BUTTERFLIES

Snippet

Butterflies aren't bullets. You don't fire em, you just let them go

― Charlie Hough - R.A Dickey ― R.A. Dickey  Wherever I Wind Up: My Quest for Truth, Authenticity and the Perfect Knuckleball

Scripture

From Zion, perfect in beauty, God shines forth. Psalms 50:2 NIV

Song

Butterfly Kisses by Bob Carlisle

http://youtu.be/BHcqaDNOqyI

There's two things I know for sure:
She was sent here from heaven and she's daddy's little girl.
As I drop to my knees by her bed at night
She talks to Jesus and I close my eyes
and I thank god for all of the joy in my life
Oh, but most of all

For butterfly kisses after bedtime prayer;
sticking little white flowers all up in her hair;
"Walk beside the pony, Daddy, it's my first ride."
"I know the cake looks funny, Daddy, but I sure tried."
Oh, with all that I've done wrong, I must have done

something right To deserve a hug every morning And

butterfly kisses at night.

Sweet 16 today
She's looking like her mama a little more everyday
One part woman, the other part girl.
To perfume and make-up from ribbons and curls
Trying her wings out in a great big world.
But I remember.....

Butterfly kisses after bedtime prayer;
sticking little white flowers all up in her hair.
"You know how much I love you, Daddy,
But if you don't mind I'm only gonna kiss you on

the cheek this time."
Oh with all that I've done wrong I must have

done something right
to deserve her love every morning and butterfly

kisses at night.

All the precious time
Like the wind, the years go by.
Precious butterfly.
Spread your wings and fly.

She'll change her name today.
She'll make a promise and I'll give her away.
Standing in the bride-room just staring at her.
She asked me what I'm thinking and I said
"I'm not sure-I just feel like I'm losing my baby girl."
She leaned over

Gave me butterfly kisses with her mama there,
Sticking little white flowers all up in her hair
"Walk me down the aisle, Daddy-it's just about time."
"Does my wedding gown look pretty, Daddy?

Daddy, don't cry"
Oh, with all that I've done wrong I must have

done something right. To deserve her love every

morning and butterfly kisses

I couldn't ask God for more, man this is what love is.
I know I gotta let her go, but I'll always remember
Every hug in the morning and butterfly kisses...

Sentence Prayer

Father

Your beauty is perfect, Every butterfly, every sunrise and sunrise is a reminder of Your splendor.  But the greatest reminder of your fearful beauty is our sons and daughters, as we hold them may we spontaneously worship You.  When the butterflies need to leave may we simply let them go, trusting in your perfect care. Amen R.M.

ORPHANS

Snippet

“If every Christian family in the United States would simply commit to pray and ask God if HE wants to use them to bless a child without a family, well, we'd change the world. If we can get the church to think about adoption not in terms of the desires of adults but in terms of the needs of children, I think we'd see on a much grander scale how God sets the lonely in families.” 
― Kelly Rosati, Wait No More: One Family's Amazing Adoption Journey

Scripture

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. James 1:27

Song

Orphans of God Avalon

http://youtu.be/YzHNU-br0IM

Who here among us has not been broken
Who here among us is without guilt or pain
So oft' abandoned by our transgressions
If such a thing as grace exists
Then grace was made for lives like this

There are no strangers
There are no outcasts
There are no orphans of God
So many fallen, but hallelujah
There are no orphans of God

Come ye unwanted and find affection
Come all ye weary, come and lay down your head
Come ye unworthy, you are my brother
If such a thing as grace exists
Then grace was made for lives like this

O blessed Father, look down upon us
We are Your children, we need Your love
We run before Your throne of mercy
And seek Your face to rise above

Sentence Prayer

Lord, I pray for your dear ones waiting for loving arms to surround them and for the fear and hopelessness that comes when no one arrives....Every child deserves to know that they have a place in someone's heart, that they are worthy of love, that they don't have to go through a hard life alone. I pray that we, your church would swallow up every last orphan, Lord until there are none left to wonder if they are loved, if they are worthy.

I pray for the courageous ones who have already stepped up, been obedient to Your word, sometimes at their own personal sacrifice. They are storing up treasure in Heaven as they care for Your own little treasures here on earth. I know Lord, that there are many different kinds of orphans and I pray for these too. These orphans of divorce, who sometimes wonder where they belong or who they belong too as they are passed back and forth from home to home to home, and I pray for the guilt that comes for all involved, and for Your healing touch for everyone in this kind of heartache today.

I pray also for those orphans who have two parents, but absent ones, indifferent ones, ones who know nothing about their own children as they run around doing everything else, but spending time with them, nurturing them, caring for them, knowing what they like to do, what little joys they hold dear.

I am humbled and so grateful Lord that I had parents who loved me and a home, a place. Everyone needs and deserves this, Lord. And remind me that to whom much is given, much is required.  Amen (http://lorisprayercloset.blogspot.com/2010/08/prayer-for-orphans.html)

BABIES

Snippet

Mother is the name for God in the lips and hearts of little children.  William Makepeace Thackeray

Scripture

"Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you. Exodus 20:12

Song

Baby Baby Amy Grant

http://youtu.be/9MF5OxlJCtQ

Baby, baby
I'm taken with the notion
To love you with the sweetest of devotion

Baby, baby
My tender love will flow from
The bluest sky to the deepest ocean

Stop for a minute
Baby I'm so glad you're mine, yeah
You're mine

Baby, baby
The stars are shining for you
And just like me I'm sure that they adore you

Baby, baby
Go walking through the forest
The birds above a' singing you a chorus

Stop for a minute
Baby they're so glad you're mine, oh yeah
And ever since the day you put my heart in motion
Baby I realize that there's just no getting over you

Baby, baby
In any kind of weather
I'm here for you always and forever

Baby, baby
No muscle man could sever
My love for you is true and it will never

Stop for a minute
Baby I'm so glad you're mine
And ever since the day you put my heart in motion
Baby I realize that there's just no getting over you

And ever since the day you put my heart in motion
Baby I realize that there's just no getting over you
Over you

Baby, baby
Always and forever
Baby I'm so glad that
Here for you baby
So glad you're mine
Baby I'm so glad that
When I think about you it makes me smile
Baby, baby be mine
Baby, I'm so glad that
Don't stop giving love
Don't stop, no
Baby I'm so glad that you're mine
Baby I'm so glad
Baby I'm so glad that
When I think about you it makes me smile

Sentence Prayer

Heavenly Father;

You are the only perfect parent, and yet even in perfect love Your children rebelled.  Help me to love my children like you; a devoted love in both naughtiness and obedience.  Amen

CANCER

Snippet

"What Cancer Cannot Do"

Cancer is so limited...

It cannot cripple love.

It cannot shatter hope.

It cannot corrode faith.

It cannot eat away peace.

It cannot destroy confidence.

It cannot kill friendship.

It cannot shut out memories.

It cannot silence courage.

It cannot reduce eternal life.

It cannot quench the Spirit.

 Author: Unknown

Scripture

Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

Song

Red Eyes by Natalie Lauren

http://youtu.be/CS4fsuo8H8Q

Sentence Prayer

Be not perplexed

Be not afraid

Everything passes

God does not change

Patience wins all things

He who has God lacks nothing

God alone suffices. - Teresa of Avila

BRAVE

Snippet

“Courage is like –it’s habitus, a habit, a virture: you get it by courageous acts.  It’s like you learn how to swim by swimming.  You learn courage by couraging.” Brene Brown Gifts of Imperfection preface Hazelden 2010 Pg 7

Scripture

Women received their loved ones back from the dead. There were those who, under torture, refused to give in and go free, preferring something better: resurrection. Others braved abuse and whips, and, yes, chains and dungeons. We have stories of those who were stoned, sawed in two, murdered in cold blood; stories of vagrants wandering the earth in animal skins, homeless, friendless, powerless—the world didn’t deserve them! Hebrew 11:32,33 Message

Song

Brave by Nichole Nordeman

http://youtu.be/SqSs39C3LN8

The gate is wide
The road is paved in moderation
The crowd is kind and quick to pull you in
Welcome to the middle ground
You're safe and sound and
Until now it's where I've been

'Cause it's been fear that ties me down to everything
But it's been love, Your love, that cuts the strings

So long status quo
I think I just let go
You make me want to be brave
The way it always was 
Is no longer good enough
You make me want to be brave
Brave, brave

I am small
And I speak when I'm spoken to
But I am willing to risk it all
I say Your name
Just Your name and I'm ready to jump
Even ready to fall...

Why did I take this vow of compromise?
Why did I try to keep it all inside?

So long status quo
I think I just let go
You make me want to be brave
The way it always was 
Is no longer good enough
You make me want to be brave
Brave, brave

I've never known a fire that didn't begin with a flame
Every storm will start with just a drop of rain
But if you believe in me
That changes everything
So long, I'm gone

So long status quo
I think I just let go
You make me want to be brave
I wanna be brave
The way it always was 
Is no longer good enough
You make me want to be brave
Brave, brave

Sentence Prayer

Father, we are made in your image, part of that image is 

bravery.  Jesus, when we are fearful, may we visualize 

your brave act the cross.  So we may stand firm no matter 

what we face.  Holy Spirit cause us to be repulsed by 

compromise and make us bold for the Gospel.  Amen R.M.

BROKEN

Snippet

There is a crack in everything.

That's how the light gets in.”

― Leonard Cohen, Selected Poems, 1956-1968

Scripture

He will not argue or cry out;

no one will hear his voice in the streets.

He will not break a crushed blade of grass

or put out even a weak flame

until he makes justice win the victory.

In him will the non-Jewish people find hope.” Isaiah 42:1–4

Matthew 12:19-21 NCV

Song

Song for the Broken Barlow Girls

http://youtu.be/M2hIQkkEgIE

I am the comfortable secure
The definition of this western world, and
I have perfected deceit
Even I believe, I'm above, saving (yeah)
And I'll never, let you see
I am the broken
I am the bruised
I am the poor ones
I have been used
It takes me falling to the ground
To admit to, fully needing you
Then When I'm breathing my last breath
"Come and save me" I will cry to you
'Cause pride has not, let me say
I am the broken
I am the bruised
I am the poor ones
I have been used
(Oh why does it take so much?)
To bring me to my knees,
(Oh why does it take so much?)
Pain for me to see,
(If strength is only found when)
I am on my knees,
(Why is it so hard)
To show that I am weak? Yeah yeah
I am the broken
I am the bruised
I am the poor ones
I have been used.

Sentence Prayer

Dear God,

Hear my call!

So many victims!

Please rescue them all!

Give them the faith,

that they need today.

Give them a new life,

beginning this day.

Break all the chains,

and make them free.

So they will know You,

and worship Thee.

It’s hard to praise,

when we’re so broken.

But You gave Your Word,

and It is spoken.

You love the brokenhearted,

and so many are today.

Reveal Yourself to them…

and rescue them I pray. (http://secretangelps911.wordpress.com/2013/07/28/poem-prayer-for-the-broken/)