OF FAITH AND FABLES

By Bob Haynes

Turn Strong To Meet The Day

 

Several years ago, my wife and I received a hand-crafted prayer card from a good friend. That card has remained firmly affixed to the mirror in my bathroom so that I will be certain that it comes into view the first thing every morning. The words are so calming and reassuring, it is impossible not to feel blessed to have received it.

The words nestled, beside a drawing of the Cross and Flame symbol of the Methodist Church, reads: “Every morning lean thine arm upon the window sill of heaven and gaze upon thy God, then with the vision in thy heart, turn strong to meet the day.” It has been a fixture in my house since 2003.

In good times and bad times, that prayer has been recited as a part of a ritual I have made receiving it.

My morning ritual doesn’t end there however. Next to that prayer card is a plaque containing still another prayer that has become some much a part of how I start each day. This prayer was written many, many years ago by St. Augustine. It also sustains me and points me toward the day no matter what the circumstance.

It is called simply St. Augustine’s Prayer: “God of our life, There are days when the burdens we carry chafe our shoulders and weigh us down; when the road seems dreary and endless, the skies gray and threatening. When our lives have no music in them, and our hearts are lonely, and our souls have lost their courage. Flood the path with light, turn our eyes to where the skies are full of promise; Tune our hearts to brave music; give us the sense of comradeship with heroes and saints of every age; And so quicken our spirits that we may be able to encourage the souls of all who journey with us on the road of life, to our honor and glory.”

In this time of trial, I can tell you that I am reaching out to as many “positive” thoughts as possible and realize even more acutely that my attitude is a great part of the treatment and healing process. While I’ll speak to that subject more next time, I do want to share with you some wisdom about the importance of attitude. First, know that the essence of our being is love and that health is inner peace. Healing is letting go of fear. We can choose and direct ourselves to be peaceful inside regardless of what is happening outside. And, since love is eternal, death need not be viewed as fearful. Shalom!

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