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Photo by Dan Chapman ©2001 Stanyan
Entertainment Group
A Thought for Today
If you cannot imagine love without
possession, try imagining life without freedom.
Most of us, not just those
living in America, have so much to be thankful for this year. Yes, we are
at war again but it is a just war that we will win even though the enemy
is everywhere. Everywhere too there are people of compassion and good will
and they will always outnumber the few who wish the world ill. They are
our refuge and we must join them.
There are too many places in the world where hunger and poverty prevail
and so on this day of simple and great bounties for some we must keep in
our thoughts those who are without. And each of us should try a little
harder in the coming years to offer hope to the hopeless, care and
kindness to those lost and uncared for and stronger love for our friends
and families.
Optimism works. I know, I’ve tried it and abide by it because I’ve been on
the opposite end of it before. I know that negativity drags all of us
down.
TWO THANKSGIVING PRAYERS
NINE / ELEVEN: BEFORE AND BEYOND
We offer prayers for the many
who are without the love, friendship and closeness of those they lost this
year to murder, violence, accident, illness and age. And we pray for the
heroes both real and in our hearts. We thank God or whomever we believe in
for the strength to go on in the face of personal and National loss.
We give thanks for the women and men in harms way protecting us; at home,
overseas, in our airports, at our borders and under our bridges.
We add a prayer and mention for the women of Afghanistan who have been
oppressed and we promise to raise our voices on their behalf and on behalf
of women and children everywhere who are treated in a substandard way.
Most of all we do give thanks. To God and country, friends and family and
to those who have gone before us and will come afterward to ensure a
decent way of life for more and more of us.
And we say no amen’s because the prayers and hope will continue.
RM 11/21/2001
A
THANKSGIVING PRAYER FOR THOSE WHO CANNOT PRAY
To those who cannot pray. To
those who cannot walk upon the ground. To those who cannot see and those
who cannot hear the world around them. To those who cannot speak. To those
in misery and discomfort. To those poor of means or poor of spirit to
those who feel oppressed or put upon. To those who have not yet found a
God or someone they can pray to or someone with whom to pray.
Oh lord, for these our sisters and our brothers who do not pray and will
not pray, we ask that you provide enough wisdom and compassion in all of
us to pray for them . . . and for ourselves that we find better ways of
caring for and helping one another..
- RM 11/21/98. Adapted from "A Prayer
For Our Special Brothers & Sisters" from "An Outstretched Hand.", 1980
How could this day pass
without my thanks to all of you who consider this little spot on The Net a
safe stopping place. Thanks and I’ll be here for you as long as I can be.
If you’re traveling over this weekend be careful. Sleep warm.
RM 11/21/01 Previously
unpublished
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