A Prayer for Fall 2013.

Our good and gracious Father,

Here we stand at the precipice of many good things:

Classes we have long awaited,

Community we have long anticipated,

And nothing but time for the two to sweetly mingle.

We are eager to delve into Your good things,

and fervently we stretch our hands open

towards You

to partake of Your abundant gifts.

We will sit in our classes with new notebooks

and freshly sharpened pencils.

We will open new books and make friends with their contents.

We will puzzle in the library over vocabulary and exegesis papers

and watch the leaves turn just outside our windows

with mystery and awe.

Yes, it feels we are at the door to Open Spaces

and You have opened it to us.

But before we rush through her frame,

before we adventure out into all the good You have for us,

we choose to pause here for a moment.

We dare not be a healed leper who does not think to thank.

Thank You, good and gracious Father.

Thank You, Giver of all gifts.

For all this is Your doing,

and nothing we have comes from any other hand.

Thank You, Teacher and Master.

Thank You, Companion and Friend.

Here at the beginning of good things

we turn our faces to You

with joy and gratitude.

Thank You.

Amen