I Have Found Peace...

I wasted an hour one morning,
beside a mountain stream.
I seized a cloud from the sky above,
and fashioned myself a dream.

In the hush of the early twilight,
far from the haunts of men,
I wasted a summer evening,
and fashioned my dream again.

Wasted? Perhaps. Folks say so,
who never have walked with God.
When lanes are purple with lilacs,
or yellow with golden rod,

I have found my strength for my labors,
in one short evening hour.
I have found my joy and contentment.
I have found peace and power.

My dreaming has left me a treasure,
a hope that is strong and true
From wasted hours,
I built my life and found my faith in you.



To see the World in a grain of sand,
And a Heaven in a wild flower,
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand,
And Eternity in an hour...

--William Blake,
from Auguries of innocence.


Morning

Another day has dawned, O God, another gift
of Your good giving.
For your protection through the night I give You thanks,
and for those whom You provided here to stay awake
and watchful while as I slept.
Now grant them restful sleep.


Whatever this new day may hold in store,
my God, I place it in your hands.
Give me the patience to endure whatever will take place,
and by your mercy make this day
a time of further healing,
not only for me
but for all whose needs have brought them here.


And, lest I fall victim to disgruntled tedium
(and thus impede the progress You intend),
please make of me a pleasant patient,
God of everlasting joy,
that even I may be Your instrument of this day.
With Christ my gentle Shepherd,
leading me, I step into this new day confidently.
Amen

"Wait on the Lord, wait quietly, wait trustingly.
He holds every minute
of every hour of every day of every week
of every month of every year
in His hands.
Thank Him in advance for what the future holds,
for He is already there."

-Elisabeth Elliot


Peace...

Do not undermine your worth
by comparing yourself with others.
It is because we are different
that each of us is special.
Do not set your goals
by what other people deem important.
Only you know
what is best for you.
Do not take for granted
the things closest to your heart.
Cling to them as you would your life,
for without them,
life is meaningless.
Do not let your life
slip through your fingers
by living in the past
nor for the future.
By living your life one day at a time,
you live all the days of your life.
Do not give up
when you still have something to give.
Nothing is really over
until the moment you stop trying.
It is a fragile thread
that binds us to each other.
Do not be afraid to encounter risks.
It is by taking chances
that we learn how to be brave.
Do not shut love out of your life
by saying it is impossible to find.
The quickest way to receive love
is to give love;
The fastest way to lose love
is to hold it too tightly.
Do not dismiss your dreams.
To be without dreams
is to be without hope;
To be without hope
is to be without purpose.
Do not run through life
so fast that you forget
not only where you have been,
but also where you are going.
Life is not a race,
but a journey
to be savored
each step of the way.


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