An October week's Pslams

Psalm for Monday--Lord, help me to remember what is important and not to allow those who are not--the dishonest, the backbiters, the micromanagers, the control freaks, the trivial, the self important-- to interfere with my life and vision. Help me to help those who need help, to laugh, have fun, take risks, and to matter. May my actions thwart those whose only goals are selfish, and encourage those who are in need.

Psalm for Tuesday--Lord, be merciful to me a sinner, and forgive those who believe they sin not, the judgmental, the destructive, the fake, the pretenders, the disloyal, the two-faced, the insecure who feed on others' success and failures. Let not their negative spirits infect me, yeah even though they try to beset me, nor their penchant for rules and judgment against me and my students and friends and family. Strengthen me from my students' belief in the future, and in their imperfections and promise. Let me help teach them that risk and mistakes and other's judgments are not failure, but steps to happiness and success. Let me and them learn joy from adversity and the inherent goodness of most people.

Wednesday psalm: We've got about all the uncertainty we can take, Lord. So many people are downright angry and loud and afraid. What we need is to listen, to try to understand opposing views, and to look people squarely in the eyes. At midweek, help u remember that it starts with us, that if we want assurance, we have to be assuring, investing in the good of people. Don't make us blind to evil and injustice by a few people, but help us discover and share the good in most of the people we deal with, knowing that is the only thing that can defeat so much negativity. And, by the way, soothe us.


Psalm for Thursday:  As the week, and the year, and our life wears on, help us to remember the anticipation and joy of the coming weekend. There is more to life than work,  people's expectations, and financial worries. Renew in us the joy of a child's laugh and smile, the excitement in their eyes, and the pleasure of children and grandchildren saying our name. And for those less fortunate, help us to bolster their lives with that same spirit, and to fortify ourselves for the coming weeks.

Psalm for Friday: TGIF, literally. But let us not be too joyful at the passing of time, unless we spent it well, helping other people, enjoying life, spreading good will and honesty. Forgive us for the time wasted on hate, ill feeling, revenge, worry, dishonesty and the trivial. Infect us with the relief of the end of a week to strengthen us, but let us not forget those who don't have jobs, who are hungry, and who have to work while we are off enjoying your creation. Keep us humble and helpful to those less fortunate. 

Psalm for Psaturday--May this day renew our sense of humor, and encourage us to actively seek ways to not make sense, to play, to have fun, to laugh and enjoy the child within us that is trampled by the "sensible" adult world all week. Restore our souls with that creativity smothered by the years since we "grew up." Let today inoculate us so we won't be infected by  the stuffed shirts who have lost their childhoods and take themselves too seriously, piling stress upon stress on us during the workweek.

Psunday Psalm--We know why you rested on the seventh "day." The world is to much with us, and it tires us out too. We need down time more than ever it seems--not just to recover, but for time to think, to remember, to dream and imagine--vitamins for survival in the coming week. Help us resist the temptation to have to be "productive" today. Instead let us dedicate our efforts to helping other people and to our inner world, to rejuvenate  the weary body, spirit and mind.