Life Does Not Revolve Around Me

Heavenly Father, Help us remember that the jerk who cut us off in traffic last night is a single mother who worked nine hours that day and is rushing home to cook dinner, help with homework, do the laundry and spend a few precious moments with her children.

Help us to remember that the pierced, tattooed, disinterested young man who can't make change correctly is a worried 19-year-old college student, balancing his apprehension over final exams with his fear of not getting his student loans for next semester.

Remind us, Lord, that the scary looking bum, begging for money in the same spot every day ("who really ought to get a job") is a slave to addictions that we can only imagine in our worst nightmares.

Help us to remember that the old couple walking annoyingly slow through the store aisles and blocking our shopping progress are savoring this moment, knowing that based on the biopsy report she got back last week, this will be the last year that they go shopping together.

Heavenly Father, remind us each day That of all the gifts you give us Lord, the greatest gift is love. It is not enough to share that love with those we hold dear. Open our hearts not to just those who are close to us, but to all humanity.

Let us be slow to judge and quick to forgive, show patience, empathy and love.

Working for God on earth doesn't pay much......but His retirement plan is out of this world.

I received this prayer from a friend of mine on facebook. It really does put things into perspective. It is interesting to me how quick we can be with people while waiting in traffic and such. We live in such a fast-paced world and I know I need to remind myself that life should not revolve around me and should not be paced to just my own needs. Everyone has their own problems and issues... just because I want things to go faster or slower does not mean that everyone else cares. In the grand scheme of things I really should take the time to say a quick prayer for the person who is annoying me by moving like a turtle or speeding like a demon. I know that might help me keep my own cool too.