Heavenly Father – We praise You for giving us minds, hands, and hearts to earn a living and support those who depend on us. Please help us to be mindful that You are not just with us on Sundays but all the days of the week. At our work places please help us be patient with our fellow workers. Let us be partners in their success and growth. In thanksgiving to You, may we use the fruits of our labors to make a difference for those who are out of work, under paid, exploited or less fortunate. Help us to remember to give more to those who have less. May we strive to labor in ways that always please You. We pray that when our work in service to You is done that we find eternal and everlasting rest and love with You and Your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

This Labor Day Prayer is written in memory of Oscar Ochoa, a man of great faith and service to the Lord, who worked tirelessly at my father’s printing company running the press.  After I suffered polio, God through him, as my baseball coach, delivered a powerful, loving and angelic message which is featured in my soon to be published book, Bending Angels: Living Messengers of God’s Love (Clovercroft Publishing, October 2016).  When Coach Ochoa was not running the press, he was giving back to the community of Christ all he had, until all that was left was his sacred soul now at rest with the Father of us all.

 

Churches across America and around the world are now celebrating the beginning of a new school year by blessing the backpacks of students. In the event your child or grandchild, niece or nephew is unable to attend the service blessing, please take the opportunity to bless the backpack carried to school by your special child of God.

Heavenly Father, I ask that You please bless this backpack and Your child who carries it. May the child who wears it attend school each day with a fully open mind and loving heart for learning. As each school day passes and lessons are learned about the beautiful earth You have created, may this child be ever thankful for the opportunity to explore new things and to grow in mind, body and spirit because of You. May all the child’s teachers mindfully encourage and nourish the flowering of the gifts You instilled in this child, this student and young servant of Christ.   Amen

 

July 10, 2016

Our family so much needs relaxation, peace and time together to reconnect and to enjoy the beautiful world You made for us.
Lord, please help us to make use of the summertime to share the Light of Christ and the joys of Your Grace as the daylight is longer and our faith in You grows ever stronger.
Amen

Almighty God – You gave all of us, your children, the gift of Your love and the freedom to make our own decisions in our lives and in our walks of faith.

We thank You for our Forefathers, as Pilgrims of Faith, who gave us freedom and liberty under Your watch.

On this Fourth of July we thank You for the blessing of living in the Land of Liberty.

Lord, help us not forget that in our walks of faith in this Nation under God that we honor You and please You most when we treat our fellow citizens as we ourselves wish to be treated.

May our inner and outer conflicts be silenced by Your heavenly peace.
Amen

Lord, on this special day to honor those who have carried the cross of fatherhood, I give thanks to You for my father and for his example of stewardship for me to follow. As my Heavenly Father, I give thanks to You for the gift of Your Son Jesus Christ. For in His birth, death and resurrection we as father and child will always be together in Your Eternal Love and Light. Amen

My father and his three brothers proudly served in World War II. They gave five years of their young lives for our Country. However, unlike many other young soldiers from the Greatest Generation, all four brothers returned home to love, have families, and live out their dreams. The following prayer is not mine. Elma Dean wrote it, entitled “Letter to St. Peter.” John Gorka adapted it in his heartfelt song “Let Them In.” God bless all soldiers – those who did not come home and those who lived long lives with the memories of what they had experienced – all to preserve our freedom.

Prayer to St. Peter

by Elma Dean
Let them in, Peter, they are very tired
Give them couches where the angels sleep, and light those fires
Let them wake whole again, to brand new dawns

Fired by the sun not wartime’s bloody guns
May their peace be deep, remember where the broken bodies lie
God knows how young they were to have to die
God knows how young they were to have to die
So give them things they like, let them make some noise
Give dance hall bands not golden harps, to these our boys
And let them love, Peter. For they’ve had no time,
They should have trees and bird songs and hills to climb
The taste of summer, in a ripened pear,
And girls sweet as meadow wind, with flowing hair
And tell them how they are missed, but say not to fear
It’s gonna be alright, with us down here. Amen.

John Gorka – Let Them In – YouTube John Gorka – Let Them In – YouTube