Nadia's Prayer
The other day, after a morning at the mountain trying navigate skiing with old equipment (me), I returned to eat, shower then sit down to spend some time reading on the Substack site before dropping off into a nap. Since joining Substack mid-summer, the breadth of my blog reading has significantly expanded. Much of it barely holds my attention, but occasionally a post comes along that is as cool as the backside of a pillow.
Below is a prayer from a woman named Nadia, whom I read occasionally. She is provocative and often, to my thinking, throws more balls than strikes, but this one resonates with me. She wrote it before Thanksgiving, but it is worth praying just about any time, especially this time of year.
Dear God,
You remember that whole “who by worrying can add a single hour to their life” thing? I could use a reminder of that right now.
So when I start doom-casting about what might happen in days to come, remind me that this day has worries of its own.
Guide my hand to turn off the radio, my feet to walk away from my laptop, and my eyes to turn away from my phone, because none of that is healthy for me right now.
With your grace, may we all recoil from hot takes as from a hot flame.
And then give me the strength to do the next right thing in this life I have been given, among these people you love, in this place you created.
I guess what I’m saying is, please help me not miss the good stuff because I’m worrying about the bad stuff.
And if it’s not too much of a bother, could you, in your infinite mercy, also help everyone be on their best behavior this year at all our Thanksgiving tables? That’d be great, because more drama we do not need.
Amen.
There is plenty here to chew on, and a worthy prayer to repeat before your family gathers, but I especially liked one of the lines.
And then give me the strength to do the next right thing in this life I have been given, among these people you love, in this place you created.
In the midst of either drama or trauma, the challenge of doing the next right thing can be daunting. It’s totally normal to focus on the immediate when the present is uncertain or scary enough that thinking about “next” seems…well, foolish. Or we can err looking too far ahead either with dread or anticipation and miss opportunities teed up ready to go.
But the truth we know is that there will always be a next right thing. We cannot imagine what the future will hold, or even if our current situation is survivable, but there is a next right thing to say or do or forgive or challenge or serve or.... Over and over in scripture there are calls for believers to walk worthy and live lives that mimic our Rabbi, Jesus. This moves us forward a step and into the next right thing. Let’s not get high-centered on any issue so as to get stuck, or be looking so far ahead we miss a turn.
Good God, please teach me to look to the next right thing for me that you have laid out and move toward it.
She goes on with in this life I have been given. Every day is a gift from our Creator, and each one holds just the right balance of joy and sorrow, triumph and loss, setbacks and breakthroughs. Mine is mine and yours is yours, and God is in the midst of it all. And this day is the only one you will ever have on this day.
Jesus, remind me to recognize each morning as a new chance to walk forward with a giving God into another adventure.
…among the people you love, throws me a curveball. Whether out in public or around a holiday table, it’s easy to forget that we have never met an ordinary mortal. Each is a creation of a loving God and they carry his mark, the imago dei, just by living. And each one is loved by God to the uttermost. So why is it easy to forget that when conversational undertow sucks me down into criticism or jealousy or just plain anger?
Spirit, help me see your people as you do and treat them with a measure of the grace and patience you have shown me.
…in this place you have created reminds me that while there is a necessary separation of church and state, there will never be separation between God and his creation. When Jesus said that the Kingdom of God was at hand he proclaimed his fingerprints can be seen on it all. He is King and Lord and Savior of his kingdom and invites us along for the ride until the day he is here to lead us himself.
Father, give me eyes to see your creation as a reflection of you and treat all of it with the respect it deserves.
The holiday season can be, at the same time, life-affirming and soul-crushing, because that’s just the way life is and how families operate. But this messy life is ours to navigate. I like the next line in Nadia’s prayer, I guess what I’m saying is, please help me not miss the good stuff because I’m worrying about the bad stuff.
As Advent churns along and Christmas beckons, there’s plenty of good to be had to stuff our pockets full and stagger away overloaded with just a bit of all God sets out before each of us.
He welcomes us to his banquet. Let’s not miss a bit of it.
Music? Sure!
Funnies galore!
It seems a farm boy accidentally overturned his wagon load of corn. The farmer who lived nearby heard the noise.
"Hey Willis!!" the farmer yelled. "Forget your troubles. Come in with us. Then I'll help you get the wagon up."
"That's mighty nice of you," Willis answered, "but I don't think Pa would like me to."
"Awe, come on," the farmer insisted.
"Well okay," the boy finally agreed, and added, "but Pa won't like it."
After a hearty dinner, Willis thanked his host. "I feel a lot better now, but I know Pa is going to be real upset."
"Don't be foolish !" the neighbor said with a smile. "By the way, where is he?"
"Under the wagon."
***********************
An antelope and a lion entered a diner and took a booth near the window.
When the waiter approached, the antelope said, "I'll have a bowl of hay and a side order of radishes."
"And what would your friend have?"
"Nothing," replied the antelope.
The waiter persisted, "Isn't he hungry?"
"Hey, if he were hungry," said the antelope, "would I be sitting here?"