“The thirsty may seek water in the world, and in the world the water seeks the thirsty.” -Rumi

“Do not be far from me for trouble is near and there is no one to help.” -Psalm

My life is not soaked in desperation.
When I’ve called upon You, You have answered.
When I look to You for help, You have helped me.
When I needed a blessing, You have blessed.

How many times has Your unseen hand guided and protected me?
But, like an infant craving a secure embrace, I cry and rage at my fate.

   Letting go is all about being ok with losing.
   When I crave nothing, nothing finds me.

Seeker - have you strayed from your seeking?
Have you lost the scent and flavor of truth?
   (Did you expect a different aroma?
    Is it bitter and not sweet?)

Rescue me from the fire
blazing through my thoughts.

Tame the tiger of my critical nature.

Restore my soul to peace.
       Amen.

“The wise man, by vigor, mindfulness, restraint and self-control, creates for himself an island which no flood can submerge.” -Buddha

“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.” -Psalm

Like a broken machine or discarded toolbox,
I am unable to fulfill the purposes for which I’m wired.
Constantly out of place.
A gear in the wrong mechanism.
This thumping drum surrounding my days.
Dissonance - the friction between mismatched pairs.
Mismatched ambitions.

Knowing what ought to be done and doing the other.

The teeth wear down, sharpen, then shatter.

(Fatigue,
Confusion,
Lack of Clarity,
Sloth,
Malice,
Pain,
Sorrow,
Fear.)
: The symptoms of this out-of-place-ness. 

We display our understanding through our diligent actions.

You’ve shown me the way.
Please give me the resolve and courage to follow it.
       Amen.

One may recite a hundred verses full of vain descriptions, but a single verse bringing peace to the listener is worth far more.” -Buddha

“The cords of death entangled me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me. The cords of Sheol coiled around me; the snares of death confronted me. In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help.” -Psalm

Bring peace to my listening heart, Lord.
Your word is worth thousands upon thousands.
Enlighten these yawning days. 
There is so much darkness entwined in these moments. 

Bring peace to my listening heart, Lord.
Your ways are worth thousands upon thousands.
Guide my thoughts to Your righteousness.
Guide my actions to right-ness.
Correct the hue and shadows of my life.
Remake me into Your image.

Bring peace to my listening heart, Lord.
Your mercy and grace are worth thousands upon thousands.
Permeate Your presence into my moments.
Open my spirit to the flavor and aroma of Your being.

       Amen.

“Prepare a refuge for yourself. Work hard, use good judgment. Free of flaws and passions, you shall enter the highest realms.” -Buddha

“The holy ones repent - the Lord’s hand shuts the doors of the results of this causation.” -Rumi

“He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart and has no slander on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong, and casts no slur on his fellow man.” -Psalm

Lord please forgive my rash actions taken from pride and disappointment.
Please guide me to right thoughts and actions.
Thank You for the loving people You’ve surrounded me with.
Teach me Your ways.

Pride, judgment, criticism.
Caustic and useful.
Redeem this sharp mind - it tends to cut those close to me.
Redeem my inflated pride - it leads to judging others.
Redeem my rash speech - an untamed serpent.

Please put this life to good use.
Thank You for Your love and kindness.
       Amen.

“There is no fire like lust, no vise like hatred, no trap like delusion and no galloping river like craving.” - Buddha

“If you would rid this basket of its bread, you’d fill it to the brim with jewels of beauty.” - Rumi

“How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart?” - Psalm

You are guarding and guiding
Like mothers to their infants
I have no strength or will.
   Yet you carry and comfort.
   A path through my understanding.
You speak and it comes into being.
You breathe and a universe is born.
   Breathe into my dysfunctional heart
   (without desire or delight.)
Thank You for understanding these rended parts of me.
And for filling in the gaps of Your way.
       Amen. 

“A good man sees what is unwholesome before his good deeds reach fruition. However, when the good ripens he will have a bountiful harvest of good results.” -Buddha

“Prepare a dish of fiery hearts and tears - the garden’s made to bloom by sun and clouds.” -Rumi

“…you are the helper of the fatherless.” -Psalm

My son is at home but I am vacant.
Avoiding myself and hiding out in my skull.
Distant and distracted.
Work is a good release.
I don’t have to be anyone or face my dreams and failures.
Just work.
Be a worker.
Think worker thoughts.
I am on automatic pilot.

Merciful father, grant me the courage to face my fears and please redeem the broken parts of my life.
Please help me to love openly and honestly.
To live a life ensconced in Your grace.
Wrap kindness around my speech and actions. Bring the fullness of your will into my life and interactions.
And abide with me in patience.
       I love You.
       Amen. 

“Do not lose a moment of doing good. Protect your mind from evil. Whoever neglects doing good is inviting addiction to evil.” -Buddha

“…fresh tears are like the breath of the repentant.” -Rumi

“The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.” -Psalm

My thoughts keep returning to recent disappointments.
Round and round, over and over I think,
“What if I’d done ____?
How could have it been different?
Why did this have to happen?”
       Troubled mind
       leave troubled waters behind.
The whole earth declares the glories of the Lord.
My hands and arms and feet are
   wrapped around with shadow.
   Sorrow and longing.
The tears of the repentant.
The right actions of the holy.
       Help me to praise you in both easy and difficult times.
Please heal my wounded soul.
And make me an instrument of Your grace.
Help me to be a good father and competent leader.
       I love You.
       Amen. 

“To shun all evil. To do good. To purify one’s heart. This is the teaching of the Buddhas.” -Buddha

“Because for speech, the act of listening is needed….” -Rumi

“From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise.” -Psalm

There are times to sit, still, in silence, listening and learning in thoughtful reverie.
       But the time for learning
       is done and right speech
       and right action must follow.

Lord, set my hands to doing good work.
Set my mind to taking right action.
Set my heart to giving joyfully.
Set my feet to right places.
Set my mouth to right speech.

       Inside of me there is a well
       of bitterness and regret.
               Please transform these broken things to Your glory.

       I love You.
       Amen. 

“But the shining truth and loving kindness live on, so speak the virtuous to the virtuous.” -Buddha

“A perfect man will dig - earth turns to gold. A fool will dig for gold - it turns to dust.” -Rumi

“I will praise you, O Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders. I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most high.” -Psalm

Thank You for restoring my way.
Thank You for making a pathway forward.
Thank You for rescuing me from darkness.

Please continue to redeem my life.
Help me to be effective in right livelihood.
Transform and renew my thoughts.

Thank You for the love of family and friends.
Help me to be a steward of my roles.
Help me to be a good father, brother and son.
Reconnect my broken roots.

Thank You for the community You’ve placed me in.
Please guide me in right ways.
  Your grace is overwhelming.
       Amen. 

“The gods praise the energetic monk who is content with his simple lot, living by pure means of livelihood.” - Buddha

“Our souls have Jesus’s breath at their foundation - one breath’s a wound, the other is a salve.” - Rumi

“Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am faint; O Lord, heal me, for my bones are in agony. My soul is in anguish. How long, O Lord, how long?” - Psalm

At once the creator of our condition and the redeemer of our souls.
   We need You on every path.
   Every path has its origin in You.

Wrap me tightly in Your unfailing love.
Guide me in Your gentle way.
Please, heal the wounds in my mind and soul.
       Thank You for Your mercy and grace.
       Amen.