Award and a Prayer

How cute is that? Thanks to Betty at Betty's This and That for the Blogging Buddies Award above! Betty has a very interesting blog and shares lots of unique things. I think you'll enjoy visiting her! I'm really enjoying all my new blogging buddies!

Collect
Keep us, O God, from pettiness;
Let us be large in thought, in word, in deed.
Let us be done with faultfinding and
leave off self-seeking.
May we put away all pretense and
meet each other face to face
without self-pity and without prejudice.
May we never be hasty in judgement
and always generous.
Let us take time for all things;
make us to grow calm, serene, gentle.
Teach us to put into action our better
impulses, straightforward and unafraid.
Grant that we may realize it is the little things
that create differences,
that in the big things of life we are are one.
And may we strive to touch and to know
the great common human heart of us all,
and O Lord God, let us forget not to be kind!
Mary Stewart, 1904

The Collect was written as a personal prayer by Mary Stewart in 1904. She was just out of college and beginning her first job as a high school principal. She offered the prayer for publication as a club woman's collect because she felt "women working together for large ends" was something new. The first organization to use and print it in its yearbook was the General Federation of Women's Clubs. It has since been printed in many forms, and many lands, and set to music.

I like the poem above and wanted to share it with all of you. I went to the neighborhood Women's Club today and this is read before mealtime. I'm glad it is a prayer to the Lord and not just a politically correct reading.


Thank you for visiting my blog, I hope you will return soon!

Katherine