As I am sometimes able to do, today I printed the prayer thread and took it with me. I light what grandma always called ‘my Jesus candle‘, sit still, then walk quietly through each prayer and request with pause and deliberation.
As I generally do, I also add my own prayers targeting a turmoil that is less specific. There is bludgeoning in the world; there is also manipulation, deception and ultimately evil. I do not like it; I am repulsed by it; and like you I choose to oppose it in every way I am able. This is our ultimate zero-sum battle.

The task completed, I also pondered the changes of the past seven months that surround me. The physical landscape where my youth unfolded, forever changed – much of it erased completely. Then suddenly, for some unknown reason, a thought occurred:
If God told me a secret today that I was not permitted to share; a secret that today was my last day and yet I could not reveal that knowledge, what would I do?
There is a particular clarity of life, a clarity to purpose, that seemingly happens when we put a clock on our endeavors.
Generally, we ignore the clock, abiding to life is much easier that way, and, truthfully, I do not believe there is value focusing on something we do not control. However, while we do not control the countdown – we do control every choice we make within it. Thus, the question holds merit, ‘What would I do?‘
If we accept that we can create something, perhaps make it just a little bit better by making a choice, then we have accomplished something; perhaps much bigger than we imagine. It is a fundamental truth in life that if we change the way we look at something, then what we look at changes.
We always have choices.
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