Give me your hand

God speaks to each of us as he makes us, 

then walks with us silently out of the night.  

These are the words we dimly hear:  

"You, sent out beyond your recall, 

go to the limits of your longing.  

Embody me.  

Flare up like flame 

and make big shadows 

I can move in. 

Let everything happen to you; 

beauty and terror.  

Just keep going. 

No feeling is final.  

Don't let yourself lose Me.  

Nearby is the country they call life.   

You will know it by its seriousness.  

Give me your hand."  

Rainer Maria Rilke, 

The Book of Hours

Sometimes I feel like I'm carrying a 50 lb. bag of potatoes on my back. When I look around I can see other people seem the same.  Our eyes are dimmed by worry, bloodshot from too little sleep.  

Seriousness has creeped into our lives and taken up residence in our tender human hearts, a place better designed for laughter and joy, song and dance and lovemaking.  

Worry seems to be the word of the day.  Sometimes that worry slips into our words and we're short tempered or find ourselves losing our grace in our interactions with others.  I think maybe we've all become just too serious.  I remind myself that none of us are in charge of the universe. God still is.  Did we forget?  There is only one thing we HAVE to do and that is to remember to invite God into our daily lives.

Recently I was reminded of that simple little Prayer of Jabez which is so beautiful in its brevity. 


My paraphrase of it is simply, 


"Oh God, please bless me, please pour your blessings into my body, mind, heart and life and allow my entire world - all who I love and know and all that I do and dream to do - be blessed to increase, grow and prosper and please keep me away from the shadows of deception and control and allow your power and your presence to be with me, let your hand be upon me .... today, every moment of every hour of today, and everyday.  Please bless me, fill my life completely with your love and your blessings.,  I need you every moment of every day, especially in this moment and this day.  Thank you.  I love you.  Amen"

And, then I put on a smile, right after the lip gloss, and head off to work.  I think that's a good way of taking God's hand and remembering not to take all this too seriously.