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Friday, January 1, 2010

Fresh starts and covenants- Friday Five



Sally wrote, "As I prepare this post I am aware that it will be posted on New Years Day. We stand at the beginning of 2010 looking not only at a New Year, but at a new decade full of promise and possibilities. For some of us this will be exciting, but others will approach it with trepidation and probably most of us stand on this threshold with a mix of emotions and reactions.

It is at this time of year that many (British) Methodist Churches celebrate their Annual Covenant Service, a service that will include this prayer:

I am no longer my own but yours,
Put me to what you will,
rank me with whom you will;
put me to doing,
put me to suffering;
let me be employed for you,
or laid aside for you,
exalted for you,
or brought low for you;
let me be full,
let me be empty,
let me have all things,
let me have nothing:
I freely and wholeheartedly yield all things
to your pleasure and disposal.
And now glorious and blessed God,
Father , Son and Holy Spirit,
you are mine and I am yours.
May it be so forever.
Let this covenant now made on earth
be fulfilled in heaven. AMEN

This prayer is said every year, and offers every member an opportunity to renew their covenant with God. This is no soft or easy prayer, it states in the company of others our willingness to worship God come what may, not that we should become doormats, but that we place God above all else. ( And every year if we are honest we have to acknowledge that we fail).

With this prayer in mind I bring you this Friday Five:"


1. What will you gladly leave behind in 2009?
-I leave behind looking for a place to live, another place to live as that place is found. I also leave behind the work of couple counseling, not that we have finished, but the 'heavy lifting' is done and that made buying a place possible after years of looking. It also helped the Beloved and me to communicate better on a number of subjects, the largest of which was buying a place to live!

2. What is the biggest challenge of 2010 for you?
I guess that would be: 1. Making that house a home. and 2. reconciling work with less stress. I have to remember it's just a job and my counselors are not my children, although they feel like what children might feel like!

3. Is there anything that you simply need to hand to God and say "all will be well, for you are with me"?
Finding my place of worship. I have my SFX girls, so they fulfill me for the moment.

4. If you could only achieve one thing in 2010 what would it be?
See part 1. of # 2. Making a house a home.

5. Post a picture, poem or song that sums up your prayer for the year ahead....


5. Friday Five

11 comments:

altar ego said...

Glad for your one and two! It sounds like life is flowing more directly for you, a blessed way to begin a new year.

revhipchick said...

glad to hear you have found your place and are now making it your home. beautiful!

happy and blessed 2010!

Dr. Laura Marie Grimes said...

Congratulations on your wonderful new home and may it indeed be a joy and refuge for you both.

Sally said...

Prayers for you as you establish your home!

Barbara B. said...

Have a wonderful New Year and a great time making that house a home.

Jan said...

Have a wonderful new year, especially with your home together.

Dorcas (aka SingingOwl) said...

I pray for a home of peace, joy and contentment for you all!

Hot Cup Lutheran said...

oh a dwelling... for all things safe and sacred! may it be all you both have hoped for... and more!

angela said...

Are you doing house blessing with sage smudge? I found a book about that and thought it very inspiring. I'm excited for you and your Beloved that you are making a fresh home together. Good thing for a long time! blessings.

Tech writer expat said...

Thought you might like to see this although it is better in song. Here's an interesting rendition: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MDlMdu2gjw

--------

"If It Be Your Will" by Leonard Cohen

If it be your will
That I speak no more
And my voice be still
As it was before
I will speak no more
I shall abide until
I am spoken for
If it be your will
If it be your will
That a voice be true
From this broken hill
I will sing to you
From this broken hill
All your praises they shall ring
If it be your will
To let me sing
From this broken hill
All your praises they shall ring
If it be your will
To let me sing

If it be your will
If there is a choice
Let the rivers fill
Let the hills rejoice
Let your mercy spill
On all these burning hearts in hell
If it be your will
To make us well

And draw us near
And bind us tight
All your children here
In their rags of light
In our rags of light
All dressed to kill
And end this night
If it be your will

If it be your will.

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