Pray for Christmas Day on Sunday

God,
Your light has come into our world to shine brightly in our darkness.
We rejoice in your light, we are so glad because with the light you have set us free.
In fact we know and celebrate that even to this day the darkness has not overcome it.
It is through the birth of your son that your light entered into the world
and we too want to be children of light.
We are grateful for the birth of your son
who has become known as the wonderful counselor.
Our governments need him as their wise counselor
because they have often become stalemated with each other.
Our churches need him as their ideal counselor,
because they are at a loss as how to deal with our culture
that sees the church as irrelevant.
Our families need him as their counselor
because they struggle with how to be a healthy family in this day and age.
We as individuals need him as our sage counselor
to help us in how to live as your children of the light.

And we are grateful for the birth of your son who has become known as Mighty God.
We need a Mighty God to establish justice in this often unjust world.
We need a Mighty God to bring about righteousness in a world
that is often anything but righteous.
We need a great big God to believe in when it appears there is so little to believe in.
We need a strong God when we feel so small, so weak and so puny.

We are grateful for the birth of your son who has become known as Everlasting Father.
We need the everlasting father for those who are fatherless, for those who have been abandoned by their fathers, and for those who don’t have good fathers.
We need the everlasting father for his love and his mercies for all of us.
We need the everlasting father for guidance, leadership, firmness yet gentleness.
We need the father who lives forever that we get to live with forever.

We are grateful for the birth of your son who has become known as Prince of Peace.
We need a Prince of Peace in a world that is always at war with one another.
We need a Prince of Peace to help us navigate the conflicts of relationship
we often meet in life.
We need a Prince of Peace to calm and sooth our hearts, our minds, and our souls.
We need a Price of Peace to establish his Kingdom of peace in our lives forever.

Lord what a wonderful gift you have given us in your son Jesus who is the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
We thank you for this gift today and everyday.
Amen

Merry Christmas!

cross Posted at revgalblogpals

Prayer for Advent 4B

God of Advent,
We are so close to Christmas Day, that
We can see your light shining in the dark
As we come closer and closer.
And as we draw nearer we find ourselves
tempted by all the busyness
Of the holidays to lose our focus on you.
Help us o Lord to keep our eyes on you.

God of Advent,
We have been waiting for what seems like a long time
For that special day to celebrate the birth of your son.
We have waited with hopeful hearts.
We have waited with longing for your peace.
We have waited with a desire for your joy.
And now we wait with a yearning for your love to be born in us again.

God of Advent,
When your steadfast love is birthed in us we will sing of you
And your love forever and ever.
When we are anointed by your love,
we will open our hearts and hands to the lonely, the needy,
the sorrowful, and those who are hurting.
We pray that we are able to share your love with all we meet.

God of Advent,
We pray that we are able to say yes to you when you call.
We pray that we are able to say “Here I am to you Lord.”
We pray that we can be your servants.
We pray that we can say as Mary said so long ago,
“Let it be with me according to your word.”
May all that we are glorify you, and may we rejoice in you
For you are our God, You are the rock of our salvation.
Yes, all our praise and love is focused through Jesus
On you o God.
Amen


cross posted at revgalblogpals

Prayer for Advent 3B

God of Advent,
Pour your Holy Spirit on us as you did so long ago,
So that we may be bearers of your good news to those who are oppressed.
Anoint us with your spirit of hope so that we may heal the broken hearted.
Put your spirit of justice in our hearts so that we may declare liberty to the captives.
Bring forth your love so that we may pardon the prisoners.

God of Advent,
Make this be the day of the Lord when all who mourn are comforted.
Make this be the day when those who are grieving are strengthened.
Make this be the day when those who are in despair rise from their ashes.
Make this be the day where your glory is shown all around.

God of Advent,
Heal and restore our lands where there has been devastation.
Bring peace and reconciliation where there has been wars and fighting.
Reestablish those who have been jobless for too long.
Bring forth your salvation to all.

God of Advent,
May we be like Mary, Praising your name, singing your song from the depths of our souls.
May we spread your good news all around us for all to hear.
May we let people know how much we love you.
May we declare your good works in our lives forever.
Amen

Prayer for Advent 2B

God of Advent
We come crying out for all, comfort your people.
Make a path for your people that they can find their way.
Speak tenderly to all whose hearts are wounded.
Bring calmness to all who fear.
Be our Shepherd Lord and carry us as one would carry a lamb.
Feed our hunger Lord.

God of Advent
Show us your mercy and favor.
Forgive us our ways when we turn away from you.
And put your peace into our hearts as we turn back to you
Pour your steadfast love over as like a gentle rain.
Breath your righteousness into our souls.
Make us faithful as we wait.

God of Advent
We do wait for your son to come
We wait for the new heavens and the new earth.
We wait in your peace, your patience and your salvation.
And so we pray come Lord Jesus, come.

cross posted at revgalblogpals

Prayer for Reformation Sunday

Here we stand, Lord,
The people you have redeemed.
Here we stand, Lord,
giving thanks to you for you are good.
We give thanks that your love lasts forever.
We thank you that you free those who are oppressed.

Here we stand knowing that it is you
We all can cry out to for help in times of trouble.
We know that you will not only deliver us but
That you will lead our way to where we need to go.


Here we stand by the living water
That you set flowing for all.
We drink freely from your waters
That gratifies everyone who is thirsty.
And we thank you that you also
Give plenty to eat for those who are hungry.

Here we stand with those who reformed the church so long ago
And with those who still are reforming the church today.
Here we stand witnesses to your good news for all.
Here we stand your servants, your followers, your children.

cross posted at revgalsblogpals

Prayer for Proper 25A/Ordinary 30A/Pentecost +19

Lord,
You are the one we turn to time and time again
No matter what goes on in our lives.
You are our sanctuary when times are rough.
You are our encourager when we feel discouraged.
You are our God who loves us even when we feel unloved.
You are our host who welcomes us when we feel tired and weary.
You are our nurturer when we need to be taught how to live as your children.
And we are your children, who seek to know you more deeply in our lives.
We are your followers who seek to live as you would want us to live.
We are your servants in a world that has so many great needs.
We are who others look at to see how one lives when they say they believe.
And we come back home to you daily seeking that warmth, that love, that encouragement,
Your hospitality and love makes it possible to then live as your children so that all may find their home in you and feast at your heavenly table of plenty.


cross posted at revgalblogpals

prayer for Proper 24A/O 29A/P +18

Dear God,
Long ago the Pharisees and Herodians asked your son to ask is it lawful to pay taxes to the Emperor or not? One of the major causes for the American revolution was "No taxation without representation". Now, God, we live in a time where the question is how much taxes is enough or too much? God, we pray for wisdom as they decide these questions about taxation, budget, and funding the needs of our country. Help us to remember also, the answer that your son gave was; to give to the Emperor what was the emperor’s and to God what was God’s. Sometimes we seem to forget the part about giving to God what is God’s. Forgive us God and help us to remember to give to you what is yours.. Help us to also remember that you then take what is given back to you and generously use it to spread your good news here and around the world. You make possible what seems to be the impossible. You bring healing and restoration to what seemed like total devastation. You bring peace and justice to where there was once only wars and injustice. You bring salvation and wholeness to the lost and broken hearted. And we thank you for what you have done, what you are doing and what you will do; by giving to you what is yours. And we pray for all people here and everywhere that need you in their lives. And we pray for those here and everywhere who live in poverty, hunger and starvation. And we pray for those here and everywhere who are ill, in pain, and suffering, And we pray for those here and everywhere who are looking for work, trying to maintain their homes and family. We pray for children, youth, and adults here and everywhere. We pray for our churches, church leaders, and church workers here and everywhere. We thank you for hearing our prayers. We thank you for the transformation that you are making in our lives. We thank you for the deliverance of all in this world. Amen.

Prayer for Proper 23A/Ordinary 28A/Pentecost +17

Holy One,
We are grateful for your daily presence in our lives.
Lord, we thank you for your love that lasts forever.
Remember us O God when you consider all your people.
Bring us all into your arms of salvation.
Lord, we are all in our own exile away from you.
We have chosen to sin against you and your children.
Forgive us, save us, bring us back to you

Hear o Lord, the prayers we bring to you.
We pray for our church, our church leaders and for churches everywhere.
We pray for good weather, good crops and good harvest all over.
We pray for the well being of each of our own communities and for the citizens who live in it.
We pray for wellness for our families, companions, and all those we love.
We pray for all those in need: the sick and the suffering, prisoners, captives, and their families, the hungry, homeless, and oppressed.

Help us to rejoice in you God even we don’t feel like doing it.
Help us to not be so anxious about things instead help us to talk to your about our needs and requests.
Help us to know that peace that only comes from you when we are feeling worried.
Help us to keep our focus on you in our lives, no matter what.
Help us to learn the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.
Help us to remember that we can do all things through you who gives us strength.

Thank you for hearing and answering our prayers. Amen.

cross posted at revgalblogpals

Prayer for World Communion Sunday

GOD,
Here we are linking hearts and hands with our brothers and sisters all around the world as we celebrate world communion.
The meal we have shared in reminds us that there are those who live in a time famine where there is little to nothing to eat. We pray for these people; that by the sharing of our resources and by the work of your hand that one day there would be plenty to eat for all.
The cup we drank from reminds us that in some place there is not good clean water to drink freely from. We pray that by the work of those who are bringing tools to make that happen and by the work of your hand that one day all can drink from clear waters.
By linking hands and hearts we know there is unrest and wars across this land that effect so many lives. We pray that by the work for peace and by the work of your son, the prince of peace that one day your peace will rule in the lives of all.
By linking our hearts we are made aware that many suffer from pain, illness, diseases, un known suffering and death. We pray that by the work of the medical providers, caregivers, healers, and by your hand of healing that one day they would be healed.
We pray that this meal that has brought us closer to you, the meal that is a means of grace, fills our hearts and souls that we live our lives fully for you in what we say and what we do.
We thank you for this shared meal and for all the many ways you feed us throughout our lives with your love and mercy.
Amen.

cross posted at revgalblogpals

Prayer for Proper 17A/Ordinary 22A/Pentecost +11

Oh God, you who are the great I am,
Who appeared to Moses in a burning bush;
Make yourself known to us today.
Guide us as you guided the Israelites to the Promised Land.
You know our sufferings in life, our misery, and our stressors;
Deliver us as well.
Hear our cry for those in the wake of the hurricane Irene,
and for those who have already been effected by her strong winds.
Hear our plea for relief for those who in other parts of our country and world
who have been experiencing major drought, for those living in famine.
Hear our prayer for those who have faced devastation and loss of life
from all the recent earthquakes that have occurred around the world.
Hear our request for liberation for those who are oppressed, under attack,
Held captive, and fear for their lives and wellbeing.
God of our ancestors,
We pray for healing and rehabilitation those in our midst who are ill,
facing surgeries, or recovering from surgeries.
We pray for strength, courage and comfort for those facing death,
those who have had loved ones to die.
Lord of community,
You have transformed us to be your people,
By showing us how to love as your son, Jesus loved;
By giving us your hope;
By filling us with patience to endure and persevere through the hard times;
By teaching us to welcome the strangers,
By pouring your grace into us so that we become generous to those in need;
By giving us your joy, we can rejoice with those who rejoice;
By weeping for your friend Lazarus, we can weep with those who weep;
By forgiving us, we can forgive others;
By feeding us, we can feed the hungry;
By filling up our inner thirst, we can give the cup of cold water to those who thirst; and
By your power to overcome evil, we can also overcome evil with good.
We do all these things to glorify you and to bring your kingdom here on earth.
And so as children of God we pray now the prayer Jesus taught his disciples….

cross posted at revgalblogpals

Painting of Moses and the burning bush by Chagall

Prayer for Sunday Proper 16A/Ordinary 21A/Pentecost +10

Lord God,
We come to you in humble awe of who you are.
We worship you this morning with songs and voice and now with prayers.
We adore you with our love, praises and thanksgiving.
We thank you for all you are doing in and through your church.
Churches that were once dying are now alive and growing.
Churches that had become unhealthy are now healthy again.
Churches that had become turned inward are now turned outward.
Churches that were inhospitable that have become inviting and hospitable.
Lord God,
We thank you for what you are doing in our own lives.
Growing us to be mature in our faith.
Growing us to be more like Jesus.
Growing us to be loving of others and especially the unloved.

And Lord we come bringing our petitions for those in need.
We now pray for those in our midst who need healing, in the hospital, home recovering, in rehabilitation, those waiting for results of tests.
We pray for those who are grieving today may they be comforted, re-find their way, be strengthened and encouraged.
We pray for those who are in financial distress, facing foreclosure, loss of job, long-term unemployment. May their prayers be heard, jobs found, ease of finances, and the ability to pay their bills.

And Lord we come brining our prayers for our communities, our countries and the nations,
It feels as if we live in tumultuous times everywhere.
Everywhere the economies are in dire straits, bringing other problems with it.
There is rioting, protests, fighting, in every country even our own.
There are famines, food scarcities, medical supplies shortages, high unemployment, the list could go on.
It appears that sometimes the nation’s leaders seem helpless or powerless.
Lord we need you to intervene in our world to put right the wrong, to guide our leaders, to relieve the suffering and pain and to offer real hope to the world.

Lord, we believe that if it had not been for you bringing the Israelites out of captivity from Egypt, they would have been destroyed.
We believe our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.
We believe that we all are one body of Christ working in this world, in ministry to this world.
We believe that on the rock you are building your church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.

You gave us the keys of the kingdom of heaven to have complete and free access to God's kingdom, keys to open any and every door: no more barriers between heaven and earth, earth and heaven.
Let us then be your church in this world.



cross posted at revgalblogpals

Prayer for Proper 15A/Ordinary 20A/Pentecost +9

God of our days and lives,
Teach us to live our lives to the fullest,
Teach us to take joy in the many blessings you have showered us with,
Teach us to love one another as those in the early church did,
Teach us to be the church to those who are in need around us.

God of our comings and goings,
Help us to order our work, our play, and our time around you.
Help us to find time to spend with our families, our loved ones and our friends.
Help us to rest and relax as needed.
Help us to spend time in prayer and meditation with you.

God of our world,
Remind us to not turn our backs on those dying from the famines.
Remind us to not turn our eyes away from the rioting that is occurring.
Remind us to not turn our hearts away from those sold into slavery and into the sex trade.
Remind us to not turn our minds away from those who are still recovering from earthquakes.

God of our churches,
Strengthen us to maintain justice.
Strengthen us to do what is right in your eyes.
Strengthen us to be the voice for those who are not able to speak for themselves.
Strengthen us to be your church in this world.
Amen.

Prayer for Proper 14A/Ordinary 19A/Pentecost +8

Lord we come to you with our prayers
For friends, family, those in need near and far
We pray for those who are hurting,
that their pain may be relieved.
We pray for those whose relationships are broken,
That there may be forgiveness.
We pray for those who are sick,
That there may be healing.
We pray for those who are weak,
That they may be strengthened.

We pray for wisdom and guidance for the leaders of our country.
We pray for relief from debt, joblessness, and recession
We pray for our business leaders that are able to lead the
Way out of this recession and provide jobs.
We pray for those whose lives have been turned upside down,
With not only losing their jobs, but losing their homes,
their means of providing for their families, that they may find their way out of their pits.
We pray that their faith may be strengthened and that they find their hope in you.

We pray for the people of the world,
Who live in places where the economy is much worse,
may their lives be turned around for the better.
We pray for those who are experiencing famine like East Africa,
May their hunger and physical needs be resolved.
We pray for those who are living in conflict,
May peace be brought about.
We pray for Christians who are being persecuted
Around the world, that they may know your presence and strength of faith.

Lord we all have our spiritual struggles, our pits we have been in, and storms of life, and yet we recognize that you are evermore faithful to hear us and reach out to us to pull us up and out to higher ground. Lord, hear our cries for ourselves, for others near and far. Pour your courage into us, strengthen our faith, and be present to us.
Amen.

A Pastoral Prayer for Joy

Our Sr Pastor is doing a series of sermons this month on the Joy of Christ. Yesterday his sermon was "The Joy of His Company" based on the scripture John 4:4-29. This is the prayer I wrote for the Pastoral Prayer for Sunday.

Oh Lord,
We long for your joy in our hearts.
we have come to realize that happiness is fleeting.
We as your children know that your joy
and the joy in our relationship with you always remains.
Often there are things in life like illness, death, and tragedies
that make us think that the joy is gone, but it is still there.
Lord, we ask for those who do not have joy
that they would come to have your joy in their lives.
We ask for those who think the joy is gone, because of whatever is going on,
that they may realize it is still there.
And we ask for those who are ill that they may have health and well being.
We ask for those who grieve for comfort and a time to grieve their loss.
We ask for all those who have had tragedies in their lives; restoration to wholeness.
We especially remember that today there are those still recovering from tornadoes, floods, fires, tsunamis, earthquakes and drought.
Lord may we continue to live our lives in the joy of your company.
May we invite others to live in that joy as well.
Amen.

Reflections for a Summer Day

Okay,
Since I am having a day off in the Sun with my family at the pool, I thought I post this in light of the previous downer post. Something positive for a Summer day:

Reflections for summertime

Summer is a great season to take that well deserved 'time-off'. Without intention and planning, even the relatively slower summer schedule will fill up with a variety of commitments, meetings, study groups, and worship services. Before we know it, our calendars can be overflowing and the idea of any kind of significant time off seems unrealistic.

"Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass on a summer day listening to the murmur of water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is hardly a waste of time."~John Lubbock

"A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and the lawn mower is broken." ~James Dent

"Sabbath God, in this season of long days and long daylight, we are grateful to be alive. Give us the wisdom to pause from our hectic routines and enjoy the simple things of this time of year. Let us live easily for a time, putting away watches and looking away from clocks, ignoring all the things that need to be moved, fixed or cleaned. Let us lose ourselves in the bounty of the earth you created. May this be a time of rest, refreshment and renewal. May we be calm enough and quiet enough to perceive your presence. Let us not fill all our time with endless activity."
~Based on a prayer composed by Ted Loder in his book, My Heart in My Mouth

Summer reflections provided by The Rev. Sharon L. Vandegrift, M.Div, PCC
Professional Certified Coach, International Coach Federation
Endorsed Life Coach, United Methodist Church

from United Methodist Endorsing Agency

Hey add your thoughts for a Summer day.

Maybe I'll have a few while at the pool or maybe not....

The Cycle of Poverty

This came to me today from Inward/Outward email, a project of The Church of the Saviour.


The different aspects of poverty form together into a cycle of destruction and dependence that winds itself down upon and around a person. That's the cycle of poverty.... Not enough food when young so that he can't think straight. No hope of education or personal development or family so she gets pregnant before she's fifteen. No education, poor jobs. Poor jobs, poor pay. Poor pay, bad housing and food. Bad housing and food, poor health. Poor health, poor performance on the job, less pay. A cycle, but at its center a captive, a mind so busy responding to the day-to-day needs that it has no time to think about the future or about those spiritual realities which give meaning to life.

Source: A Quiet Revolution, John Perkins

That feels discourging and hopeless. Does one just give into the cyle? How does one get out of the cycle? Is it government's responsibility to break the cycle? Is it the church's? Is it ours?

We have been forever at trying different means to break the cycle and seem to be able to do it for some people and not for others. Do we too give up? And do we just instead turn a blind eye or do we just do handouts?

For a long time those Christians who worked at doing something about it were mocked for just practicing a "Social Gospel". And so it appeared that there was a turn away from practicing social justice and to more of getting everybody "Saved". Now there seems to be a turn back the other way, but trying to hold both in the balance. Can we hold both in the balance and break the cycle of poverty? What do the scriptures tell us? What does the Holy Spirit tell us? What does God tell us?

human trafficking blacklist

The Obama administration on Monday nearly doubled the number of countries that may face U.S. sanctions for not doing enough to combat human trafficking, calling on those and other nations to get serious and take tough steps to eradicate the lucrative illicit practice.

In its annual Trafficking in Persons report, the State Department identified 23 nations as failing to meet minimum international standards to curb the scourge, which claims mainly women and children as victims. That's up from 13 in 2010. Another 41 countries were placed on a "watch list" that could lead to sanctions unless their records improve. Here is the full article from the AP

This list includes good old USA. Yes, we too have to look at ourselves and no longer turn a blind eye to what may be going on under our own noses. The United States of America is principally a transit and destination country for trafficking in persons. At the same time there are cases of human trafficking that have been reported in all 50 states, Washington D.C., and some U.S. territories. Victims of human trafficking can be children or adults, U.S. citizens or foreign nationals, male or female. According to U.S. government estimates, thousands of men, women, and children are trafficked to the United States for the purposes of sexual and labor exploitation. An unknown number of U.S. citizens and legal residents are trafficked within the country primarily for sexual servitude and, to a lesser extent, forced labor.

The State Department estimates that as many as 27 million men, women and children are living in such bondage around the worlds. Sadly China was given a waiver. And that is not good, because it is beginning to become uncovered just how many babies have been stolen to go up for adoption. One wonders how many kids have been stolen to go into the world of modern day slavery. And then you have to wonder what might have happened to young women since they are treated as less than men.

Human trafficking is "the illegal and involuntary smuggling of a person across borders, often for the purposes of forced labor," according to Julie Clawson in "Everyday Justice: The Global Impact of Our Daily Choices."

“Anyone who kidnaps another and either sells him or still has him when he is caught must be put to death.” (Exodus 21:16) In 1 Timothy 1:9-10 the New Testament also condemns those who would traffic in the lives of human beings comparing them to adulterers and perverts. Matthew 18, Jesus hates those who abuse a child. We are our Brother's Keeper and Should care what happens to them. If we remain silent on the issues, who will speak for us, if the nation turns it's Back on them? Report it If you know the who, where and when!

Deuteronomy 10:17-18
For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who is not partial and takes no bribe. He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing. (ESV)

Psalm 68:5-6
Father of the fatherless and protector of widows
is God in his holy habitation.
God settles the solitary in a home;
he leads out the prisoners to prosperity,
but the rebellious dwell in a parched land. (ESV)

Job 31:16-23
“If I have withheld anything that the poor desired,
or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail,
or have eaten my morsel alone,
and the fatherless has not eaten of it
(for from my youth the fatherless grew up with me as with a father,
and from my mother’s womb I guided the widow,
if I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing,
or the needy without covering,
if his body has not blessed me,
and if he was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep,
if I have raised my hand against the fatherless,
because I saw my help in the gate,
then let my shoulder blade fall from my shoulder,
and let my arm be broken from its socket.
For I was in terror of calamity from God,
and I could not have faced his majesty. (ESV)

This is what the LORD says:
For three sins of Israel,
even for four, I will not turn back {my wrath}.
They sell the righteous for silver,
and the needy for a pair of sandals.
They trample on the heads of the poor
as upon the dust of the ground
and deny justice to the oppressed.
Father and son use the same girl
and so profane my holy name. (Amos 2:6-7, NIV)

Want to know more, pray more, and do more about this?

Go to STOP THE TRAFFIK's website

or Humantrafficking.org

Check out Christie Caine's A21, which is about abolishing injustice in the 21st century. I heard Christie speak at the Willow Creek Summit in 2010 about her calling and working to eradicate this problem of human trafficking. One of the things on this website that is offered is 21 ways to help eliminate human trafficking.

Don't turn a blind eye, help be the change that God calls us to be.

Prayer for Proper 8A/Ordinary 13A/Pentecost +2

Loving God,
We come this morning first thanking you
for all the many blessings you have sent our way.
We thank you for your steadfast love that endures forever.
We want to tell you how often we feel so like Abraham
that we are being tried and tested.
We often feel like the Psalmist and wonder how long this testing is going to last.
We often wonder how long we will be in pain.
How long will this sadness last?
How long must we suffer?
Will we be able to go on with life when it feels like it has lasted forever?
Lord we call on you for your stead fast love to take us out of our pits,
We call on you for your mercy to reach out to those who need your healing touch.
We call on your faithfulness for all who are struggling with their faith..
We call on your care for those who are less fortunate to be the Lord who provides for their needs.

We call on you for the healing of the nations.
We pray for those in North Dakota who are dealing with major flooding. We pray for those whose homes destroyed or damaged by volcanic eruption in Chile and Ethiopia;
We lift up to you the violence and terror in the Middle East;
We pray for the people of Greece that there may be relief from economic straits they are in.
We cry out for those who are entrapped in modern day slavery that may be set free.
We pray for all who are still recovering from Spring storms.
We continue to pray for the jobless that they may find meaningful work.
We offer up to you the homeless of the world, especially the children, may there be homes and improvement in their wellbeing.

God of hospitality, may we remember that you welcomed us so that we too would welcome others into our churches, that we share with them the cup of cold water.
May we remember that as we welcome others we welcome you.

We pray all this in the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit.

cross posted at revgalblogpals

The Second Cooler movie

As a followup to the earlier post on the new immigration law, I wanted to make you all aware of a movie that begins to address some questions about immigrants coming to America and can lead to a better understanding to then address the situation. To provide a context for understanding the surge of migrants into the United States looking for work in the last 20 years, the Rev. Dr. Ellin Jimmerson, a minister to the community from Weatherly Heights Baptist Church, screened a half-hour version of her new documentary, "The Second Cooler / La Segunda Nevera," narrated by Martin Sheen. Jimmerson's 16-year-old daughter, Leigh Anna, and her boyfriend, Tad Mattle, 19, died in an April 17, 2009, crash with a drunk driver. The driver was also an undocumented immigrant, but Jimmerson continued her documentary and advocacy for immigrants.

The title refers to a second cooler that the morgue in Tucson had to install to house the thousands of bodies found in the desert. More than 5,000 people have died attempting to cross the border since 1997, when official records began being kept. Both officials and immigrants estimate thousands more in inaccessible reaches of the desert.

The premise of The Second Cooler is that Arizona is the new Alabama, the epicenter of an intense struggle for migrant justice. Shot primarily in Alabama, Arizona, and northern Mexico, the film's purpose is to bring basic immigration issues into focus. Those issues include the impact of free trade agreements on migration, the lack of a legal way for poor Latin Americans to come to the United States, the inherent abuses of the guest worker program, the fact that many migrants are indigenous people, anti-immigrant politics, the reality of thousands of migrant deaths at the border, and an escalating ideology of the border.

The Second Cooler differs from every other documentary to date on the subject. It raises a well-focused question: “Who benefits?” It has interviews with 25 illegal migrants, including three children under the age of 12. It follows several of them throughout the film. In addition, it includes interviews with 55 professionals, including historians, lawyers, clergy, labor union organizers, politicians, a Border Patrol agent, human rights advocates, and others who untangle the threads of a complicated issue. When a viewer reaches the end of The Second Cooler, he or she will understand why 12 million migrants are here illegally and will be able to offer an informed answer to the question, “Who benefits?”

The Second Cooler has an original score, original songs, and uses murals and other visual art extensively. It is sub-titled in English and Spanish throughout.
The grim film brought one ironic chuckle from the packed room. That was when one of the film's subtitles blazed on the screen: "Arizona, the new Alabama?"

It was produced by the Huntsville Immigration Initiative, LLC, a 501c3 IRS charity, through a cooperative agreement with the Interfaith Mission Service, Inc.

Image from Immigration Impact Website

Alabama’s Tough Illegal Immigration Law

Last week on June 9th, Alabama Governor signed into effect the new law, HB-5, that is considered the toughest state law yet outlawing illegal immigrants. It allows police to arrest anyone suspected of being an illegal immigrant if they're stopped for any other reason. It also requires public schools to determine students' immigration status and makes it a crime to knowingly give an illegal immigrant a ride. Alabama employers are now required to determine if any new worker is in the country legally. bars illegal immigrants from enrolling in or attending college; prohibits them from applying for or soliciting work; and makes it illegal to rent them property.

The new law, known as the Beason-Hammon Alabama Taxpayer and Citizen Protection Act, goes into effect on September 1st. Groups including the American Civil Liberties Union and the Montgomery-based Southern Poverty Law Center agree. The groups say they plan to challenge it. In an depressed economy it would be costly for the state to enforce and defend the provisions of the law.

One of the sponsors, Republican Sen. Scott Beason of Gardendale said the legislation would create jobs and put unemployed Alabama residents back to work. Oh really?
Lets focus on the real place the jobs went for working Alabamians, the jobs went overseas.(And that’s a whole other post.) The jobs were not taken by the illegal immigrants.

Leaders of the United Methodist Church, the Episcopal Church, the Lutheran Church and the Roman Catholic Church have all criticized the law as running counter to the Bible's teaching about loving others.

The Methodist bishop for south Alabama, Paul W. Leeland, joined North Alabama Bishop William H. Willimon on Wednesday in issuing a statement against the new law. You can read the letter written to Governor Robert Bentley, Senator Scott Beason, and Representative Micky Hammon:

It has spit the state, the communities, and the churches. I don’t think this bill will answer the question of jobs or what to do about illegal immigrants.

I grew up in Florida where the majority of the work to harvest the citrus was done by so called illegal immigrants. They were the very ones who did the back breaking, poor paying work on the farms. When the season was over they would move onto the next area of work that was being harvested. I didn’t envy them and I don’t envy them now. I don't like how we treat illegal immigrants like they are either slaves or criminals.

“You shall not wrong or oppress a resident alien, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt (Exodus 22:21)

"I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in." -- Matthew 25:35

Wal-Mart wins Supreme Court sex-bias ruling

In a 5-4 ruling, the Supreme Court threw out on Monday a massive class-action sex-discrimination lawsuit against Wal-Mart Stores Inc, the biggest ever such case, in a major victory for the world's largest retailer and for big business in general.
The justices ruled that more than 1 million female employees nationwide could not proceed together in the lawsuit seeking billions of dollars and accusing Wal-Mart of paying women less and giving them fewer promotions.
The Supreme Court agreed with Wal-Mart, the largest private U.S. employer, that the class-action certification violated federal rules for such lawsuits.

The ruling was cheered by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce business group as the most important class action case in more than a decade but denounced by women's groups.
It represented a major victory for Wal-Mart.

What have we gone backwards? Say what? I thought we had made progress in these areas.

The article goes on to say that litigation is not over, but Lawyers for the plaintiffs acknowledged the ruling raised substantial hurdles to bring such challenges forward but warned that Wal-Mart may regret this route because it could lead to lengthier litigation in many more courtrooms.


Well, I don't shop Wal-Mart much anymore and with this ruling, I think I'll just stop shopping all together. Wal-Mart may find they have just alienated one of their biggest shopping froups; women. And if more women, who happen to do the shopping also stopped, it would have an effect on Wal-Mart. I would not want to work for Wal-Mart.
There are tricks they pull on employees like the hours they work or don't work. They got a bottom line to keep Sam's kids in their high living they have and their investors. But they are no longer the company that Sam started or meant it to be.

book review for RevGalBookPals on In the Bleak Midwinter

Over at RevGalBlogPals I did review of the book; In the Bleak Midwinter (1st in the Claire Ferguson series) written by Julie Spencer-Fleming. I am posting it here on my blog as well. The title is taken from the hymn by Christina Rossetti (1830–1894), In the Bleak Midwinter. Here are the first lines;

In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,
In the bleak midwinter, long ago.

I stumbled on this book while recovering from Arthroscopic surgery. It was an easy read for my unfocused mind. Claire Ferguson is a newly ordained priest in her first appointment. She is a second career clergy after serving in the military as a Helicopter pilot. The book describes her as a square peg in a round hole of her new congregation. How many of us felt that way going to serve our first church, Second church or Third Church?

The book begins in the cold of winter with a newborn infant left on the doorstep of the church. But until the baby’s parents can be found and contacted, everyone’s in limbo. This leads to a search for the baby’s mother. It also leads to the bringing together of Claire with the town’s police chief, Russ Van Alstyne. There is a quick development of a friendship that has some elements of attraction in it. It also leads to gossip among the church members and the town people. She seems oblivious to the gossip or the impact it could have on her ministry. I wondered when we have found ourselves in similar situations?

She joins the Police Chief in a search for the baby’s mother, which leads them into the secrets of the town, the family, and more deaths. (I won’t give away all the plot. The box that contained the baby and his blankets also had a note asking that the baby be named Cody and given to a pair of childless lawyers, Geoff and Karen Burns, parishioners at St. Alban’s who have been desperate to adopt a child. But the baby is placed with a foster family instead. The couple then try to enlist Clare to help them get the baby.

Finding the abandoned baby sparks Clare to begin a mission project to help unwed mothers, but her enthusiasm is rebuffed by the senior warden of the socially conservative church vestry, a retired army colonel. How many times have we run into this in churches we have served?

One of Clare’s weaknesses is that she is impulsive and jumps in feet first without thinking. This gets her into trouble. The other is she has a strong need to help other people. But you also get a picture of Clare’s dedication, her leading worship, and her praying. We can even read about Clare’s call to ministry

The last part of the book I thought was over done, but may have been that way to show some of her former military skills.

The cast of characters are well developed and enjoyable to get to know. The settings of the Adirondacks and the little town are well described. It has many twists and turns along with keeping the killer undisclosed for some time. There are moments in this book where spirituality comes into play but not in a preachy sort of way. Russ is an agnostic which Clare handles thoughtfully without over powering him with religion.

I think it is a good read and I look forward to reading the others in the series. If you are looking for a good book to read this summer, this book may just be it. After all it is a hot summer and this book is set in the winter.

Julia Spencer-Fleming, the author, was herself an army brat born at Plattsburgh Air Force Base. She says of these books: “Millers Kill is an amalgam of the towns and villages that I knew as a child. My family settled in the Adirondack Piedmont in the 1720s and I spent a lot of time tramping those hills . . . eavesdropping on the small-town gossip. . . . That part of New York, where poor farms and Saratoga money and the mountains all come together, has always held a bone-deep fascination for me.” Spencer-Fleming now lives in Maine with her husband and three children.


The series, now seven books long, has titles taken from hymns and psalms. Here are the titles for the rest of the books in the series:

A Fountain Filled with Blood (Clare Fergusson Series #2)
Out of the Deep I Cry (Clare Fergusson Series #3)
To Darkness and to Death (Clare Fergusson Series #4)
All Mortal Flesh (Clare Fergusson Series #5)
I Shall Not Want (Clare Fergusson Series #6)
One Was a Soldier (Clare Fergusson Series #7)

It can be found at Amazon.com

and at Barnes and Noble.com

Prayer for Trinity Sunday

Oh God who created the world,
You are still at work in this world creating.
Your handiwork is shown everywhere in this world.
Every time there is a newborn we see your creating work

Your keep showing us your created children your fatherhood.
Your fatherhood is so different then our earthly fathers.
It is neither too harsh nor too soft.
It is neither too much nor too little.
It is neither too stiff nor too malleable.
Our earthly fathers try to love us the best they can given how they were loved.
Often they fail us, often they are quite capable.
Some of us miss our fathers terribly and some of us have had to put up boundaries with our fathers who were abusive.
Some of us have been abandoned, deserted or left by our fathers.
But you have always been our Father who loved us without fail.

You loved us so much that you sent your son into this world
To spend time with us,
To teach us, to show us your love,
To heal us, to save us,
To give us joy, and to give us your peace.

His death and resurrection made way for the Holy Spirit
Who keeps your creating work happening.
Your Holy Spirit keeps us knowing you are with us always.
Knowing that you love us, we pray for those who feel unloved.
Knowing that you heal us, we pray for those who need to be healed.
Knowing that you save us, we pray for those needing to be made whole.
Knowing that you give us joy, we pray for those whose lives are joyless.
Knowing that you give us your peace, we pray for those who live in war zones.

We pray all this in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit

Image of the Holy Trinity

Prayer for Pentecost Sunday

Lord,
We are excited to be celebrating the church’s birthday today.
However, we are not sure what it would be like
if the Holy Spirit blew through our churches again as it did on the day of Pentecost.
In fact we not so sure we want that to happen again in our church.
It scares us this power of the Holy Spirit, and
yet we know that without the Holy Spirit
we are unable to accomplish the vision you have for your Kingdom of God.
We need your Holy Spirit.
It is after all your church.
So we pray;
come Holy Spirit come,
pour out your power into us your people and your church.
We do want to be your body of Christ in this world
that is often hurting, hungry and cynical.

We want to bring the good news to the poor, heal the broken-hearted, preach deliverance to captives, bring recovery of sight to the blind and set at liberty all that are bruised.
We want to be your body of Christ by praying for all who suffer, are poor, despairing, burdened, blind and battered.
So we pray for them right now and
claim the power of your Holy Spirit to do your will in this world.
We pray for your power of healing for those who are physically sick, for those who are emotionally ill, for those who are mentally ailing, for those who are money sick, for those who are spiritually unwell and for the world that is sick.
We pray for the healing of your creation,
and the renewal of the face of the land.
We pray for those who are thirsty,
that they would drink from your fountain of living waters and
never thirst again.

Thank you for hearing our prayers in the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit!

Image: Pentecsotes

Prayer for Sunday 7A

Oh God, who is always available to hear our prayer,
We come to you with the needs of our lives,
The desires of our hearts,
And the hunger of our souls.
Father of orphans,
There are orphans all around the world
That need your tender love,
your arms of love to enfold them,
and your voice of care to sooth them.

Protector of Widows,
There are widows all around us,
Keep them safe from harm,
Provide them communities of friends
When they are lonely,
And Care for them when they are sick or grieving.

God of desolate,
Provide homes of warmth and comfort for them.
Provide sustenance for them.
Provide a means of making a living.


God of the prisoners,
Set them free of all that binds them.
Renew their lives.

God of the anxious,
Receive their worry that they cast on your.
Give them a sense of calmness
And trust in you.

God of all who suffer,
Restore their lives,
Support them in their time of trials,
Strengthen their resolve,
And Refresh their weary hearts.

Lord pour your holy spirit in our lives
That we too may devote ourselves
To prayer, to you, to those in need and to each other.
In the name of the Father, son and the Holy Spirit,
Amen.

Prayer for Lent 3A

Lord of earth, sky and sea,
You have created this beautiful world we live in.
And we thank you for it.
You entrusted us to be stewards of this place called earth
and we haven’t always done a very good job.
Forgive us we pray,.
Heal your land
Heal your waterways.
Heal your land.
Help us to be better caretakers.

Lord we pray for those who thirst for good clean water.
We pray for those who have no water at all.
We pray for those in Japan whose waters are now radioactive.
We pray for those who lives have been devastated by floods and tsunamis.
We pray for those who thirst for your living water.

Lord we pray for those who are unhappy today.
We pray for those who are suffering today.
We pray for those whose bodies are ravaged by pain.
We pray for those whose bodies are affected from illnesses.
We pray for those who hearts are broken.
We pray for those whose are affected with grief.
Lord you know how to reach out to the tender hearted and to those in need.
Help us as your representatives to do like wise.
Help us to not be afraid of persons who are different then ourselves.
Helps us to not be afraid to be in conversations with those who are different then ourselves.
Help us to share with others your good news because your love has been poured into our hearts through your Holy Spirit.
We pray all this and more that rests in our hearts and minds.
Amen


cross posted at revgalblogpals

Picture found at New Life

Prayer for Lent 2a

Second Sunday of Lent A

Prayers from our heart to the heart of God;

Merciful God, in this time of quiet and silence we come to you.
We come to like Nicodemus seeking answers to our questions.
We come to you not sure we understand what the bible teaches, what the Sunday School teachers teaches or what the preachers preaches.
We come to you seeking faith to accept your wonderful gift of love.
Fill our hearts with your love.
May your Holy Spirit blow through our lives and through our churches.

Maker of Heaven and Earth, in this time of rejoicing and singing we come to you.
We come as David and the pilgrims seeking your help for all of us.
We come seeking your help in our time of need.
We come asking for your aid for those who are sick, wounded, chronically ill, and terminally ill.
We come looking for you to assist those in Japan who have lost so much and so many loved ones; who now may lose more to nuclear radiation.
We come praying for you justice for the poor, the homeless, the slaves, the children, and the helpless.
Fill their hearts with you love.


Covenant God, in this time of wonder and awe we stand still to listen to you.
We stand waiting for the word from you just as Abraham did so that we too can go where you lead us.
We stand waiting for your word of blessing for our lives when so many times we feel more stressed then blessed.
We stand waiting for your word of promises to us and to your church.
We stand waiting for your word of life for our dull and lifeless world.
We stand waiting for your word of grace in our lives.
We stand waiting for your word of creativity in our lives, our churches and our world.
And then Lord we are able to go forth with you leading our way.

cross posted at revgalblogpals

Prayer for Lent 1a

Lord, we are heartbroken over the devastation in Japan, the lives lost,
This is not the first time recently that there have been earthquakes or flooding,
but it doesn’t keep our hearts from hurting.
It reminds us how quickly life can change and how short our time on earth is.
It reminds us that we live in a natural world.
It reminds us to call unto you Lord.

And so we call upon you for
hope and healing,
guidance and strength.
We pray that we be able to offer our hands and resources to help.

Lord you promise to those whom are faithful that when we pray;
At a time of anguish, you will hear us,
You will be our place of safety,
That you will care for us in a time of trouble,
And that you will be deliver us.
We claim those promises now.

Lord as we begin this time the Great Fast
We ask you to walk with us as we go through
Life’s trials and temptations.
During this time as we journey to the cross with Jesus,
Help us to keep the fast, help us to understand Jesus’ journey, and
Help us to remain faithful to you.

In the your son’s name, Amen


cross posted at revgalblogpals

A Prayer for Sunday

Oh Lord hear our prayers
Prayers for hope for those who feel hopeless
Prayers for healing for those who need healing
Prayers for jobs for those who are jobless
Prayers for community for those who feel lonely
Prayers for peace for those whose lives are filled with conflict.
Prayers for understanding for those seeking to be understood.
Prayers for comfort those who grieve.
Prayers for food for those who hunger.
Prayers for shelter for those who are homeless.
Prayers for clean water for those whose waters are contaminated
Prayers for rain for those who live in drought.
Prayers for a time of drying for those who are facing too much rain.
Prayers for freedom for those who live under dictatorships.
Prayers for wisdom for our leaders.
Prayers for Spiritual growth and health for our churches.
Prayers for your Kingdom to reign here on earth.
Amen

Prayer for Epiphany 8/Ordinary 8

Holy one,
You offer us your salvation for our world of darkness.You offer us no more hunger or thirst for our barren land.
You offer us joy and compassion for our sadness and grief.
You offer us calm and quiet for our anxious souls.

Let us accept and receive what you offer us Lord.
Let us put our trust in you.
Let us praise you in confidence for your wondrous acts of love.
Let us serve you in love.
Let us tell others of your salvation, and compassion
for their lives, their burdens their worries.
Let us show others the kind of Grace Giving God you are.

We pray for those who do hunger and thirst.
We pray for those whose lands are no longer any good for growing crops.
We pray for those whose lives are empty and barren.
We pray for those who are carrying loads of sadness and grief.
We pray for those who lives are nothing but worry.

Lord fill your world with your care, grace and mercy

Posted from the revgalblogpals BE4 from the Carnival Cruise Ship Inspiration

Cross posted at revgalblogpals

Prayer for Epiphany 4A

Lord,

We come to you humbled by your greatness, your wonderful love, your holy wisdom.

We bring our praise of you, praise of your creation, praise of you tender mercies you bestow on us.

We come singing our love for you.

Lord , we pray for those who are poor in spirit that the may be made rich in you.

Lord we pray for comfort for those who mourn

We pray for those whose lives have been humbled by hardships that may be strengthened.

We pray for those who are hungry that their bellies be filled. But we also pray for those who hunger spiritually, may their souls be filled.

We pray for those who need mercy in their lives, may we show them your mercy in the way we treat them.

We pray for those who can’t see God that one day they may.

We pray for peace in our world especially for those places where there is great unrest and tension.

We pray for those all around the world who are martyred and persecuted that you will keep them safe and from harm.

We pray for those who are bullied, pushed around, made fun of and rejected; that others will stop the bullying, stand up for them, love them and accept them.

Lord we thank you for hearing our prayers. We thank you for being with us always.

We thank you for your son Jesus, Amen

cross posted at revgalblogpals

new year new tasks

Well

I have some new tasks in this new year that I am presently working on.

I am now working on how to keep up with new members in this large church. If you have ideas please let me know. I think we do a good job of contacting our visitors who sign in the registration book. But we are not sure we do a good job of contacting and connecting our new members. One of our Finance Committee members who works at a bank shared with us what his bank is doing now to contact and stay connected with their first time accounts. And it was a good idea.

Prayer for Epiphany 3A

Lord,
We come to you in a time of coldness and darkness,
Looking for warmth and light.
There are those whose homes are physically freezing,
And there are those whose lives are spiritually chilly
We know that we can help warm people’s homes.
We also know you can warm people’s lives.

We pray that there will be no more gloom for those who were in anguish
We pray that you lift away people’s burdens.
We pray you remove the things that oppress from people’s lives.
We pray you give courage to those who fear.

Lord your light calls us forth to follow and serve you.
Your light still shines for all to see in this world.
May we continue to reflect your light in our lives,
in our service, in our words and in our deeds.
cross posted at revgalblogpals

Prayer for Epiphany 2A

Lord we praise your name and thank you for your never ending love.
Lord, we wait on you believing that you will hear us and answer.

It is horrifying when we call to mind the shooting rampage this week in Tucson, Arizona.
We pray for those who were killed; six people -- including a federal judge, three senior citizens, a Giffords staff member, and a third grader.
We pray for the healing of the wounded; Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords in the hospital with a gunshot wound to the head, a number of others injured.
We pray for both justice and healing for the shooter Jared Loughner.
We pray a prayer of thanks for those who intervened and for the first responders.
We pray for healing for those who were there that day and traumatized by the shooting.
We pray for our elected leaders, politicians and media that there would be attitude of civility.

We pray for the people of Brazil, Sri Lanka and Australia where there have already been many people that have died in the floods..
We pray for safety for all others.
We pray hopefully for long term recovery for the people of Haiti who are still recovering a year later from an earthquake and also from a lifetime of problems.
We pray for restoration of order where there has been a breakdown of law and order in Somalia, where women are being forced into marriage or being beheaded; and in Tunisia, where riots, killings and curfews are a part of everyday life.
We pray for strengthening of the hope, faith and love of so many Christians under persecution whether in Iraq, Egypt, Pakistan, India, or Afghanistan.

We want to thank you for Martin Luther King who served you faithfully in a difficult time.
We thank you for his example in our own ministries to keep serving you faithfully.
We thank you for his work to bring justice, rights and peace to your people.
May we continue the work for justice, rights and peace for your people.


Lord, we pray that you will lift us up out of the ditches of our lives.
We pray you will pull us up out of the quagmire of our lives.
We pray you will set us down on the firm rock and keep us safe.
We thank you God for hearing our prayers and responding from your great faithfulness.

cross posted at revgalblogpals and preaching to the choir

Sunday Prayer for Baptism of Christ A

God who shows no partiality,
Show your favoritism on all your people.
Send forth your justice for all to see.
Save us your people.
Empower us to preach and testify to your great love and mercy.

God who makes and keeps covenant with your people,
You called us to be a light to the nations,
to open the eyes that are blind,
to set the prisoners free,
Help us to answer your call that these things come to pass.

God of grace and glory,
We pray for those who suffer from pains and sorrows.
We pray for those whose hearts are broken.
We pray for those whose families are fractured.
We pray for those whose lives are ravaged by war.
We pray for those who struggle with poverty, and starvation
We pray for our brother and sisters in Christ who are being martyred and tortured for their beliefs.

Thank you for hearing our prayers.
Thank you for pouring out your spirit on you son
And pouring your spirit out on us too.
May we too hear you say to us this day that "This is my son, my daughter the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased."
amen

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Prayer for the 1st Sunday in the New year

We begin our new year with you,
Hoping that this year will be different and be better than last year.
Hoping we will be better persons ourselves.
Hoping our work will be improved.
Hoping our marriages will be better.
Hoping our families will be stronger.
Lord, we place our hope in you for you are the author of our lives.

We pray for our churches that your spirit will be alive for all to experience you.
We pray for our country’s leaders that they will use wisdom in their decision making.
We pray for country that as we continue to come out of this recession; jobs will continue to become available, foreclosures will continue to decline, and that debt will be paid down.
We pray for our world that relations among all your people will be better, that strife will cease, that those who hunger will be filled.

Holy Author,
We have no idea what this year holds for us, but we know who holds us.
And because it is you that holds us, we place our faith and trust in you.
Lord help us to have our eyes open to your light, your ways, and your presence as we go throughout this year.
Amen.
cross posted at revgalblogpals