God, I offer to you these prayers of thanksgiving from this week’s conference:
When my ingrown toenail clearly can no longer wait for medical attention, I find an urgent care in walking distance. And they are not busy. And they are clean and bright. And they are kind. And they fix my toe for now. So I offer you a prayer of great thanksgiving.
And, on that same morning, when I lock myself out of my room at the Air BnB, I have clothes with me instead of just the nightgown I am wearing. And the woman I accost on the street lets me use her phone. And my husband answers the second time I call. And he finds the code to get back into my room. And, before I give the phone back, we figure out that’s the wrong code and he gives me the right code. And I get back in. So I offer you a prayer of biggish thanksgiving.
A conference attendee didn’t get to come and so they couldn’t use their lunch tickets. And they give me these lunch tickets, free of charge. So I offer you a prayer of medium thanksgiving, and pray for the one who couldn’t come.
And at lunch the one day I find someone to talk to. And it isn’t as much effort as sometimes. And I even get to share a bit of my personal struggles. So I offer you a prayer of not-so-lonely thanksgiving.
And the vendors are good to talk to. I know that’s why they are vendors, but it is a relief to have people to talk to who want to connect. So I offer you another prayer of not-so-lonesome thanksgiving.
And when my flight for the last leg of my trip is messed up, I book an alternate flight and a hotel. And the new flight lands more where I need to be. And I don’t stay up all night waiting for the flight that is ultimately canceled. And Uber works when the hotel shuttle doesn’t. And I get some sleep. So I offer you a prayer of exhausted thanksgiving (and ask that you help me get a refund on the canceled flight!)
I just make it to the meeting back at church by going directly there. And a board member brings me chicken salad so I didn’t starve. And I’m not in charge of the meeting. And the consultant does a good job. So I offer a prayer of relieved thanksgiving.
But now, O God, I discover that I musta left my computer at the TSA on that last delayed leg of my trip. And I leave a message for lost-and-found. Surely they must have a system for this. Surely they will find it and get it to me somehow. But I am mad and frustrated and tired and cross and done. So I offer a prayer of very mediocre thanksgiving.
And I realize that what counts isn’t the greatness of my thanks. And what counts isn’t the greatness of my prayer. Instead, what counts is your great giving. Thank you, God.
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Pastor Barb Hedges-Goettl loves to play with words and worship. She and her husband Len have long noted that the Presbyterian eucharistic prayer is, in some places, called a “Great Prayer of Thanksgiving” but a “Prayer of Great Thanksgiving” in others. Does that mean we can have a mediocre prayer? or mediocre thanksgiving? or both?
RevGalBlogPals 
Love this. Thank you. Hope you got the computer and I get to church to preach the sermon.
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