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Plano, Texas, United States
The Book, The Burial, by R. Penman Smith is available through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and directly from Tate Publishing. The Burial is a Spiritual Thriller with a dark twist and a redemptive outcome. The story springs out personal experience; ‘write what you know about’. Those who are comfortable with fantasy and are not afraid of the reality of the spiritual warfare inherent in Christian life will love this book.

SecularSacred and Nonsense

Imagination is the faculty through which we discover the world around us, both the world we see, and that other unseen world that hovers on the fringe of sight. Love, joy and laughter, poetry and prose, are the gifts through which we approach that complex world. Through the gift of imagination we have stepped into an ever flowing river where the realm of Faerie touches Middle Earth.

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Seven Everyday Collects for Everyday People

















A Collect for When One is a Miserable Twit
O God, you know what a funk I am in and the causes are not hidden from you.  Insofar as it is good for me, give me insight into those causes and lift me out of this slough of despond, and grant me the grace not to be a miserable twit; through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen.

A Collect for When One is Slightly Ridiculous
O God, you are sitting in the heavens and having a good laugh; grant us most graciously to have a sense of humour about ourselves, that we might truly appreciate the silly side of our frailty and not be a nuisance to others; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

A Collect for When One is Taking Things too Personally
Gracious Father, your perspective is eternal and all encompassing; grant us such a vision of the immensity and diversity of the world around us, that we might have the grace to realize when life gets difficult that it’s not all about us and that we aren’t really all that important; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A Collect for When One is Too Serious
Lord Jesus Christ, you are the Light of lights, shine your light on us so that we can lighten up and stop taking ourselves and everything else so seriously.  We know all too well that there is some serious stuff out that there, but help us to keep things in perspective.  Grant this for sake of your joy. Amen.

A Collect for When We Think We’re in Control
Oh Lord, you are in control and we’re not.  Help us to so recognize that truth that we might give ourselves and those around us a break, and instead rest in trust on your perpetual grace; in the name of the Father and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

A Collect for When One is Being a Jerk
Almighty God, you see the trouble I cause myself and others.  Help me to take the things seriously that I should take seriously and help me stop playing the fool when I should be doing what you want me to do.  Help me to keep the balance for the sake of your glory; through Jesus Christ my Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns one God for ever and ever. Amen.

A Collect for the Other Idiots Out There
Lord God Almighty¸ you know exactly who is on my mind again. Grant them the grace not to be a nuisance to me and to others; that way we would all have a lot more peace, and things would go more smoothly.  Which reminds me, also help me not take their inventory, I have enough trouble with myself; through Jesus Christ my Lord.  Amen.

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