A House – Remodeler’s Prayer

Dear Lord,
It’s easy to grow weary,
Easier each passing day.
So I’m asking for you Grace –
For Thou art my Strength and Stay
Lord give me grace to handle
Unfinished projects here.
And help me see, with joyfulness,
The progress over there.
Lord give me grace to cope with nails,
Compressors in the den.
When something looms before me
Help me to just begin.
When I’m handed a wet paintbrush
Lord, help me not to whine.
For you will get this project done
In your own perfect time.
Lord, help me not to grumble
When I’m doing something hard
Like hauling torn-out sheetrock
Or cleaning out the yard.
Lord give me strength to lay that floor
Or mud the yonder wall.
And when I insulate the roof
Give grace Lord! I’m not tall!
So much I’ve done and learned in past
But now I press ahead.
And when I want to look to me.
I look to you instead.
And when a family member says:
“Nothing you did today.”
When in fact I know I did.
I’ll forgive them anyway.
Our house is still a piece of work
As it is far from quaint.
But instead of the whole, I’ll focus: today.
Dear Jesus, help me paint!
Amen.


Copyright Miriam Rainwater, March 11, 2008
All rights reserved.

The Needful Thing

The day had been long
The supper was cooking
The red beans and rice
Were so yummy looking
But our van needed picking
Up from the shop.
I was needed to drive
So I turned down my pots.
I left them on simmer,
Told a sister to stir.
“Don’t let them burn,”
I firmly told her.
Just fifteen minutes later…
I returned from my trip.
When I walked in the door
With a bang the smell hit.
Burnt! Oh, fly quickly!
Run, quickly run!
I’m afraid that at that point
Not much could be done.
I quickly changed pots
Tried to save what I could
But with sinking heart realized
Supper would not be good.
As I cleaned up my mess
I wore a big frown.
How I wished that my sister
Wasn’t clowning around!
She should’ve watched it!
My frustration grew.
Then the Lord showed me something
I want to show you.
Noah ran in the kitchen
Gave a big hug to me.
I, despite my frustration,
Lifted him up to see.
“Whata ya cookin’?” he said,
Questioning eyes upturned.
And suddenly, it mattered not
That supper was burned.
For there in that moment
The Father said, “This,
Child, this is needful
When life is amiss.
It’s not about dinner
You spent your time making
It’s about those who sit
At your table partaking.
Child, this is needful,
And now is the time.”
So there with burnt supper
I made this resign.
That even when someone
Else burns my food.
I will try to respond
In a Christ-like mood.
For this thing is needful,
Yea, this thing will last.
The relationships I’m building
As the days pass.
If I may let me ask
As I close, this of you:
Next time things go wrong,
What will you do?


Copyright Miriam Rainwater, February 22, 2008
All rights reserved.