Harvest

Father,

Thank you for giving me a taste of autumn way down here in the South. For the colors of this season in all the beautiful pumpkins that were spread out before me, for the cooler weather that made it so pleasant to spend my time there.

Thank you for chastening my heart when the three mommies with their babies came. They did not say hello, were not looking for pumpkins, only to take photos of their babies there (OK by me). It was not until you prompted me to go to them and offer to take a picture of all of them together that they softened. And then they surprised me as they left by each donating money to the church without even buying a pumpkin. This is what kindness does.

I pray that as some staff and I meet that there will be a clearing of the air and misunderstandings will be corrected and love will abound again between us all, especially for my dear friend J. There is a place for all of us in leadership and none is better then another. Help us to understand each other.

Bless N. in the sudden loss of her mother yesterday morning. All last year we were praying for her elderly father and now it is her mother who is with you today. Give them comfort and peace, dear Lord.

I am desperate regarding my weight again. I can't seem to learn what you want me to learn regarding this. I find less and less strength to do what I am supposed to be doing. I have given this to you a thousand times but apparently to no avail. And yet, what comes to mind is the Philip Yancey book on prayer that I am reading where over and over it seems unrelenting prayer is what you want. So I continue in this vein and beg you to help me overcome this stronghold in my life.

As always I pray for C., that the glitter of the world fades for him. That he will see you with your arms open so clearly and he will run to you. I pray he finds work (even if he only submits apps to please me!) and that he sees there is a whole life out there for outside these four walls of home.

Help me to understand and love you more. Forgive my doubts and failings. Thank you for all the beauty in this world, amidst the chaos. There is always you. You will never leave us or forsake us.