“One of the great uses of Twitter and Facebook
will be to prove at the Last Day that prayerlessness
was not from lack of time.” — John Piper
With that in mind….
The rest of November I’d like to direct our attention (maybe that should be “our attentions” or even “our intentions” — you tell me, please) to prayers from a series that’s benefitted me longer than I’ll admit.
Its current version is The Upper Room Disciplines2025: A Book of Daily Devotions. Each week’s material is written by a different author from one of the widest smatterings of traditions I’ve ever seen.
Each day follows a familiar format of Scripture, reflection, and a prayer, just like The Upper Room series itself. Over the spread of 7 days and following the ecumenical lectionary, Disciplinesxxxx gives each writer space to dig in more deeply and share the connections of the texts.
And then there are the prayers! For example —
Enter our hearts, O God, that we may find the freedom to sing for joy. Amen.
Meet me back here tomorrow.
COPIED.
Let’s you and me pay attention —-
It doesn’t happen all at once.
There’s no announcement.
No warning.
No moment where someone taps you on the shoulder and says,
“Look closely — things are different now.”
It happens quietly.
You go home for a visit
and suddenly notice things you somehow missed before:
Your dad rubs his knees before he stands up.
Your mom reaches for the railing when she goes down the steps.
Their voices are softer,
their movements slower,
their naps longer.
You watch them shuffle through the kitchen
the same way they once watched you wobble through your first steps…
and something inside you tightens.
Not in fear.
Not in sadness.
But in a kind of gentle ache
that every adult eventually feels:
The ache of realizing your parents are aging
and you can’t stop it.
You hear them ask, “Can you open this jar?”
and your heart pauses for a second.
You notice how small they seem
in rooms that once felt too small for their energy.
You hear a story repeated for the third time,
and instead of correcting them,
you just listen.
Because you understand now —
the story matters more than the accuracy.
You watch them walk to the car slowly,
hands steadying themselves on the door,
and it hits you…
These are the same hands
that held your whole world together for years.
And now they are asking you
— quietly, without saying a word —
to hold them back.
There comes a day
when you stop seeing them as “Mom and Dad,”
and start seeing them
as people who are doing their very best
with the years they have left.
People who still laugh,
still love,
still light up when you walk through the door,
but who move a little slower
and need you a little more.
It’s a universal ache —
that moment you realize
time has been touching them too.
But there’s a softer truth in it:
Aging doesn’t take them away.
It brings you closer.
It makes you gentler.
It makes you present.
It makes every ordinary moment
feel like something you want to tuck carefully into your heart.
One day, you realize your parents have become
“older people.”
And instead of resisting it,
you learn to treasure them harder,
love them deeper,
and stay a little longer when you can.
Because these are the days
you’ll wish you could return to
when life moves on
and the house feels too quiet again.
#emotionalhealing
“One of the great uses of Twitter and Facebook
will be to prove at the Last Day that prayerlessness
was not from lack of time.” — John Piper
With that in mind….
The rest of November I’d like to direct our attention (maybe that should be “our attentions” or even “our intentions” — you tell me, please) to prayers from a series that’s benefitted me longer than I’ll admit.
Its current version is The Upper Room Disciplines2025: A Book of Daily Devotions. Each week’s material is written by a different author from one of the widest smatterings of traditions I’ve ever seen.
Each day follows a familiar format of Scripture, reflection, and a prayer, just like The Upper Room series itself. Over the spread of 7 days and following the ecumenical lectionary, Disciplinesxxxx gives each writer space to dig in more deeply and share the connections of the texts.
And then there are the prayers! For example —
God, help us navigate the uncertainties of life by seeking you persistently. May we find solace, direction, and refuge in your unwavering love. Amen.
Meet me back here tomorrow.
With gratitude to Norm Calvin —-
“One of the great uses of Twitter and Facebook
will be to prove at the Last Day that prayerlessness
was not from lack of time.” — John Piper
With that in mind….
The rest of November I’d like to direct our attention (maybe that should be “our attentions” or even “our intentions” — you tell me, please) to prayers from a series that’s benefitted me longer than I’ll admit.
Its current version is The Upper Room Disciplines2025: A Book of Daily Devotions. Each week’s material is written by a different author from one of the widest smatterings of traditions I’ve ever seen.
Each day follows a familiar format of Scripture, reflection, and a prayer, just like The Upper Room series itself. Over the spread of 7 days and following the ecumenical lectionary, Disciplinesxxxx gives each writer space to dig in more deeply and share the connections of the texts.
And then there are the prayers! For example —
God our refuge, thank you for the safety and security that I find in you. When I must face the insurmountable, grant me the peace to remember I do not face it alone. Amen.
Meet me back here tomorrow.
“One of the great uses of Twitter and Facebook
will be to prove at the Last Day that prayerlessness
was not from lack of time.” — John Piper
With that in mind….
The rest of November I’d like to direct our attention (maybe that should be “our attentions” or even “our intentions” — you tell me, please) to prayers from a series that’s benefitted me longer than I’ll admit.
Its current version is The Upper Room Disciplines2025: A Book of Daily Devotions. Each week’s material is written by a different author from one of the widest smatterings of traditions I’ve ever seen.
Each day follows a familiar format of Scripture, reflection, and a prayer, just like The Upper Room series itself. Over the spread of 7 days and following the ecumenical lectionary, Disciplinesxxxx gives each writer space to dig in more deeply and share the connections of the texts.
And then there are the prayers! For example —
God, empower all those who have the privilege to share in the ministry of Christ to be honest and committed to their calling of telling the truth. Amen.
Meet me back here tomorrow.
I have no words beyond “get outa the way, Joe” —
https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/relationships/retirement-planning-lessons-alzheimers-0ccf8cb5?st=Roo767&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink
— ….
“One of the great uses of Twitter and Facebook
will be to prove at the Last Day that prayerlessness
was not from lack of time.” — John Piper
With that in mind….
The rest of November I’d like to direct our attention (maybe that should be “our attentions” or even “our intentions” — you tell me, please) to prayers from a series that’s benefitted me longer than I’ll admit.
Its current version is The Upper Room Disciplines2025: A Book of Daily Devotions. Each week’s material is written by a different author from one of the widest smatterings of traditions I’ve ever seen.
Each day follows a familiar format of Scripture, reflection, and a prayer, just like The Upper Room series itself. Over the spread of 7 days and following the ecumenical lectionary, Disciplinesxxxx gives each writer space to dig in more deeply and share the connections of the texts.
And then there are the prayers! For example —
Lord, consecrate us for your service. Amen.
Meet me back here tomorrow.
“One of the great uses of Twitter and Facebook
will be to prove at the Last Day that prayerlessness
was not from lack of time.” — John Piper
With that in mind….
The rest of November I’d like to direct our attention (maybe that should be “our attentions” or even “our intentions” — you tell me, please) to prayers from a series that’s benefitted me longer than I’ll admit.
Its current version is The Upper Room Disciplines2025: A Book of Daily Devotions. Each week’s material is written by a different author from one of the widest smatterings of traditions I’ve ever seen.
Each day follows a familiar format of Scripture, reflection, and a prayer, just like The Upper Room series itself. Over the spread of 7 days and following the ecumenical lectionary, Disciplinesxxxx gives each writer space to dig in more deeply and share the connections of the texts.
And then there are the prayers! For example —
Holy One, prepare our hearts to inherit and interrogate our family histories with grace. Prepare our family members to act with courage in choosing a future of forgiveness. Help us bear nonviolent witness to better family relations that we never dared think possible. Let our aspirations become reality, to your glory and the reconciliation of our families. Amen.
Meet me back here tomorrow.
joescheets 