This morning I would like to send my heartfelt prayers to the victims of violence.
The news this morning highlighted another earthquake in Haiti when they can ill afford any more tragedy. It also described the gunman on the run in Virginia. His death spree yesterday has caused schools to be closed today as he is still at large. Floods ravish California and a standoff took place in Sioux Falls with a gunman and the police. And that was in the five minutes I watched while trying to figure out if school would again be late.
So much hurt in such a small amount of time. It seems as if our world is a Shakespearean play and too many people are the unwilling actors.
I would like a new script. One with less pain and more hope.
Please leave a comment adding your wish or prayer for the day. Spread the word to those who could use some inspiration.
hugs and warm fuzzies to all my cyber friends and beyond. May your day be filled with some small ray of hope and happiness.
~cat
Words from the Woods 
Dear Lord, please be with your people and ease their suffering. Please help them to feel your presence and strength.
Thanks for your heartfelt prayer, Victoria.
It is my sincere hope, too, that people find comfort and safety in this tumultuous world. I’m praying for those in need.
TK, safety and comfort is hard to find now a days. Thanks for offering up a prayer to those in need.
Whenever I look at situations like these, I remember this poem:
http://www.ellenbass.com/pray_for_peace.php
My favorite bit of it:
“With each breath in, take in the faith of those
who have believed when belief seemed foolish,
who persevered. With each breath out, cherish.
Pull weeds for peace, turn over in your sleep for peace,
feed the birds, each shiny seed
that spills onto the earth, another second of peace.”
My prayer, my hope; peace.
Beautiful, Michelle. Thanks so much for sharing.
The death toll in Haiti had me thinking about this verse this week:
Romans 14:7,8
For none of us lives to himself, and no man dies to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.
Layinda, thanks for the verse. It’s a great reminder that we are not alone.
Give strength to those hurting and those helping in Haiti. Indeed, we all need the strength to carry on when faced with such destruction and sadness.
Matt, those are such nice thoughts and I appreciate you sharing them.
Americans’ view of the world is so skewed. The average American is rich by the standards of the poor around the world. The Haitians are probably the poorest of the poor.
And It is easy to get overwhelmed by the poverty. I like something Mother Teresa said and I am trying to reconstruct the quote: Just because we can do only something little to reach out to someone we should not withhold that.
She also said that love first starts at home. We have to love those nearest to us first. She also said there is a poverty in America of people being unloved, unwanted and unlistened to. Those are partially my words but it is the essence. Mother Teresa said so many things that touched me(as many other people). She gave dignity and love to the poor and unwanted and dying in India when no one else cared.
Siggy, thanks for the reminders on how we can provide hope, faith, love and healing to those around us. If I could only give half as much as Mother Theresa… what a joy that would be.
I’ve got a soft spot, in my heart, for people who are hungry and for people who have been victims of tragedy. Tragedy can come in many shapes, but the unique thing about tragedy is, it crosses language barriers and cultural perceptions. No matter when or where, an earthquake devistates the people in the region and my heart goes out. My kids and I have been praying heavily for the Haitians and I’m hoping to send some relief here soon on my next paycheck (to a respectable organization of course).
Also, I think Siggy was right, we here in America have a perception of poverty that often is much different than that of other countries. It did me a lot of good to spend some time in Bulgaria a few years back. It changed my persepctive on a LOT of things.
Void, awesome experience. You are blessed to have been given the opportunity to have your perspective changed. It does a body good. I like this: the unique thing about tragedy is, it crosses language barriers and cultural perceptions.
I hope someday that we don’t need tragedy for that to happen.
The world can be such a vicious place for some people. I send along my hopes for a better future.
Thanks, Jemi. Your warm wishes and hopes for a better future are nice to see. May they be returned to you when you need them most.
hugs~
To all my cyber buddies who responded with comments, thank you from the bottom of my heart. Just being a part of passing along well wishes strengthens some small part of our humanity. And gives inspiration and hope to those in need.
To those who read my post and the following comments, thanks for taking the time. I hope your day was lifted in some small way and continues to be as you move forward with your life.
Hugs and warm fuzzies to all my dear friends and those I have yet to meet.
You are in my thoughts, my heart and my prayers.
~cat