Wesley’s Covenant Prayer

I am no longer my own, but thine.
Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt.
Put me to doing, put me to suffering.
Let me be employed by thee or laid aside for thee,
exalted for thee or brought low for thee.
Let me be full, let me be empty.
Let me have all things, let me have nothing.
I freely and heartily yield all things
to thy pleasure and disposal.
And now, O glorious and blessed God,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
thou art mine, and I am thine. So be it.
And the covenant which I have made on earth,
let it be ratified in heaven. Amen.


GOD, IN THIS NEW YEAR, may I no longer be my own but yours. Put me to what you will; rank me with whom you will.
Put me to doing; put me to suffering.
Let me be employed for you or laid aside for you, exalted for you or brought low for you.
Let me be full; let me be empty.
Let me have all things; let me have nothing.
I freely and heartily yield all things to your pleasure and disposal.

And now, O glorious and blessed God — Creator, Redeemer, and Inspirer — you are mine, and I am yours. May this promise that I hereby make on earth be ratified in heaven. Amen. [An adaptation by W. Paul Jones of Wesley's Watchnight vows.]

- W. Paul Jones
An Eclectic Almanac for the Faithful

From p. 438 of An Eclectic Almanac for the Faithful by W. Paul Jones. Copyright © 2006 by W. Paul Jon

HOLY INFANT, we treasure you and the gift of love that you bring to us today. Amen.

- Beth A. Richardson
Child of the Light: Walking Through Advent and Christmas

From page 89 of CHILD OF THE LIGHT: Walking through Advent and Christmas by Beth A. Richardson. Copyright (c) 2005 by Beth A. Richardson

Almost Christmas

Christmas gift suggestions: To your enemy, forgiveness. To an opponent, tolerance. To a friend, your heart. To a customer, service. To all, charity. To every child, a good example. To yourself, respect.
- Oren Arnold
American editor and free-lance writer (1900-1980)
(copied From Sojourners Verse and Voice)

Here at Park church the Advent and pre Christmas check list is getting checked.The choir cantata; the children's Christmas program, (Pastor Jeff hosted the Christmas open house this year again ..Thanks Jeff and Marianne!)....the order of services and sermons are almost done for the 5 PM and 11 PM Christmas eve , a host of other seasonal church program events are now over, and the Dec 27 bulletin is almost done. I could ramble on about another list of things to do; both work and/ or family related but who doesn't have a list like that!
So I wish you the blessings of late advent, almost Christmas.
May it be near and dear!
Rory

OFTEN I STAND on the edge of the light, afraid to believe, afraid to act, afraid that this story is too good to be true. But then in my better moments, when I listen closely to the story, move closer to the light, my fears seem to evaporate like an early morning mist, and I can believe again. I can believe that God who made all that is became clothed in our human flesh so that we might become clothed in God. I can believe that God claims me as a beloved child. I can believe that my days are in God’s strong and tender hands. I can believe that life is good, beautiful, and eternal. I can believe that not only my days but all days are in God’s good and able hands. I can believe, rejoice, and wait trustingly and expectantly for the unfolding of God’s promise given so many ways and most clearly in the Advent story. Thanks be to God!

- Norman Shawchuck and Rueben P. Job
A Guide to Prayer for All Who Seek God

From p. 24 of A Guide to Prayer for All Who Seek God, by Norman Shawchuck and Rueben P. Job Copyright © 2003 by the authors. All Rights Reserved
via Upper Room web site

Dec Rambles

Some Rambling updates. It was a joy to be at my nephew, Josh's, wedding in Sioux Falls this past weekend. It was one of those rare times when most of the family was together. Watching my dad dance with several of his grand daughters was a highlight of the heart. I look forward to getting to know more of Katie, Josh's wife. Do I get to now call her a new niece or a niece-in law? The church choir cantata was held at the 9:30 service last Sunday and Jeff took care of the 11:15 service that included a baptism.
We are involved with the Interfaith Hospitality Network this week so I have done a couple of transportation duties with an energetic family of four. Others from Park church have done overnight care, fixed suppers or doing activities, transportation and laundry. The big Candle light dinners are this Friday and Saturday so the church building is coming to its decorative peak! The new computers are installed at church so I am trying to learn Windows 7! My rambling could go on but I close with this quote that came from Sojourners today as the Verse and Voice

God does not wait for us to become perfect and in possession of only high, pure thoughts and unmixed motives before [moving] through us. God waits only for the sign of faith.
- Eugenia Price, American novelist and community activist (1916-1996

World AIDS Day

THE HIV VIRUS is a thief that steals life. In our rural AIDS pediatric center, we focus on preventing the transmission of HIV from mother to child during childbirth. We struggle to get anti-retroviral medicine to children who have been forgotten by the world. We also seek to educate people about how to avoid becoming infected and infecting others.

Jesus never gave up trying to teach people about living abundantly. With God’s help, each of us must find ways to promote prevention, so that all people “may have life, and have it abundantly” (John 10:10).

- N. M. Samuel, M.D. (India)
Prayers for Encouragement

From p. 20 of Prayers for Encouragement: Hope for Persons Living with HIV and AIDS, Malaria, Tuberculosis, and Other Serious Diseases. Copyright © 2007 The Upper Room. All Rights Reserved
via Upper Room