A Prayer In A Basket

                                                    Everyday is a brand new day,
                                                     everyday is a journey.





Whither, midst falling dew,
While glow the heavens with the last steps of day,
Far, through their rosy depths, dost thou pursue
Thy solitary way!

Vainly the fowler's eye
Might mark thy distant flight to do thee wrong,
As, darkly painted on the crimson sky,
Thy figure floats along.

He who, from zone to zone,
Guides through the boundless sky thy certain flight,
In the long way that I must tread alone,
Will lead my steps aright.

--William Cullen Bryant.

Christmas is over and by now, all the decorations are put away and stored for next year. If you're like me, there is a handful of Christmas cards laying discarded on your kitchen table. All those greetings that hung joyfully on your door or adored the mantel piece of your fireplace, are ready now for the trash. 

What a shame! Someone spent a lot of time writing greetings and blessings for your family and now they lay in a crumpled heap. Well, we stole an idea from Pastor Mike Frabreze and decided to collect all of them into a basket to leave on the kitchen table. At every meal where grace is said, we pull out one card from the pile and pray for that family along with giving thanks for our food. 

Pastor wanted to teach his children how to pray for others beside just praying for themselves. This is called praying selflessly. What a great idea and we decided to adopt it with all cards we receive (get well cards, birthday cards, sympathy cards). 

When you come into our kitchen, you won't see a neatly assembled table with a pretty tablecloth and place mats. Ours is littered with a basket of cards, a bowl of fruit, another basket filled with tea, a container for utensils and Emily's bible. Many things happen at that table. This is where we fellowship. We pray here and we eat here. We plan here. We live here.  A kitchen table is the most important piece of furniture within the family. This is where traditions are made. Start one now. 

Have a blessed Sabbath everyone.