St. Francis Says it All

BIBLICAL POINT OF REFERENCE:
"Train the young in the way they should go; even when old, they will not swerve from it."
~Proverbs 22:6
Yesterday was St. Francis's feast day, and let me just say that it is one of my favorite days of the year - not necessarily because anything interesting happened on that day (except my dad became a deacon a year ago!), but because St. Francis is such an awesome person, and he inspired so many people to live their lives the way God wants us to. So to get us all in the proper mindset, here is the Prayer of St. Francis:
Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; Where there is injury, pardon; Where there is doubt, faith; Where there is despair, hope; Where there is darkness, light; Where there is sadness, joy. O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek To be consoled as to console, To be understood as to understand, To be loved as to love; For it is in giving that we receive; It is in pardoning that we are pardoned; It is in dying to self that we are born to eternal life.
If you didn't read that prayer carefully enough the first time, go back and read it again - there are some amazing thoughts pulled together in it that could have only come from God. I remember having a conversation with my dad one time when I was feeling really torn about my faith; all he did was pull out a prayer card with St. Francis and this prayer on it, and man, did it help, mostly by providing comfort to me. So my challenge for you ladies today is to take this prayer, say it a few times, and take inspiration from it. Be like my dad, and share it with others when they feel life is dragging them down. Use it as a way of comforting others! Your Laughing Sister, Callahan Check out the PRAYER quotes page for more inspiration!