the little lights for which our bodily vision is made.

And we thank Thee that darkness reminds us of light.
O Light Invisible, we give Thee thanks for Thy great glory!

-T.S. Eliot

A Life that Matters......

Ready or not, someday it will all come to an end. There will be no moresunrises, no minutes, hours or days. All the things you collected, whether treasured or forgotten, will pass to someone else. Your wealth, fame and temporal power will shrivel to irrelevance. Your grudges, resentments, frustrations and jealousies will finally disappear. So too your hopes, ambitions, plans, and to-do lists will expire. The wins and losses that once seemed so important will fade away. It won't matter where you came from, or on what side of the tracks you lived, at the end. It won't matter whether you where beautiful or brilliant. Even your gender and skin colour will be irrelevant. So what will matter? How will the value of your days be measured?
What will matter is not what you bought, but what you built; Not what you got, but how you gave. What will matter is not your success, but your significance. What will matter is not what you learned, but what you taught. What will matter is every act of integrity, compassion, courage or sacrifice that enriched, empowered or encouraged others to emulate your example.
What will matter is not your competence, but your character. What will matter is not how many people you knew, but how many will feel a lasting loss when you're gone. What will matter are not your memories, but the memories that live in those who loved you. What will matter is how long you will be remembered, by whom and for what. Living a life that matters doesn't happen by accident. It's not a matter of circumstance but of choice.
Choose to live a life that matters..............

Lord Hear our morning prayer. Be with us in all things and give your grace.
Thank you

Your word is a lamp unto my feet

Thank you.
Thank you.

Lord, a prayer room without love is a lonely place.

If You have given us each other, then let us love each other outside the prayer room. If I have heard another's heart in the prayer room, even the "words" of mere presence, may I love that one. What will it cost me to love that one?
Pride.
Fear.
Loss.

So I ask again for love. Not the kind that's make-believe. Or that is short sighted, short lived, but with eternity in view. Lazarus was raised, as we all will be.

You have given us each other and though there is a Whole World from which to choose, I have no other choice than the Universe of my heart. Thank you for Your precious children who remain in my heart. Help me.

To love them.

Lord, make this worship an agreement.
Not about what we think, but about what we are.
Forgive me for anxiety, for jealously, for hating humilty.

If I forgive, I rejoice that you gave me that.
If I am generous, I rejoice that you gave me that.
If I allow others to lead, I rejoice that you gave me that.

Let us agree that You gave us each other.
Let us agree that You give us love.
Let us Love one another.

I dreamt of a hotel where I was part of a team preparing for the arrival of guests. I felt love and gratitude. Then I realized that that's how I want to feel about Response, Lord. I ask You for Love and Gratitude.
I ask You for the courage that it takes to accept each of these.
Love hurts as well as heals.
Gratitude humbles as well as builds up.
Give us courage and trust. Give your people (ALL your people) the ability to trust You.

You alone are worthy.
You alone are the Lord.
You alone are the Most High-
Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God.

We ask for your vision.
You have all the time in the World to carry it out.

Keep us.

and in those two words are lots of details that I want to speak to You about, but that's enough for a start.

How many times will I ask of You today?
Keep asking US why we're responding to You.
Keep asking US why we need each other to do it.

Keep asking us "who do you say that I am?"