Lessons In Love

This journey of life has not been
an easy one for me.
There have been moments where
I wanted to throw the towel in,
moments where I wished it would
all simply end,
moments of anger, frustration,
confusion and pain,
so many times I lashed out,
needing someone to blame.
In so very many ways I have
been a failure to myself and
others,
so many times I've let down
my earthly sisters and brothers.
How I wish I could go back and
know what I know now,
undo the bad, console the sad,
make a difference now that I
know how.
Now I have to trust that You,
God know my heart,
That the things I regret have been
lessons to teach me how to start...
to do the right things,
to make decisions based on
Your will,
to turn my life into a one that
is Spirit filled.
I've come to believe and to
understand that every moment
of my life has been spent in Your
hands.
You have molded me as a clump
of clay,
You has given me experiences
to show me The Way.
Show me Lord, show me more,
bring to me those circumstances
that will make my Spirit soar.
Help Me Lord, Help me know,
the truth of the love that You
want me to show.
Tell me Lord, Tell me true,
How to reveal the nature
within me that is from You.
For I follow Your lead,
Your Word is my path,
Your Will is my want,
Your holiness is my bath.
Let me soak in You until I
don't exist,
In oneness with You let
me persist.
In the same way as You and
Your Son,
Let me and You become One.
My life on earth is a lesson in love,
Someday I'll slip this body off
like a glove.
While I'm here please let me be,
an example of You and
pleasing to Thee.
Valerie Ekholm 3/10/2006

My Prayer of Thanksgiving

Thank you Heavenly Father,
for every breath that I take,
for every second of life I have lived
and continue to live.
Thank You for every joy filled moment
and every moment of strife,
difficulties and heartache.
I know the tough times are learning
opportunities and if I allow them to
teach me, my soul grows closer to you.
Thank you Lord,
for my wonderful husband,
my soul mate, who you provided
me with for this journey through life,
for my beautiful daughters,
who have taught me love beyond
human expression, and have given
me the desire to seek You with all
my strength.
Thank You Father, for all my
family members,
my friends, and neighbors,
each of them are so precious and so
important to me.
Thank You for our  dog who loves us
unconditionally and teaches us love
in return.
Thank you Lord,
for shelter to protect us from
the suns heat and the winters
wind, and for the food on our tables,
that protects us from hunger.
Thank You for the electricity that lights
our world, and provides ways to
accomplish our daily chores in a
simpler and quicker manner, so
that we may spend more time
spent in practicing love.
Thank You Father, for the sun and
moon in the sky, bringing us both
light to see our way, and warmth
for our bodies.
Thank You for all the colors that
color our world....
the green of the grass
the blue of the sky,
the white of snow,
and the variety within each
flower petal.
Thank You for the rain that
quenches the earth's thirst and
provides food for vegetation,
and all the creeping, crawling, flying
creatures.
Thank You for the air that we breath....
may each breath remind us of Your
perfect love and mercy.
Most of all Thank you Father,
for having sent Your Son who sacrificed His
life for ours, so that we might learn from
Him, the path to the Kingdom where,
once found, we will live with You for
all eternity.
My heart, my life, my soul,
belong to You, and I  will forever praise
Your name, night and day.
Valerie Ekholm 10/24/2003