Father in Heaven,
May the growth of my neighbor’s weeds
Be an unexpected invitation
To my continued growth and formation.
May they be a quiet call to pray
For those who live and work
With cares, concerns, and demands
Greater than daily removing dandelions.
May they be a parable to repent
For ways, my attention is on
Image, propriety, and property
Rather than the hurts and hopes of those living inside.
May they be a creative offer to reconsider
The tenacity of unorthodox beauty,
The wisdom from uninvited guests,
And the unwieldy grace of unexpected growth.
May they be an invitation to interior freedom
By accepting what I would not have chosen,
And embracing what I cannot contain
I am invited to discover humility, beauty, and joy
Hidden among the weeds.
Other prayers to engage with place…
Father in Heaven,
Creator of all that is,
All that has been,
All that will ever be.
May we become more attuned to the history
And beautiful layers of life
That existed in this geography before us.
May we have a holy curiosity about this place:
Where our home was built,
Where our family sleeps,
And where we eat our daily meals.
Our Father,
We worship and praise You
As the Creator who worked for six days,
Using hours to build the world
In all of its beauty and brilliant majesty.
You rested and experienced joy in Your creation
Because it was good.
Creator and Good Shepherd,
You made the creatures we tend and the ground beneath their feet.
Before they belonged to our farms, businesses, or tables,
they belonged to You.
Lord God,
We pause in this moment to give You worthy recognition
For Your supreme sovereignty over all things.
We offer both acknowledgment and gratitude
For Your attentive, providential love and care
That You extend to us each day.
Dear God,
There are so many ordinary ways
To give and receive your love.
From the cuddles of our kids.
From the laughter of a dear friend.
From holding the hand of a spouse.
Teach me today
To give and receive
Your love as a neighbor.
Father in Heaven,
Bless these backpacks and those who carry them.
May they hold all that is helpful,
Nothing that is harmful,
And most of all hold hope for this school year.
May they carry lightly the load of learning:
The books to be read and homework to be completed,
The computers, clipboards, and calculators,
And the gift of an education.