Father, Forgive us....

It started off as an innocent enough walk. But, as I turned the corner that marked the half-way point, my thinking switched gears. I had been thinking about how still the air is, considering there is a storm brewing, and not a whole lot else.

But as I turned and the breeze picked up, so did the clarity of my thoughts. I began thinking of the school. Of the lunches, and of how much food is wasted every day. Milks and fruits and vegetables, that by law have to be given to the children, whether they'll eat it or not. So, much of it ends up in the trash. The absurdity of the waste goes much beyond that, but I'll stop there.

As I sat and considered all that we have that we squander, I looked up and said, "Father, forgive us."

From there, the list grew:

Forgive us for:

• Not realizing the gifts that we have been given
• Focusing on our perceived lack, rather that the abundance that surrounds us
• Destroying the things that You have created in the name of improvement
• Slowly killing ourselves in the name of convenience or comfort
• Rushing through life without taking time to focus on You, on others and the blessings in our lives
• Being so internally focused that we do not notice our neighbor in need
• All that we waste
• Our pride and greed and self-absorption
• Our vanity and idolization of self
  
• Our perceived entitlement and expectations
• Our lack of personal responsibility and accountability

The list is unending...

Father, forgive us.....

Forgive me....