I find it interesting that sometimes a thought will be running round and round in my head and then a friend or family member will bring up the exact same thing. Happens with Sue and I a lot – probably because we live together, happens with Mom a great deal too, and often with my admin at work. Now, I find the connection is still there with friends back home. Case in point: when I was growing up, we had a retired Navy Chaplain in our church, Rev. Ted Herman, who never needed a microphone when he took the pulpit. I guess all those years preaching on the deck of ships at sea just gave his voice resonance. At the end of his services, as his pastoral blessing, he would intone a special prayer, the tenor of which had been rattling round in my head a great deal lately, but I could only recall a few specific words, “this troublous life…” and then vague ideas surrounding that sentiment. I think it had been in my mind so much lately because of – you guessed it – the horrendous winds we’ve been struck with. THEN, today I had a message from our friend Tracy, back home, asking about this exact same prayer. She was trying to remember it, but could only think of “grant us safe lodging… and peace at last”. So I just gave in and finally googled the few words I remembered with the addition of “Prayer” and found it. It’s called the “Prayer of Blessed John Henry Newman”.  I’ve put a photo of it above.  It also came to mind today because of some lodging issues we have of our own right now. Well, chicken lodging anyway. Continue reading →