A Prayer For Us All
Rockingham Remembered
Short Stories
Dear Lord,

Help us remember that the jerk who cut us off in
traffic last
night  is a single mother who worked nine hours
that day and is rushing
home to cook dinner, help with homework, do
the laundry and spend a few
precious moments with her children.


Help us to remember that the pierced, tattooed,
disinterested
young man who can't make change correctly is a
worried 19-year-old college
student, balancing his apprehension over final
exams with his fear of
not getting his student loans for next semester.


Remind us, Lord, that the scary looking bum,
begging for
money in the same spot every day (who really
ought to get a job!) is a slave to
addictions that we can only imagine in our worst
nightmares.


Help us to remember that the old couple walking
annoyingly
slow through the store aisles and blocking our
shopping progress is savoring
this moment, knowing that, based on the biopsy
report she got back last
week, this will be the last year that they go
shopping together.



Heavenly Father, remind us each day that, of all
the gifts
you give us, the greatest gift is love. It is not
enough to share that love
with those we hold dear. Open our hearts not to
just those who are close to
us, but to all humanity. Let us judge not lest we
be judged, and quick to
forgive, show  patience, empathy and love.