Dear God, Creator of all things,
Whose love breathed life on humankind,
Teach me to love you as I ought
With heart and soul and strength and mind.

Teach me to love my neighbors, too,
And see in each one far and near
A person worthy and unique,
A child of God whom you hold dear.

The love you show to me, O Lord,
Teach me with open heart to share,
Till all your creatures everywhere
Will know your grace and tender care.

August 2025

Matthew 22:37-39

The fruit of the Spirit is life
For freedom you have been set free
To live a new life and become­
The person God made you to be.
Your life in the Spirit is shown
In all that you do and you say
In serving your neighbors in need
And living God’s way every day.                  
 
REFRAIN

In love, joy, peace come live God’s way                              
With patience, kindness every day.                                       
Be good and faithful, gentle, too.                                                                                           
Show self-control in all you do.
 
Depend on the Spirit for help 

When selfishness leads you astray

When sorrow and sin make it hard

To follow in God’s gen’rous way.
With wisdom and comfort and hope
The Spirit will be at your side
Renewing your courage and strength
And bearing good fruit in your life.

By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things.
Galatians 5:22-23

August 2021

With faith and thanksgiving we bring all our cares
To God our creator who listens to prayers. 
Our worry, our sadness, and even our fears
Are welcomed, accepted, by God’s patient ear. 

When all seems against us, when each day is tough
And all our best efforts seem not quite enough,
God holds us and helps us and speaks words of grace:
“I’ve got this, I love you, now rest in my peace.”

So trust in God’s mercy and unfailing power
And lean on God’s presence in difficult hours.
Beyond understanding, God’s faithful love keeps
Your heart and your mind safe in Christ Jesus’ peace.

August 2022

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7 (NRSVUE)

Your grace, dear God, is manifold,
Your gifts too plentiful to count.
Help us to use these gifts today
To praise your name in work and play.

The blessings that you give to us
Are giv’n to serve all those in need.
As in each person, in each place
We recognize your tender face.

So may our words be your good words,
And may your work be our work, too.
Oh, use our gifts to grow and share
Your gracious kingdom everywhere. 

August 14, 2023

Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, 
serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received. 
1 Peter 4:10 (NRSV)

The Lord is my light and my salvation,
my stronghold, my helper, and my friend.
The Lord is the light of all creation,
whose mercy and faithfulness never end.

The Lord is my light, the One who guides me
when I am in trouble and lose my way.
The Lord is my light, the One who finds me
and leads me in righteous paths ev’ry day.

The Lord is my light, the One who sees me
all the day long and wherever I go.
The Lord is my light, my hope forever
the One who will carry me safely home. 

Psalm 27:1
August 2024

God is good all the time
Like sun that shines and stars that glow
All creation sings this song–
The birds that soar, the flow’rs that grow.

God is love all the time
A love so large it must be shared
Every sorrow, every tear
Redeemed by God’s unfailing care.

God is just all the time
God’s mercy welcomes great and small
Age to age we hear God’s voice —
God calls on us to care for all.

God is good all the time
God’s steadfast love is ever sure
All God’s creatures join the song:
Forever will God’s love endure!

Just as flowers in the springtime,
As the days grow bright and long,
Spread their roots and reach toward heaven
Joining in creation’s song,
You are rooted in Christ Jesus,
Nourished by God’s love and grace.
As you live your life continue
To grow strong in hope and faith.

As the leaves of trees in summer
Stretch and grow up to the heights,
Making food for future seasons
From the energy of light,
So may you look toward the brightness 
Of God’s word in all its truth,
And then living in the Spirit
Bring forth good and precious fruit.

Live your life in Christ abounding
In thanksgiving, worship, praise.
Clothe yourself with Christ’s compassion,
Practice kindness in your ways.
May the peace of Christ live in you
And uphold you all your days.
Glorify the God who loves you
As you work and serve and praise.

Colossians 2:6-7
and Colossians 3:12-17

8.7 8.7. Double

For the children of Grace Lutheran School
Fall 2018

Each one a child of God,
Each one called to this place
Where every day the Spirit leads
Each one to know God’s grace.

As one we praise God’s name.
As one we hear God’s word.
In patience and humility
We learn and grow and serve.

One mission ours to share,
As Christians great and small:
To show God’s love to everyone
And live at peace with all.

Thus many voices sing
In clamorous unison
The praise of Jesus Christ who died,
Who lives and makes us one.

Ephesians 4:1–6

8.6.8.6.

Fall 2018

For the children of Grace Lutheran School
In memory of Kristoffer James Grahnke

By grace I’m saved, by grace I’m free
Through eyes of faith, God’s grace I see.
In sins forgiv’n, in life made new,
God’s grace is shining, pure and true.

When life is hard, when I am sad
I trust God’s grace to make me glad.
My Jesus leads and lights the way
And shows me grace in each new day.

So in each moment giv’n to me
I’ll praise God’s name and tenderly
Spread joy and peace in ev’ry place
And with my life proclaim God’s grace.

August 13, 2017

8.8.8.8.

For the children of Grace Lutheran School
Fall 2016

We, who are many, are one body in Christ,
and individually we are members one of another.
Romans 12:5

Each one of was made by God
As different as can be.
You may not know my thoughts and dreams,
I may not see the world you see.
Yet we can join in prayer and song
Together to proclaim
That Christ is living here in us
And we are one in Jesus’ name.

For we have all been called in love
To live our lives anew,
United by our faith in Christ,
We care for one another, too.
When you are hurt, I weep with you.
I smile when you rejoice.
And though we sometimes disagree
We thank and praise God with one voice.

Our unity is Spirit led;
In faith we share Christ’s peace.
With open hearts and hands we pray
That faith and joy and hope increase,
And blessed by God may we in turn
In speech and actions show
The grace of heaven revealed on earth
As here we serve and love and grow.

8.6.8.8.8.6.8.8.