Thou Eternal Source,
Author of all created being and happiness,
I adore thee for making man capable of religion,
that he may be taught to say:
‘Where is God, my Maker, who giveth songs in the night?’
But degeneracy has spread over our human race,
turning glory into shame,
rendering us forgetful of thee.
We know it is thy power alone that can recall wandering children,
can impress on them a sense of divine things,
and can render that sense lasting and effectual;
From thee proceed all good purposes and desires,
and the diffusing of piety and happiness.
Thou hast knowledge of my soul’s secret principles,
and art aware of my desire to spread the gospel.
Make me an almoner to give thy
bounties to the indigent,
comfort to the mentally ill,
restoration to the sin-diseased,
hope to the despairing,
joy to the sorrowing,
love to the prodigals.
Blow away the ashes of unbelief by thy Spirit’s breath
and give me light, fire, and warmth of love.
I need spiritual comforts
that are gentle, peaceful, mild, refreshing,
that will melt me into conscious lowliness before thee,
that will make me feel and rest in thee as my All.
Fill the garden of my soul with the wind of love,
that the scents of the Christian life may be wafted to others;
then come and gather fruits to thy glory.
So shall I fulfil the great end of my being –
to glorify thee and be a blessing to men.
from The Valley of Vision
I am enjoying painting birds right now. In the wintertime, especially, the normal, every day birds (sparrows, wrens, chickadees, cardinals) spend most of their time outside my kitchen windows, eating from our bird feeder. I think their pleasant company motivates me to paint them. 
