On Hope...

Hope has been a major word in my life these last months, and I always perk up when a blog I like, or someone I respect uses it.

Renee Altson both has a blog I love, and is someone for whom I have much respect. She wrote this post today, and I think it's absolutely beautiful.

For Unity

I purchased a little booklet of prayers over the weekend, titled "Devotions to the Holy Spirit" and compiled by Jesuit priest Brian Moore.

This prayer, titled simply "For Unity" is catching at my heart right now:

One only Spirit of Father and Son
in whom all are baptized,
of whom all have drunk;
one Giver of many gifts,
one Tree of many fruits,
one Speaker of every tongue,
renew in our day
the wonders of Pentecost.
Grant that people of every race and nation
may understand one another,
and, as one, proclaim
the praises of God.
Grant that all may be one
as you, Spirit, with the Father and the Son
are one God, one Lord.
Grant unity to the Body of Christ;
grant unity to the human family.
Sole breath of every living thing,
may all be one who, in you,
live and move and have their being.

Tuesday Morning Smiles

I'm sitting here, with a cup of tea, eating a scone. I'm on the fourth day of this particular headache, and I'm having some other annoying symptoms as well. All that to say that I'm rather desperately in need of a "smile list" this morning.

So, here's my Tuesday, August 12, 2008 edition of "Things that are making me smile":

• This flower arrangement, which was a birthday gift from a dear friend.


• The lilies from aforementioned flower arrangement, which are making my bedroom smell absolutely fantastic
• passion tea
• that my ipod warranty hadn't expired (though three weeks without it while it gets repaired is a little much)
• Misty Edwards
• a certain teddy bear named Nelly
• a favorite soft blanket from ikea
• water
• plans to mail some gifts to a friend
• an evening with very little on the schedule
• that a certain troublesome colleague is still on vacation
• reminder stones resting on my desk.