Mrs. Mudkin closed her eyes. We should pray.I aint praying Crazy Cora said. Mrs. Mudkin said Lord please bless---I aint praying.--this land and the people who--I aint praying.--have toiled on this earth--Stop that praying.I can pray if I want to.Then be quiet about it.

Grant unto us Lord that we may set our hope on Thy nameand open the eyes of our hearts that wemay know Thee.We beseech Thee Lord and Master to be our help and succour. Save those among us who are intribulation have mercy on the lowly lift up the fallen show Thyself to those in need heal the sick turnagain the wanderers of Thy people feed the hungry ransom our prisoners raise up the weak comfortthe faint-hearted. Let all nations know that Thou art God alone and that Jesus Christ is Thy Son andthat we are Thy people and the sheep of Thy pasture.We praise Thee who art able to do these and better things than these through Jesus Christ the HighPriest and Guardian of our souls through whom be glory and majesty to Thee both now andthroughout all generations for ever and ever. Amen.

Long discursive dry and inane are the prayers in many pulpits. Without unction or heart they fall like a killing frost on all the graces of worship. Death-dealing prayers they are. Every vestige of devotion has perished under their breath. The deader they are the longer they grow.

Gods forgot that ever I lived... Hes forgot...and He never cared nohow....He smoothed her brown rough-palmed hand he held her hands to keep her from jerking herself away from his admonishing Oh tis not true the words yere a-sayin Cean Smith and well ye know it. Never does He forget a child o Hisn. Tis His children that forget that He is rememberin. Get on yere knees and climb on them up to the shelter o His arms. Knock on His ears with yere prayers. Creep into His arms Cean Smith and lay yere head on His bosom and Hell hold ye closer than inny man ye ever love can ever hold ye. Hell lay His hand on yere head and yell stop yere restless fightin against His will. Hell shut yere pitiful little mouth from complainin against Him. Yell hush and be comforted....She dared him to prove his saying Then pray fer Him to do them things fer meHe prayed and when he had finished Ceans will was as water to Gods will and Ceans tears were softening and healing to her heart.

When I listen to you Godwhen I do what you ask me toI am like a treeplanted by a rivera tree full of fruitwith leaves that are always green. Ps 1paraphrased

Prayer faith and vision plus real effort too.Blend them together for one potent brewThe magical spell to your dreams coming true.

Gods side is determined not by geography but by those who do His will. If Germans English Japanese and Americans prayed right they would all be praying for the same intention Thy Will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. And what is that Will The reign of Justice and Charity in the hearts of men. Through a prayerful contemplation of war we will see not soldiers of different nations in combat but one great family quarreling fighting wounding and all in need of the peace and charity of Christ which we hope to obtain by our supplications.

The only trouble is that in the spiritual life there are no tricks and no shortcuts. Those who imagine that they can discover spiritual gimmicks and put them to work for themselves usually ignore Gods will and his grace.

Public prayers of are of little value unless they are founded on or followed up by private praying.

This I would like to be- braver and bolder Just a bit wiser because I am older Just a bit kinder to those I may meet Just a bit manlier taking defeat This for the New Year my wish and my plea- Lord make a regular man out of me. This I would like to be- just a bit finer More of a smiler and less of a whiner Just a bit quicker to stretch out my hand Helping another whos struggling to stand This is my prayer for the New Year to be Lord make a regular man out of me. This I would like to be- just a bit fairer Just a bit better and just a bit squarer Not quite so ready to censure and blame Quicker to help every man in the game Not quite so eager mens failings to see Lord make a regular man out of me. This I would like to be- just a bit truer Less of the wisher and more of the doer Broader and bigger more willing to give Living and helping my neighbor to live This for the New Year my prayer and my plea- Lord make a regular man out of me.