I said a prayer for you today

I said a prayer for you today and I know God must have heard,
I felt the answer in my heart although He spoke no word.
I didn't ask for wealth or fame, I knew you wouldn't mind,
I asked Him to send you treasures of a far more lasting kind.
I asked that He'd be near you at the start of each new day,
To grant you health and blessings and friends to share the way.
I asked for happiness for you in all things great and small,
But it was for His loving care I asked for most of all.

-Frank Zamboni

Five Finger Prayer

This is so neat. I had never heard this before. This is beautiful - and it is surely worth making the 5 finger prayer a part of our lives.

1. Your thumb is nearest you. So begin your prayers by praying for those closest to you. They are the easiest to remember. To pray for our loved ones is, as C. S. Lewis once said, a 'sweet duty.'

2. The next finger is the pointing finger. Pray for those who teach, instruct and heal. This includes teachers, doctors, and ministers. They need support and wisdom in pointing others in the right direction. Keep them in your prayers.

3. The next finger is the tallest finger. It reminds us of our leaders. Pray for the president, leaders in business and industry, and administrators. These people shape our nation and guide public opinion. They need God's guidance.

4. The fourth finger is our ring finger. Surprising to many is the fact that this is our weakest finger, as any piano teacher will testify. It should remind us to pray for those who are weak, in trouble or in pain. They need your prayers day and night. You cannot pray too much for them.

5. And lastly comes our little finger - the smallest finger of all which is where we should place ourselves in relation to God and others. As the Bible says, 'The least shall be the greatest among you.' Your pinkie should remind you to pray for yourself. By the time you have prayed for the other four groups, your own needs will be put into proper perspective and you will be able to pray for yourself more effectively.

A.S.A.P.

Ever wonder about the abbreviation A.S.A.P.? Generally we think of it in terms of even more hurry and stress in our lives. Maybe if we think of this abbreviation in a different manner, we will begin to find a new way to deal with those rough days along the way.

*************
There's work to do, deadlines to meet;
You've got no time to spare,
But as you hurry and scurry-
ASAP - ALWAYS SAY A PRAYER

In the midst of family chaos,
"Quality time" is rare.
Do your best; let God do the rest-
ASAP - ALWAYS SAY A PRAYER.

It may seem like your worries
are more than you can bear.
Slow down and take a breather-
ASAP - ALWAYS SAY A PRAYER

God knows how stressful life is;
He wants to ease our cares,
and He'll respond to all your needs-
ASAP - ALWAYS SAY A PRAYER.

A Grateful Heart

This is a devotional is from www.Proverbs31.org . I read these devotionals in my email each day and this one really made me stop and think.... I've sometimes asked myself this same question, so it was great to have it explained in such easy terms.

Cultivating a Grateful Heart

By Glynnis Whitwer

Have you ever wondered why God wants us to ask for things in prayer? I mean, after all, He knows everything! He knows my first thought in the morning and my last one at night. He knows my frustration when I’m late and stuck in traffic, and the words I’m biting my tongue not to say. When I think I “need” a brownie, He knows I really need a carrot. And I don’t have to tell God I need help keeping calm while trying to get five kids out the door each school morning. So, since He already knows what I’m thinking and what I need, why do I need to ask Him for help?

One reason I believe God wants us to ask for help is that when we ask and God answers, we appreciate His work in our lives in greater measure. If God provided everything we need before we asked, we could easily believe we are entitled to things. And, if we never saw how sweetly God cares for our needs, we might take His goodness for granted. I’ve learned this lesson a few times, but the one that stands out involved grapefruit.

When I was a child, my mother fixed our family breakfast before my dad left to teach for the day, and before my sister and I went to school. Since my dad enjoyed his routine, breakfast usually consisted of bacon, eggs and toast. On a cold day, Mom occasionally substituted hot cereal for the toast. And during the citrus season, we might have found halves of juicy pink grapefruit on the table.

I’ll never forget the first time I prepared my own grapefruit. I had moved away from home and was attempting to establish some of my own routines, so I had brought home a pink grapefruit. I cut it in half, grabbed a spoon and prepared to scoop out the individual segments like we had done at home. I planted my spoon at the grapefruit’s thick outer rind only to have the fruit not budge. I tried to saw it out with my spoon, but it was stuck fast. I thought I had purchased a defective fruit. My mother’s grapefruit sections slipped effortlessly onto our spoons!

So I did what every wise daughter does: I called my mother for advice. Imagine my surprise when she told me that before we got to the breakfast table, she had already separated the grapefruit sections with a small, serrated knife. For years I thought grapefruit came like that and was shocked to learn it wasn’t so! It was my mother who did all the work without being asked.

I never appreciated my mother’s work because I never knew she did it! Now I know how lovingly she cared for our needs by performing this time-consuming task. Now I am even more thankful for this small act of sacrifice on her part, which is just one of the many ways she cared for our family.

This is the same with God. If He removed all obstacles and challenges from our lives before we knew about them, we could easily become complacent. We wouldn’t see our need for Him and would think we could manage on our own. Each time we ask for God’s help and see Him answer, we appreciate Him even more. By having us ask, God is teaching us to cultivate a grateful heart, and a grateful heart is a good thing! Even sweeter than a pre-sliced grapefruit.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for allowing me to come to You in prayer and share my daily needs and those deep in my heart. I thank You for caring about me and for acting on my behalf when I pray. Help me to be more aware of Your presence every moment of the day, and to see Your hand in every area of my life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Always Say A Prayer ASAP

Ever wonder about the abbreviation A.S.A.P.?

Generally we think of it in terms of even more hurry and stress in our lives. Maybe if we think of this abbreviation in a different manner, we will begin to find a new way to deal with those rough days along the way.

**********************************

There’s work to do, deadlines to meet;

You’ve got no time to spare,

But as you hurry and scurry –

ASAP – ALWAYS SAY A PRAYER

In the midst of family chaos,

“Quality time” is rare.

Do your best, let God do the rest –

ASAP – ALWAYS SAY A PRAYER

It may see like your worries

Are more than you can bear;

Slow down and take a breather –

ASAP – ALWAYS SAY A PRAYER

God knows how stressful life is;

He wants to ease our cares,

And He’ll respond to all your needs –

ASAP – ALWAYS SAY A PRAYER.