Thank You, dear One......thank you for the respites that come just when we need them.  Thank You for the gifts of loving friends and the children You allow us to have.  Their commitment to us.....their concern and love and prayers for us.....gives us the endurance to face another day.  A little dramatic, I guess, Lord.....but, that's me!  I can make a mountain out of a molehill any day of the week.  I see, over and over, the sadness of so many.  Often, I just SOS prayers for folks I see.....but, yesterday, I found someone that I was unable to walk away from.  Remember her, Lord?  I barely saw her.  She was sort of slumped down in her chair as I was going by her little place of business at the flea market I was walking through.  As I paused to look at her things,  she started by telling me all of her creations were hand made and were made by her.  We conversed back and forth until she just made a personal statement about herself and her mother's battle with cancer.
I walked into the little cove where she sat and just listened.  Thank You, Jesus, for reminding me often, that to minister to anyone, one doesn't have to worry about "what to say".  I just stood there.....gave her my attention.....and silently prayed for her.  She needed someone to listen.  She didn't need a sermon.  She didn't  need any stories from me comparing my life happenings to hers and how I dealt with my issues.  Before we parted, I  assured her I would say prayers for her, ask her name and  ( thankfully Lord, I remember it!)  have already taken her, her mother, and her issues with it all to the foot of the cross.  I ask Lord for the blessing of peace to give her some rest from the tyranny of red tape issues with insurance and the health care she's being denied for her Mom's care.  Lord, so often, beside the trauma of losing a loved one, the  "bare facts" that have to be recorded....the amount of numbers to be remembered for the government, all have a tendency to add to the mind numbing situation.  The issue of life or death is lost in all of that.  We are left to "doggie-paddle" our way to the shore if we have the energy after all of the papers have been filled out.
So.....Lord.....right now.....I ask for peace for the young woman I pray for and the precious mother that is suffering.  If You choose to do more.....and I wish You would.....please do.  You don't gather a lot of information in an eight
 minute conversation, but, You Lord, are the sole provider of the areas of our lives that are given to You to fix.  You give us strength.  You give us patience.  You give us wisdom.  You give us peace.  All of these, are enough.....but, I appreciate the fact that You give us so much more.  I am blessed and loved and I am thankful today for that.
Give me Your wisdom, Lord, for the decisions I make today.  Yes, I know.....it may be....."Should I get the blue one?" or " Should I forget it, and walk away?"  Not exactly life changing wisdom, but wisdom, all the same.
Thank You Father for loving me.  I praise You for the beauty of this day.....and the fact that I am living and enjoying it with You.
For all I pray, the needs of this day for those I love.......I ask in the name of Jesus.  Amen.