Tag: inflation

Prayer at the Grocery Checkout


**Grocery prices have gone from–I’m worried To Good Lord**

God,
How many prayers
do you get at the grocery checkout Line?

I remember how many I gave to you
when we scanned the credit cards
that one of them would not bounce

Two kids, then three, in the card
Aware that people around me were thinking judgmental things

Or back when WIC coupons were paper
Ostentious, Obvious
Burdensome and Slow
And I prayed I picked all the right items
So I wouldn’t hold up the people behind me
While the babies fussed

And everyone judged how many cookies
and healthy and whatever expensive foods
I bought that week.

These days my prayers, I admit,
are less desperate,
But I pray a little prayer
because every single week
the grocery bill goes up

And I feel the panic in my gut
the awareness of days past (PTSD, yes?)
when I would gather up the kids
cereal and yogurt and milk
Putting every drop back when they finished
Loathe to waste a drop,
because we could not afford it

Jesus
You and the Widow know
that you can’t budget your way out of poverty
Only money can help

God, I’m saying a prayer
For all of us who are stressed
Or holding our breath
Or trying not to cry in the checkout line

“Feed my Sheep” You said

“Feed my Sheep” is our prayer in the checkout line.
Feed us, we pray.
Amen.


Feel free to use/share/adapt with credit to Pastor Katy Stenta

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Forgive us Our Debts, A Prayer

Jesus Christ, Mary and Joseph

That’s what my mother-in-law says
and that’s where I am at,
when I hear the reactions to the the forgiveness of debts.

Because, I know exactly who your God is
when I hear how you feel
about forgiveness

What kind of God, do you believe in
When a sliver of grace, is too much for you?

What does it mean, when you think every single person
Should earn their place?

What does that mean when all three of my kids have disabilities

No I do not want to hear “I didn’t mean you”

What does that mean for my friends who have debt
but no degree

The people who I know who are $100,000 in debt
born and raised in NYC, for whom this will not make a dent

for public service workers, for whom this will ease all the burdens?

And the hope that the new rules will actually, ACTUALLY help

God, you know the verse in Ezra where the sounds of joy could not be discerned from the cries of mourning when the temple is rebuilt? (I googled it it’s Ezra 3:13)

God, we need more,

Thank you God for the sliver of grace it is.

God thank you for what is being rebuilt;

God help us to tear down and rebuild even more

for teachers, students and those who need even more help today

God, forgive us our debts;

God we are are all Ezra today.

Amen.

Feel free to use/adapt/share with credit to Pastor Katy Stenta

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