And God saw that it was good…

( seven times in Genesis 1)

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Lord help me please to see, how I can use

my time of life on Earth as best I can -

fulfilling purposes (by what I choose)

which were in your mind, when you thought or planned

a world like this - with creatures who might love,

or learn to love as they grow up, are raised

as children of the one who is above

all others (& it's right your name be praised -

that’s just because you’re source of all that’s good,

that’s beautiful, and lovely, true, and right)*.

You teach us to see, as our own eyes should -

(because that’s what they’re for) - unless it's night.

And so you’ve done in me, and in these eyes,

and mind as well, as it models to keep,

imagining with pictures, no  surprise,

what good things might be done - even in sleep..

when dreams occur, and help us image in

our minds some possibilities that might

allow us to encounter - not just “sin”

or “miss the mark” in practice. Learn to fight

against just being animals who are

ruled & impelled just by desi-res which

remind us of our “needs” or don’t go far

beyond the level of that “no love” pitch.

Please help me see the next level above:

A life that starts in love, and grows up more

as it goes on - encounter, not just shove,

or shoot its own demands out. Help us for…

…we are so self absorbed at first. It’s true

we start as animals, and not as strong 

as most of them. We’re hardly much like you…

unless you mean potential as we long

to be, and copy you as children do

of father or of mother through their days

as they look, listen, following each cue,

or tone, or body language, turn of phrase…

This is my biggest job, my major task,

my reason d'etre, purpose in this world -

is what I set myself again to bask

in - your love to extend where I've been hurled.

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p.s. I love you too.

*  Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name. …

Praise the Lord, everything he has created, everything in all his kingdom. Let all that I am praise the Lord. (Psalms 103:1-22 NLT)

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