Restoration from fatigue

Sharing my prayer this morning...

Dear God, at times my life seems to be too much. Too full. Too demanding. Too consuming. Everything feels necessary, even important, but weariness creeps across my body and soul like storm clouds gathering in a clear sky. As my body is depleted of energy, my mind loses interest in what normally enthuses me. My tired soul sags as if it were a balloon losing its air. Often - TOO often I feel so spent - so exhausted that even restorative sleep eludes me.

Help me sort the truly important from what only seems important. Give me the courage to say no to what drains rather than feeds me. Help me find brief moments to sit in perfect stillness while you massage my soul. And when I go to my sleeping place, wrap your darkness around me like the softest blanket, so that I might sleep peacefully in your embrace knowing you've already worked it all out - knowing it's not on my shoulders - but yours.

Remind me , Father

Today, God...

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

Bring to my mind often that the pierced, tatooed, disinterested young man who can't make change correctly at McDonald's 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 me 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 I can only imagine in my worst nightmare.

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

Heavenly Father, remind me each day that, of all the gifts you give me, the greatest gift is love. It is not enough to share that love with those I hold dear. Open my heart - not just to those who are close to me - but to all humanity. Teach me to love the way you love. Open my eyes to see people the way you see them. Let me be slow in judgment and quick with forgiveness and patience, empathy and love.