October 31, 2010

Here is today's prayer:

Prayer for Friends
By Bernie Smith
Meditations on Prayer

Lord, bless our friends today we pray,
Wherever they may be;
And help them as they go their way,
To keep their trust in Thee.

Lord, hear each prayer they raise to Thee,
And dry each falling tear;
And hover o'er them constantly,
For treasured friends are dear.

Surround them with Thy mercy,
Lord, Protect them by Thy power;
And let them feel Thy presence,
Lord, In every lonely hour.

Stand by them when the road is steep,
And no one seems to care;
Thy arm of love around them keep,
And whisper You are there.

And give them strength to bear the cross,
As through this vale they go;
And stand by them in every loss,
That they meet here below.

And when at last the hour shall be,
That life's short journey ends;
O, let them lean the more on Thee,
And comfort these, our friends.

And open heaven's gate, dear Lord,
And let them enter there;
For heaven will be heaven,
Lord, Because our friends are there. Amen.

October 30, 2010

Here is today's prayer:

A Prayer For Healing
attr. Timothy Dailey

Dear God,

Help my unbelief.
When I'm in pain, I forget that you care about me.
I forget that you have helped me through my trials.
I forget that you hold me in your arms to keep me safe.
I forget that you are feeling my pain with me.
I forget that you love me,
I forget that I am important to you.
Show me your presence - let me feel your enveloping love.
Heal my hurting soul.
Thank you for staying with me even in my unbelief.

Amen

October 29, 2010

Here is today's prayer:

Thank You, Thank You, Generous God!
By C. Welton Gaddy

Thank You, thank You, thank You, generous God!

You have injected life with joy, thus we know laughter.

You have dabbed creation with color, thus we enjoy beauty.

You have whistled a divine tune into the rhythm of life, thus we hear music.

You have filled our minds with questions, thus we appreciate mystery.

You have entered our hearts with compassion, thus we experience faith.

Thank You, God, Thank You. Thank You! Amen.

October 28, 2010

Here is today's prayer:

God, Please Forgive Me
By C. Welton Gaddy

God, forgive my incompleteness: not growing in Christ, not expanding my knowledge of the Scriptures, not developing all my talents.

God, forgive my disinterest: a lack of concern for needs around me, apathy regarding the lostness of millions, blindness to hurts I could help heal.

God, forgive my dishonesty: taking, the easy way rather than the right way, speaking in one manner while living in another, silencing truth to preserve tranquility, settling for less than what is best, loving tradition more than obeying your pioneering Spirit.

God, forgive my loudness: talking when I should be listening, proclaiming when I should be studying, busying myself with new tasks when I should be finding a quiet place to rest.

God, forgive my silence: feeling love and failing to whisper it, reeling with joy and not shouting hallelujah, knowing truth and forfeiting an opportunity to share it, sensing a need to share my faith and squelching the impulse.

God, please forgive me. Amen.

October 27, 2010

Here is today's prayer:

Confessional Prayer From The Sixteenth Century

Forgive me my sins, O Lord,
forgive me the sins of my youth and the sins of mine age,
the sins of my soul, and the sins of my body,
my secret and whispering sins,
my presumptuous and my crying sins,
the sins that I have done to please myself,
and the sins that I have done to please others.
Forgive me those sins which I know,
and those sins which I know not. Amen.

October 26, 2010

Here is today's prayer:

Almighty God, the Giver of Wisdom
by Samuel Johnson

Almighty God, the Giver of Wisdom,
without whose help resolutions are vain,
without whose blessing study is ineffectual,
enable me, if it be Thy will,
to attain such knowledge as may qualify me
to direct the doubtful and instruct the ignorant,
to prevent wrongs, and terminate contentions;
and grant that I may use that knowledge which I shall attain,
to Thy glory and my own salvation.

October 25, 2010

Here is today's prayer:

Dear heavenly Father
by William De Witt Hyde

Dear heavenly Father,
Give me clean hands, clean words, and clean thoughts;
Help me to stand for the hard right
Against the easy wrong;
Save me from habits that harm;
Teach me to work as hard,
And play as fair in thy sight alone,
As if the whole world saw;
Forgive me when I am unkind,
And help me to forgive those who are unkind to me;
And keep me ready to help others. Amen.

DCM/Cabinet Mission Trip - Day 3 Revisited

My batteries had died and I had brought the wrong charger for our other video camera, so I was unable to post these videos on the day of occurrence.

On day 3, we began the day at Walmart picking up some additional drinking water and some toys for the 10 children that lived in the house we were working on. After a full day of work, our team stopped to share the toys and candy we had bought. Here is some footage of our basketball antics and of Doug assembling the new soccer goal.

The narrative:



Another look:



And finally, the soccer goal (maybe we should have read the direction!?!):



What a great way to end the work day!

October 24, 2010

Here is today's prayer:

O God We Thank Thee
by Walter Rauschenbusch

O God, we thank Thee for this universe, our great home; for its vastness and its riches, and for the manifoldness of the life which teems upon it and of which we are part.

We praise Thee for the arching sky and the blessed winds, for the driving clouds and the constellations on high.

We praise Thee for the salt sea and the running water, for the everlasting hills, for the trees, and for the grass under our feet.

We thank Thee for our senses by which we can see the splendor of the morning, and hear the jubilant songs of love, and smell the breath of the springtime.

Grant us, we pray Thee, a heart wide open to all this joy and beauty, and save our souls from being so steeped in care or so darkened by passion that we pass heedless and unseeing when even the thorn-bush by the wayside is aflame with the glory of God. Amen.

DCM/Cabinet Mission Trip Day 4 Final

These are the last three videos from our work site today. It is amazing what can be accomplished working together! I encourage you to check out the videos from the first day on our site and compare them to these on Day 4 to see just how much we were able to accomplish!

Here is #1:



Here is #2:



And here is #3 for today:



While we know that there is much more work to do, we are certain that the groups that will follow us will complete that which has been begun. Our particular family will have workers from Americorp and other groups over the next couple of months until all of the work is complete.

DCM/Cabinet Mission Trip Day 4 Continued

These next two videos are of our liaison to the family and the family themselves as we say goodbye after our time in the Las Penitas community.

This first video is our liaison, Clemente:



This video is of the family we helped...to give you an idea of the the circumstances, there are 12 people living in the house we worked on this week:



What a huge blessing it was to be a part of their lives!

DCM/Cabinet Mission Trip Day 4

Today was our last work day and we had a great time. Working extra hard and extra long, we were able to finish what we set out to do and some extras that couldn't be over looked! The following videos are from Tommy Earl who did a walk through mid day.

Here is the first:



The second:



and the third:



You can't begin to imagine how grateful I am for such a talented and committed team while working here near the border. Two more postings will follow shortly, including a final goodbye to the family and final walk through of the project. Be sure and check those out as well.

October 23, 2010

Here is today's prayer:

Prayer by Howard Grose

O Thou who art the Way, the Truth, and the Life, we lift our hearts to Thee.

Guide us in the Way this day, enlighten us with the Truth, and grant us the more abundant Life which Thou alone canst give.

This we ask, not that we may selfishly get good or glory for ourselves, but that we may do good unto others and so glorify Thy name. Amen.

DCM/Cabinet Mission Trip Day 3

Today was a very busy day full of a lot of work and fun! I have just two videos to share with you right now (the battery is dead on one of the cameras with footage, so I will upload those at a later date after we get home).

Our first video is a morning walk through of the house that my particular team has spent the week working on. You will see that a lot was accomplished today after I post tomorrow morning's walk through video, but here it is for now:



This second video is rather dark, but after dinner a few of us went over to a wings place next to where we are staying and watched the end of the Yankees/Rangers game and here is Melissa leading us in celebrating the Rangers' victory:



Check back tomorrow for more updates. And if you know and follow Bill, Tommy, Doug, myself or others on this trip who are on Facebook, don't forget to check out their pages...there are some amazing pictures there.

October 22, 2010

Here is today's prayer:

Prayer by Thomas Aquinas

Give us, O Lord,

steadfast hearts, which no unworthy thought can drag downwards;

unconquered hearts, which no tribulation can wear out,

upright hearts, which no unworthy purpose may tempt aside.

Bestow upon us also, O Lord our God,

understanding to know Thee,

diligence to seek Thee,

wisdom to find Thee,

and a faithfulness that may finally embrace Thee. Amen.

DCM/Cabinet Mission Trip Day 2 Continued

Every day has been an adventure! We have trained hard, worked hard and found time to have some fun along the way. One of the more jovial times we have is every evening at dinner. We get a chance to eat some really good food, recap the days events, and spend some quality time getting to know one another.

Here are just a few clips from tonight's dinner time together at Applebee's:





The all important Tommy Earl Burton interview:



And just a couple of more:





Crazy fun times here in the valley! I am looking forward to what tomorrow brings.

DCM/Cabinet Mission Trip Day 2

Today we got to our job sites and had the opportunity to begin our work. The videos that follow show you the three sites that we will be working on through the weekend and the types of damage we are repairing.

Here is the first site:



And some other shots for that site:



The second site:



And the third site:



An outside look at the roof of our third site:



Each of our 3 sites had its unique challenges and opportunities. All three teams rose to the occasion and made an excellent start on repairing these homes today. I will post more updates on our progress tomorrow!

October 21, 2010

Here is today's prayer:

O Holy Spirit of God, abide with us
Prayer by John Baillie

O Holy Spirit of God, abide with us;

inspire all our thoughts;

pervade our imaginations;

suggest all our decisions;

order all our doings.

Be with us in our silence and in our speech,

in our haste and in our leisure,

in company and in solitude,

in the freshness of the morning and

in the weariness of the evening;

and give us grace at all times humbly to rejoice

in Thy mysterious companionship. Amen.

DCM/Cabinet Mission Trip Day 1 Continued

As we continued our afternoon training, we checked out a couple of houses at or near completion. Here are Jeff and B.T. in one of those houses with me narrating part of the video:



This next video shot was a snippet showing all of the houses that were under construction...notice how they are built on blocks like some of the Habitat houses we have built over the years...this allows for them to be loaded onto skids and moved. It was an amazing thing to see so many under construction:



Our next stop was to the tape and float house where we got some more training and of course more hands on experience! Here is Diane hard at work:



This next piece is a little part of the training we received regarding mud:



And finally, our friend Mary tapes and floats her first seam:



Stay tuned tomorrow as we will share more video and images from our time here in the Valley!

DCM/Cabinet Mission Trip Day 1

Here are some video feeds of the work being done in training by one of our teams.

These first two videos are of John as he jumps right in and begins working:






Robyn was next up in training:



Then it was Melissa's turn:



Finally, our very own Bishop Huie stepped up to the plate to have a turn at the power tools!



Check out our next post to see our taping and floating practice and keep checking back through the weekend as we show you more of what we are up to in the valley area of Texas!

Mission Trip with the Cabinet

Today we traveled to Mission, Texas with the Bishop and other members of the cabinet, to begin a 5 day trip to repair houses that had been damaged by hurricanes and tropical storms. Many of us arrived in time to catch an 8:45 a.m. flight out of Hobby Airport in Houston, while others met us in Harlingen as we arrived or later in the day.

Our first course of action was to get settled into the hotel and grab a bite to eat. After lunch and another trip to the hotel, we went to get our training for the rest of the week.

Here is one of our gracious trainers making the installation of sheet rock and the cutting out of the window look easy:



More videos coming shortly!

October 20, 2010

Here is today's prayer:

Oh God, I ask not for easier tasks

Prayer Attributed to Harry Bullis

Oh God, I ask not for easier tasks.

I ask for stronger aptitudes and greater talents to meet any tasks which may come my way.

Help me to help others so that their lives may be made easier and happier.

Strengthen my confidence in my fellow men in spite of what they may do or say.

Give me strength to live according to the Golden Rule, enthusiasm to inspire those around me, sympathy to help lighten the burdens of those who suffer, and a spirit of joy and gladness to share with others.

Amen.

October 19, 2010

Here is today's prayer:

O God, Help Us

A Prayer Attributed to Wallace Fridy

O God, help us

to be generous in our opinions of others,

to be considerate of all we meet,

to be patient with those with whom we work,

to be faithful to every trust,

to be courageous in the face of danger,

to be humble in all our living,

to be prayerful every hour of the day,

to be joyous in all life's experience,

and to be dependent upon Thee

for strength in facing life's uncertainties. Amen.

October 18, 2010

Here is today's prayer:

General Prayer Attributed To Thomas A Kempis

Grant me, O Lord, to know what I ought to know,

to love what I ought to love,

to praise what delights Thee most,

to value what is precious in Thy sight,

to hate what is offensive to Thee.

Do not suffer me to judge according to the sight of my eyes,

nor to pass sentence according to the hearing of the ears of ignorant men;

but to discern with a true judgment between things visible and spiritual,

and above all, always to inquire what is the good pleasure of Thy will. Amen.

October 17, 2010

Here is today's prayer:

Prayer For Artists
Attributed To: Rev. Karl Ryland
We praise Thee for all those, Thy servants, who have given their life in the service of true, the pure, and the lovely; for all who work in form and color to increase the joy of life; for all who rejoice in their work and make things well. May life perpetual shine upon them.

Once more a new day lies before us, our Father. As we go out among men to do our work, touching the hands and lives of our fellows, make us, we pray Thee, friends of all the world. Save us from blighting the fresh flower of any heart by the flare of the sudden anger or secret hate. May we not bruise the rightful self-respect of any by contempt or malice. Help us to cheer the suffering by our sympathy, to freshen the drooping by our hopefulness, and to strengthen in all the wholesome sense of worth and the joy of life. Save us from the deadly poison of class pride. Grant that we may look all men in the face with the eyes of a brother. If anyone needs us, make us ready to yield our help ungrudgingly, unless higher duties claim us, and may we rejoice that we have it in us to be helpful to our fellow men.

Almighty God unto Whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from Whom no secrets are hid, cleanse the thoughts of our hearts with the inspiration of Thy Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love Thee, and worthily magnify Thy Holy Name.

Amen.

October 16, 2010

Erica and I just got back from a marriage and leadership retreat at the Inn above Onion Creek, so it seemed appropriate that our first daily prayer would relate to marriages. I invite you to pray this prayer for your own marriage, or to adapt it to pray for other folks marriages.

Here is today's prayer:

Prayer Of Spouses For Each Other

Lord Jesus, grant that I and my spouse may have a true and understanding love for each other. Grant that we may both be filled with faith and trust. Give us the grace to live with each other in peace and harmony. May we always bear with one another's weaknesses and grow from each other's strengths. Help us to forgive one another's failings and grant us patience, kindness, cheerfulness and the spirit of placing the well-being of one another ahead of self.
May the love that brought us together grow and mature with each passing year. Bring us both ever closer to You through our love for each other. Let our love grow to perfection.
Amen.

Blogging Hiatus Coming to an End

In July I took a break from blogging, expecting that it would be for just a couple of weeks...boy did I miscalculate! For those that have sent words of encouragement and support, I appreciate it more than you could possibly know.

Today, I am stepping back into the world of blogging. My hope is to get back into a variety of offerings, but I will begin by restarting the daily prayers that so many were fond of in previous seasons. I am not sure what all else will be resurrected or what new offerings there will be, but I am ready to engage the conversation again.

Please keep in mind that all of my postings here are a part of an ongoing conversation. As such, I would love to receive your comments and opinions as they relate to the postings. If a prayer has been meaningful, if you have an opinion about a topic, or simply want to offer a comment, please know that you are invited into the conversation.

I am looking forward to this new season of blogging and conversation with you.

Blessings,

Russell