A Collect for Evening

Lord Jesus, stay with us, for evening is at hand and the day is

past; be our companion in the way, kindle our hearts, and

awaken hope, that we may know you as you are revealed in

Scripture and the breaking of bread. Grant this for the sake

of your love. Amen.
~ from the Book of Common Prayer

Evening light at the Sagrada familia, Barcelona. Photo by Caroline Carson

Lord it is night. The night is for stillness.

Lord it is night. The night is for stillness. Let us be still in the presence of God. It is night after a long day. What has been done has been done; what has not been done has not been done. Let it be. The night is dark. Let our fears of the darkness of the world and of our own lives rest in you. The night is quiet. Let the quietness of your peace enfold us, all dear to us, and all who have no peace. The night heralds the dawn. Let us look expectantly to a new day, new joys, new possibilities. In your name we pray. Amen.

A Prayer for All People

A Prayer for All People 

(from the Prayers of the People in the Book of Common Prayer)

Let us pray for all people in their daily life and work;

For our families, friends, and neighbors,

and for those who are alone.

For this community, the nation, and the world;

For all who work for justice, freedom, and peace.

Hear us, Lord;

For your mercy is great. Amen.

#AdventWord #ASK - Prayers for Discernment

Today's #AdventWord is #ASK - December 9, 2015

I try to remember to ask for God's guidance along the many pathways I find in life. This past June, I found myself at Sewanee in Tennessee, walking between Stirling's Coffee House and another building. This pretty scene appeared before me and made me stop in my tracks. It hit me that we are always on a path in life, whether we know it or intend it, and whether we planned in advance for it or not. I ask God's guidance on my walk and I'm at a point now where that is a daily prayer....actually sometimes quite a few more times during some days!

                      

Yesterday, I turned in a giant application for postulancy (with supporting documents) in The Episcopal Church. Our diocesan ministry conference is in early January so I will have interviews then (with Standing Commission and Commission on Ministry) and should know more throughout the month. I feel called to walk down the path to priesthood and have been in the discernment process for the past year - and for many years if truth be told. Many turns in God's road have brought me to this place in my being and time will tell where I walk from here. I haven't written about it here, so directly, until now, but most of my friends know of my journey. I have been blessed beyond belief with God's calling and such a wonderful and uplifting discernment committee process full of growth, the support of my friends and family, amazing segue's from one thing into another that I could never have predicted, spiritual growth, my spiritual director, my vestry's nomination, and so much more.

If you're reading this, I ask you for your prayers, good wishes, and positive thoughts!

‪#‎Episcopal‬ ‪#‎Anglican‬ ‪#‎SSJE‬ ‪#‎EDOLA‬ AdventWord was created by SSJE (The Society of St. John the Evangelist) and is the Anglican Communion's Global Advent Calendar. I'm using it as a daily meditation, prayer, photo post, and a way to connect in spirit to millions during this season of light and hope. You can join me in creating your own. Just take a picture and post it with the day's AdventWord tags! Click HERE for their website and for their daily AdventWords.

#AdventWord #BE - Ponderings for Monday, December 7, 2015

Today's #AdventWord is #BE

Have you ever rejoiced in the simple fact that you exist? 

What does it mean to take time to just "be".....not to "be with" or "be for" or "let it be". Think about it, we exist in a habitable zone at JUST the right distance from the Sun, and have had JUST the right amount of time to evolve into intelligent beings (though levels of intelligence are sometimes in question with all the messes we get ourselves into as a planet....global warming, violence, world strife and poverty.) Just HOW lucky are we? Our Sun and our Earth are actually an unlikely pair for supporting life. As a habit, we take many things for granted, including our existence.We would like to think that they will always be there...or perhaps even worse, we go about our daily lives, more than slightly oblivious to the precious and fragile nature of our lives. It would be reassuring to know that our galaxy is full of clever creatures and others with technology and that we might hope for communication. In fact, we do hope. 
However, for the present time, we are all we know. 
Made in the likeness of a divine being, God, we exist. 
Let us give thanks!

What makes Earth such a perfect home? Well, here are some reasons. 
Take a moment and tell those you love that you love them. Take a moment to say thanks to God, to family, friends, teachers, mentors, pets, and yourself. Consider all that God has blessed us with and meditate upon the fact that you exist. Be kind to one another, even if you disagree. Be a good citizen. Be a good neighbor. Grant yourself permission to rejoice in the wonder of life itself, the joy in all of creation, and the joy in one another. 

We are temporary.
We are fragile.
We are here together on this Pale Blue Dot. 

If that isn't something to be happy about, I don't know what is! 

AdventWord was created by SSJE (The Society of St. John the Evangelist) and is the Anglican Communion's Global Advent Calendar. I'm using it as a daily meditation, prayer, photo post, and a way to connect in spirit to millions during this season of light and hope. You can join me in creating your own. Just take a picture and post it with the day's AdventWord tags! Click HERE for their website and for their daily AdventWords.
#SSJE

Earth and aurora from the ISS

A Prayer of Thanksgiving

A Prayer of Thanksgiving

(as found in the Book of Common Prayer, The Episcopal Church)

Accept, O Lord, our thanks and praise
for all that you have done for us.
We thank you for the splendor of the whole creation,
for the beauty of this world,
for the wonder of life,
and for the mystery of love.
We thank you for the blessing of family and friends,
and for the loving care which surrounds us on every side.
We thank you for setting us at tasks
which demand our best efforts,
and for leading u to accomplishments which satisfy and delight us.
Above all, we thank you for your Son Jesus Christ;
for the truth of his Word and the example of his life;
for his steadfast obedience,
by which he overcame temptation;
for his dying,
through which he overcame death;
and for his rising to life again,
in which we are raised to the life of your kingdom.
Grant us the gift of your Spirit,
that we may know your Spirit and make your Spirit known;
and through your Spirit, at all times and in all places,
may give thanks to you in all things. Amen.

Zion Canyon, 2012 by C. Carson

A Prayer for the Human Family

A Prayer for the Human Family
(as found in the Book of Common Prayer, The Episcopal Church)

O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us

through Jesus your Son: Look with compassion on the whole

human family; take away the arrogance and hatred which

infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us;

unite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and

confusion to accomplish your purposes on Earth; that, in

your good time, all nations and races may serve you in

harmony around your heavenly throne; 

through Jesus Christ

our Lord. Amen.

A Prayer to Do God's Will - by Thomas Merton (1915-1968)

A beautiful prayer by Thomas Merton from his Thoughts in Solitude. I first read this when I read Listening Hearts (Farnham, Gill, McClean, Ward)

"My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it. Therefore will I trust you always, though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone."

Leaves floating in a puddle outside the Christian Hospital Mungeli, India

Episcopal Prayer at the Close of Day

Look down, Lord, from your heavenly throne. Illuminate the darkness of this night with your celestial brightness, and from us, the children of light, banish for ever the deeds of darkness. God our judge and our teacher, let us not waste time when the day is done in guilt or self-reproach. Give us rather the courage to face whatever has been, accept forgiveness, and move on to something better. Amen.

~ from the New Zealand Prayer Book 

~ (The nebula RCW49, shown in infrared light in this image from the Spitzer Space Telescope, is a nursery for newborn stars)

A Prayer for Healing

For Health of Body and Soul
~ from the Book of Common Prayer

May God the Father bless you, God the Son heal you, God

the Holy Spirit give you strength. May God the holy and

undivided Trinity guard your body, save your soul, and bring

you safely to his heavenly country; 

where he lives and reigns

for ever and ever. 

 Amen.

Flower found in Chitwan jungle, Nepal, 2014

A Prayer for Nepal and Ways to Help After the Earthquakes

Almighty God, you are our comfort and strength

in times of the onset of sudden disaster, crisis, or chaos. 

Surround with your branches of solace, those who suffer 

through earthquake, storm, fire or flood.

By your Spirit, lift up those who have fallen, 

Sustain those who work to rescue or rebuild,

and fill them with the hope of the bright peace of new creation. 

Amen

HOW TO HELP NEPAL in the aftermath of two massive earthquakes:
If you can't get there or send materials to someone who is going, consider donating to one of the many international aid organizations. I donated to Episcopal Relief & Development. 

If possible, make contact with someone on the ground there who is a part of one of these international organizations. 

1. How to help Nepal: 7 vetted charities doing relief work  following the earthquake

2. How to help Nepal - via ABC News article 
3. Please consider keeping the people of Nepal and those processing and giving aid relief in your prayers.

4. Previous blog post: Help Nepal Earthquake Victims - Some World Aid Organizations Info and Links

Live the Questions

"Live the questions. Perhaps then, someday far in the future, you will gradually, without even noticing it, live your way into the answer."
~ Rainer Maria Rilke (1875-1926) from Letters to a Young Poet

Photo by Caroline Carson, 2010. North Gyeonsang Province, Korea at Bulguksa

Moments of Quietness

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.
#Episcopal #Anglican #Celtic #morning #prayer #quiet #breathe
(Prayer from Faithandworship.com )

Photo by Caroline Carson, Font and window in sunset at St. Paul's Episcopal Church