Sometimes the expectations, the busyness and last-minute pressures of Christmas can frazzle our nerves and undo our joyful intentions.
About ten years ago a wonderful colleague and friend, Marty Scroope shared this prayer with me.
This be the ideal prayer to pray just before we start cooking the turkey, glazing the ham, cutting the fruit, peeing the vegies, dressing the pavlova, finding the bon-bons, preparing the table, mowing the lawn, finding the Ikea high chair, filling the eskies with ice, and wrapping the last-minute presents. I have found listening at the Christmas table a sure way to maintain one\u2019s serenity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dearest Lord, companion on the road, voice in the night, here we are, gathered to listen.
Open our ears, our whole being, that we may become a listening presence to each other, that we may enjoy the gift of our spiritual conversation.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Give us the generosity to listen with openness \u2026 Listen to us
the wisdom to understand what is heard \u2026 Listen to us
the strength to be changed by what is shared \u2026 Listen to us
the listening that never judges \u2026 Listen to us
the curiosity of a child. \u2026 Listen to us
Increase in us the peace to forgive and be forgiven \u2026 Listen to us
the reverence to honor both gift and loss \u2026 Listen to us
the acceptance that allows failure to be shared \u2026 Listen to us
the prudence to know when not to speak \u2026 Listen to us
the surrender that treasures silence after word.
Enliven in us the freedom to let mystery be \u2026 Listen to us
the joy to celebrate new discovery \u2026 Listen to us
the readiness for laughter when it rises \u2026 Listen to us
the grace to listen with humble love \u2026 Listen to us
the awe to hear you speaking in us.
Thank you.
Amen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sometimes the expectations, the busyness and last-minute pressures of Christmas can frazzle our nerves and undo our joyful intentions. About ten years ago a wonderful colleague and friend, Marty Scroope shared this prayer with me. This be the ideal prayer to pray just before we start cooking the turkey, glazing the ham, cutting the fruit, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":27494,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[10,17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-27493","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-inspiring-thoughts","category-newsletter"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t
– Virginia Ryan<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"