Monthly Archives: November 2023

A Prayer for Insomnia

29 Wednesday Nov 2023

Posted by in grief, Health, Life, Pop, Prayers

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Holy Creator of the Night,

You yearn for us to be awake, to be alert to the workings of the world around us.
You desire for our attentiveness in a world drowsy to injustices
And to be attentive to the needs of our neighbors…

Yet being awake at 4am isn’t your dream for my night.

My snores were stolen by the latte I drank at 4pm.
This wicked wired state is simply impossible to ease.

I imagine the birds will begin to chirp soon-
That’s when the night begins to transform to day
And my hopes for a beautiful night of sweet dreams are tossed into the abyss of sleeplessness.

Whatever fairy dust or calming angels you can send to surround me,
To bring me sleep in my sad stirring night,
Will bring me joy in the daytime tomorrow-
Or at least the hope that I won’t need another latte at 4pm.

Amen.

(c) 2023 by Rev. Michelle L. Torigian. Free to use with attribution.

A Prayer of Gratitude for Thanksgiving’s Deliciousness

22 Wednesday Nov 2023

Posted by in Current Events, Holidays, Life, National Day Prayers, Pop Culture, Prayers

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Savory God,

As we bask in the warmth of the radiating heat from our ovens
And the cozy candles of vanilla and pumpkin-something,
We give much gratitude for the deliciousness of the holiday.

From the richness of our conversations-
Some spicy, some smooth-
To the sweetness of the pies and chocolate-something desserts,
We celebrate the flavors of the day.

For our loved ones near and far,
And the ways we connect to one another across the rooms and miles,
We are thankful to live in this time filled with many means of connection.

And for the tables at which we sit,
For the friends and family who warm our hearts,
For the ways we gather together again after a year or two of distancing-
Whether from illness, or strife, or that pandemic-thing-
We are grateful for the people in our lives who support us
Through the peaks and valleys,
Through the burnt pies and undercooked turkeys,
Through the wanted and unwanted political and religious discussions.

May peace radiate throughout our homes,
Across our tables,
Throughout our communities and countries,
And across our war-torn world.

Amen.

(c) 2023 Rev. Michelle L. Torigian. Permission to use or repost with attribution.

A Prayer for Bereaved Children

16 Thursday Nov 2023

Posted by in grief, Life, National Day Prayers, Prayers

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God of Our Falling Tears,

As seasons end, and the winds begin to hurl in a different direction,
Losses fill our once-innocent hearts.

For some of our young neighbors, there is a new hole in their lives-
A new source of wailing,
A new cloud blocking the light of life.

Death has grasped a hold of their future plans,
And the loss of someone close has dampened the laughter-filled air.

How will they learn to live without this person?
Where have they gone?
Why does nothing make sense?
So many questions swirl around their growing minds.

Anxiety grows, and trauma becomes an unwanted companion.
And all of us hope that they can find their mirthful youth once again-
Or something like it.

God of the lonely, the orphans, the mourners, the children of angels-
Grant a comfort that goes beyond words,
A peace that fills their aching hearts,
A strength that pulls them forward when they want to retreat.

May they know they are never alone,
That we walk with them,
And that you are their companion each rainy evening,
Starry night and cloudy day.

And may the joy of life reunite with them a little ways down the road.

Amen.

The third Thursday of November is Children’s Grief Awareness Day. In 2023, this falls on Thursday, November 16. This year, not only do we pray for the young people nearby whose hearts are aching after loss, but the children in Palestine and Israel who have lost family members.

A Prayer in Our Healing

02 Thursday Nov 2023

Posted by in Life, Prayers

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Healing Spirit, God of Wholeness,

Our bodies break as the years past.
Infections rage within our systems.
Injuries slow our bodies as we work to rehabilitate.

Our trips to urgent cares and hospital emergency rooms become more frequent.
We dial the doctor’s numbers as often, and schedule new procedures that we hope that will build us in body, mind and soul.

As we hurt beyond the everyday pains, we seek your presence to sustain us.
We seek your strength as our walking slows and our health declines.
We send strength to our neighbors looking for their third, fourth, or fifth winds.

We grasp for your energy as our minds tire, and our energy wanes.
And we notice that you, indeed, are with us on this journey.

We ask that you bless our curiosity, our path to healing, our hopes that improving upon our health is possible.
Bless our broken bodies, our complicated healing, our dreams left unanswered thanks to the challenges of health.

We know you are the healer and dreamer in each time and generation.
May we still have the dreams within us and the energy to sustain the attainment of these dreams,
And may your visions awaken the parts of our soul that cannot see your enduring hope.

Amen.

(c) 2023 Rev. Michelle Torigian. Permission to use with attribution.