Daily Awareness Prayers

On the Telephone 
Oh Lord, open my lips and my mouth will declare your praise.—Psalm 51:15 (NIV)
With the invention of cell phones, we are able to make phone calls at the same time as driving a car, doing housework, walking the dog or watching the kids. It probably won’t be difficult for you to add to this list. One of the saddest sights for me is watching a mom or dad on the playground playing with their kids while talking on the phone.
Many people are addicted to their cell phones – either talking, texting or checking their emails. Although we have all these devices to communicate in different ways, nothing can replace being with someone in person.
When your phone rings the next time, come into the present moment and be aware of the person on the other end. Whether this phone call will be a pleasant or unpleasant one, it will go infinitely better if you are aware that you are listening to one of God’s children. Too often, we rush to the phone without taking a moment to relax and to be present. If you are the one making the call, take the time to be present and pray while you hear the ring tone.
“Be impeccable with your word. Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean.”Miguel Ruiz

  • When the phone rings, take a deep breath and become aware that someone is reaching out to you...
  • Take another deep breath and smile while you pick up the phone... When you smile, your voice will sound happy and the call will start on a wonderful note...
  • Throughout the conversation, be present and aware that you are talking to one of God’s children... Listening to God involves more than your ears... It involves your heart and the ability to detach from your own agenda...
  • When you hang up, smile and thank God for the conversation.
Prayer: God, help me speak with love today. Amen.




Sunrise 
From the rising of the sun to its setting the name of the Lord is to be praised.—Psalm 113:3(NRSV)
The glory of a sunrise is beyond words and to praise God’s name while watching a sunrise comes naturally. I am blessed to be able to watch the sun rise over open water. Every morning is different and shows that beauty is in every circumstance. Some mornings the sky is clear and the sunrise is completely visible from it’s first red glow to it’s full round beauty. Other mornings it is cloudy and the sun peaks out behind a layer of clouds and goes back into another layer of clouds as soon as it is risen. Sometimes the sky is completely overcast and the sun cannot be seen at all but I know that the sun rises every day whether I can see it or not. 

The sunrise is a beautiful metaphor for God’s work in our lives. Sometimes we can see God’s work clearly in our lives, while at other times it is hidden behind a cloud of pain, to peak out again when we least expect it. As surely as we know that the sun rises every day, we can also be sure that God is present in our lives every moment whether we can feel it or not. 
A beautiful gift you can give to yourself and God is to get up before dawn once in a while. Being awake to praise God in the coming of the daylight, gives us the faith that we are never alone or abandoned. 

“The eye of the great God, the eye of the God of glory, the eye of the king of hosts, the eye of the king of the living, pouring upon us at each time and season, pouring upon us gently and generously. Glory to thee,Thou glorious sun, Face of the God of life”.—Traditional Celtic prayer 
  • If possible, get up early once in a while to experience the rise of a new day, and walk or drive to a place in nature where you can see the sun rise and the night turn into day.
  • If you have to stay at home, sit by a window and see the world come into life with the coming of the daylight...
  • Breathe, watch and listen, and receive the spirit of dawn… Let your thoughts be asleep a little longer and let your senses be awake… 
  • This beautiful nature experience happens every day without fail and we can choose to be a part of it every day as we can choose to be aware of God’s presence every moment of the day...             
  • Prayer: I am praising God’s name. Amen.



In the Checkout Line
Patience! You've got all the time in the world—whether a thousand years or a day, it's all the same to you.—Psalm 90:3 (NIV)
The grocery checkout line is the most wonderful place to practice the presence of God. Have you ever watched the lines and gone from one lane to the next because you thought it was faster just to discover that you would have been out the store had you stayed in the first one?
Patience! It won’t go faster if you are impatient, nor will it make you happier if you get out the store faster. Your impatience will still be with you and you will rush to the next thing in life, missing life as you rush through it. If you accept that waiting in a checkout line is part of life, you will already be a happier person.
Practice patience the next time you go shopping, being present in your life, present to God and those God put in your path that day.
“We have all the time in the world, time enough for life to unfold.”—Louis Armstrong (1901-1971)

  • When you stand in the checkout line and find yourself wondering whether this is the fastest lane, take a deep breath and stay in the lane you are in…
  • Be aware of your body and stand with your weight equally distributed on both feet… Relax your jaw, shoulders and stomach... Allow your breathing to calm and quiet your mind...
  • God is with you this moment… Be aware of the pure miracle of it… You are alive now…
  • Look around and appreciate everything you see, hear and feel… Be completely present and look at the people God put into your life in this moment… Smile… Talk to someone and make their day...
  • Be present and let God’s patience and love flow through you into the world.
Prayer: I have all the time in the world. Amen.





Awakening
This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.—Psalm 118:24 (NKJV)
I chose the verb awakening rather than waking up, because if we start our waking up with prayer, we are not just waking up from a physical night’s sleep but also from our spiritual dormancy – and we are all spiritually dormant in one way or another.
The moment we wake up and become conscious of the world, our hearts are still open to God. If we jump into our day without dedicating this pivotal moment to God, something life-giving will be lost. Beginning our day with God, we can trust “that all is well and all shall be well,” as Julian of Norwich said in the fourteenth century.
Life is always changing and we don’t really know what the new day will bring. Let us consecrate every new day by being aware of God’s presence as the first thing we “do” and we will learn how to live above the circumstances of our lives. As a reminder to wake up slowly and attentively, you may want to hang something meaningful on the wall across from your bed. 
“Father in heaven! When the thought of thee wakes in our hearts, let it not awaken like a frightened bird that flies about in dismay, but like a child waking from its sleep with a heavenly smile.”—Soren Kierkegaard (1813-1855)

*The moment you awaken, become aware of your breathing and your body... Stretch your body slowly and deliberately…
*How are you feeling? Any wisdom God has laid upon your heart during the night?... Any dreams or insights? 
*Smile as you become fully awake and say inwardly or aloud, “This is the day the Lord has made; I will rejoice and be glad in it,” or any other prayer that is meaningful to you...
*Breathe deeply into the coming day, and know that life can only be lived one moment at a time. Awaken to the mystery of God in you each moment of your day.

Prayer: This is the day the Lord has made; I will rejoice and be glad in it. Amen.


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