Public Safety Ministries Inc.

I recently received this prayer from a friend of mine. We are in the same ordination program and we both serve in unique ministry settings. She works with the the Native American community and I with Public Safety. We share ideas with each other regarding different ways to minister in contextual settings. It is one of the side benefits of the education program I attend, the peer realtionships and wealth of knowledge available.

Anyway, she sent me this prayer and I want to pass it along. I go back to it now and then and always find something new in it that gives me inspiration. She told me “Please take this Seneca prayer with you today and every day”. And I say the same to you, enjoy!

O Great and Generous God, you have given me this day as a special gift.

I step into this day and accept everything that is in it whether it is a part of my plan or not.

Teach me to accept every gift that comes my way today.

Help me to use each gift wisely, to care for the earth and the world, and to care for and love my brothers and sisters.

Help me to walk respectfully into people’s lives today in such a way that they will be nurtured and edified.

You, God, have created me with a sense of of mystery. I embrace the mystery and surprise of this day.

You, God of mystery and surprise, I embrace all things that will happen this day.

Help me to accept and weave them into a closer walk with you on this earth with my brothers and sisters.

This morning I was up before dawn (which isn’t so early these days) driving up to Big Lake to make a dog food pick up. People always ask about feeding the dogs, how much you buy, how much does it cost…… I quit keeping track of how much my sled dog activities cost after the first year. I started to add up the numbers and decided I didn’t want to know. It isn’t outrageous, we could afford it and it was a distraction to the recreation and enjoyment to keep looking at the numbers. It was an expense that had many benefits to physical and spiritual health. So without dwelling on the cost, here is the supply I picked up this morning. It is about 500 pounds and will last a few months, maybe longer now that summer is here and the dogs eat less in the off season.

You will also notice I took the dog box off the back of the truck officially ending the race season. It’s with mixed emotions that I end the season, but a beautiful spring day in the 40’s is cause for happily moving on to spring and summer activities.

The drive up and back, about an hour each way, also gave me some “quiet time” to think and reflect. I’ve been retired and working on the ministry project for over a year now and things don’t seem any slower. However I had lunch with a couple of my former peers yesterday and one said I seemed much more relaxed, so I guess I’m settling in a little.

As I drove, I first listened to the news on the radio, then moved to music from my ipod (not with headphones, but plugged into the truck stereo, a fancy new option) which keeps my mind from racing. When I got home I did a little reading and reflecting. I pulled out a book given to me by a friend several years ago. Let Your Life Speak is a great little book by Parker J Palmer.

Here is a passage that I had underlined several years ago that really fit with this morning’s quiet time (from page 7-8):

The soul is like a wild animal-tough, resilient, savvy, self-sufficient and yet exceedingly shy. If we want to see a wild animal, the last thing we should do is go crashing through the woods, shouting for the creature to come out. But if we are willing to walk quietly into the woods and sit silently for an hour or two at the base of a tree, the creature we are waiting for may well emerge, and out of the corner of an eye we will catch a glimpse of the precious wildness we seek.

Quiet time…good for the soul.

Take Care

Hennepin County Chiefs of Police Association
Invocation - March 6, 2008

Dear God,

We thank you once again for this opportunity to gather in the spirit of Public Safety leadership. We ask that you bless the food we receive today as nourishment for our bodies, the information presented as nourishment for our minds and the fellowship we share as nourishment for our souls.

Specifically today we pray for all members of our association whose lives are in either transition or in conflict.  We pray for these law enforcement leaders who may be ending their careers and for those who are just beginning their leadership roles.  We also ask for guidance and support for those leaders who face the inevitable professional and personal conflicts that come with the job.

Again we thank you for this time together. Please guide us as we lead those who protect and serve our communities.

Amen