~ the slate walkway in progress at Karen's ~

Prayer*
by J.S.Hoyland

Teach us, o Spirit, to trust thee with life and with death,
And (though this is harder by far)
with the life and death of those
that are dearer to us than our life.

Teach us stillness and confident peace
in thy perfect will,
deep calm of soul, and content
in what thou wilt do with these lives
thou hast given.
Teach us to wait and be still,
To rest in thyself,
to hush this clamorous anxiety,
To lay in thine arms all this wealth
thou hast given.

Thou lovest these souls that we love
With a love as far surpassing our own
As the glory of noon surpasses the gleam of a candle.
Therefore will we be still, and trust in thee.

*I've fiddled with this a little so I could feel genuine while using it as a prayer. Special thanks to you, Julie, for sending it to me.