No Operating System Found

NO OPERATING SYSTEM FOUND

This was the message I received on my computer screen yesterday morning. What a great way to start the day! After waking up, I usually turn my computer on, get my cereal and coffee, then check email messages. My Gateway laptop wasn't kind to me when I went to check my email.

Because I didn't have time, I turned it off to work on it when I came back in the evening. After booting and rebooting, I ended up installing Windows again. What happened to my operating system? Did the Grinch that stole Christmas pay me a visit while I was asleep?

This morning, everything is working fine. I checked my email messages and received one from a friend that in response to my email said, "What on earth are you talking about, David??" Perhaps, if you looked into my eyes, you would see the message, "No Operating System Found."

Computer programs don't work without an operating system. Life doesn't work without an operating system either.

We have many operating systems in this life to choose from. Each morning I get many devotional type email messages. Most of them are Christian, but I also get one with a Buddha message (now you are thinking I have a glitch in my hard drive). Christianity and Buddhism are different operating systems.

Most people choose the "default" operating system. It gets a person through the day, however, it has a very limited choice of compatible programs.

to be continued...

Will It Go Round in Circles?

I was thinking about the difficulty finding truth today in our culture, and the song "Will it Go Round in Circles" came to mind. Perception and spin seem to be more important than truth. No longer can a person listen to two sides of a story, evaluate, and find the truth. Each side is often spin, so how do you find truth?

"Will It Go Round In Circles"

(As recorded by Billy Preston)
BILLY PRESTON
BRUCE FISHER

I've got a song I ain't got no melody
How'm I gonna sing it with my friends
I've got a song I ain't got no melody
How'm I gonna sing it with my friends

Will it go round in circles
Will it fly high like a bird up in the sky
Will it go round in circles
Will it fly high like a bird up in the sky

I've got a lil' story ain't got no moral
Let the bad guy win every once in a while
I've got a lil' story ain't got no moral
Let the bad guy win every once in a while

Will it go round in circles
Will it fly high like a bird up in the sky
Will it go round in circles
Will it fly high like a bird up in the sky

I've got a lil' dance ain't got no steps
I'm gonna let the music move me around
I've got a dance I ain't got no steps
I'm gonna let the music move me around

Will it go round in circles
Will it fly high like a bird up in the sky
Will it go round in circles
Will it fly high like a bird up in the sky

I've got a song I ain't got no melody
How'm I gonna sing it with my friends
I've got a song I ain't got no melody
How'm I gonna sing it with my friends

Will it go round in circles
Will it fly high like a bird up in the sky
Will it go round in circles
Will it fly high like a bird up in the sky

(c) Copyright 1972 by Irving Music, Inc./WEP Music Corp./Almo Music Corp/Preston Songs.
All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured.

Reflecting on Family Gatherings

What is your experience when you get together with your extended family for Thanksgiving or other occasions? What does it "feel" like? Does it feel warm and loving, cool and distant, or maybe somewhere in between?

Sometimes, I feel like visiting with the extended family over the holidays is like waiting in the dentist's office and trying to strike up a conversation with fellow patients. Sometimes the conversations are pleasant, or you read something that is interesting, but the main goal is to get out of there as soon as possible. There is a shared anxiety in the room, yet not everyone is there for the same reasons. Some of the patients are experiencing more pain or about to have more pain inflicted upon them than others.

With my family, there are so many back stories going on. Maybe I am overly sensitive, but I usually feel like I am being "projected" upon. Regardless of what conversations go on, or how everyone is doing, the food is usually very good.

Someday, it will be my house where my three children, their spouses, and their children will come visit. My vision is for that day to be full of love, affirmations, and deep conversation. I would like to visit with each of my children and let them know how proud I am of them and encourage them in some way. I would like to love on my grandchildren and let them know that my place is a house of love. And of course, there will be good food.

Thanksgiving is My Favorite Holiday

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. There are many reasons. It is difficult to commercialize gratitude. There are no lines at the mall waiting to sit on a turkey's lap, asking for the latest iPod.

Thanksgiving has few surprises. It is on the same day each year - Thursday. The meal is usually the same each year, with an occassional new recipes thrown in.

Thanksgiving also has very few controversies. I have yet to hear about someone removing turkeys or pumpkins in front of someone's property because they were offended.

Thanksgiving is the most "organic" holiday of the year. There are less preservatives and more natural ingredients. What you see is what you get.

Thanksgiving is more relaxing. Those whose main task is preparing the meal may have a different opinion. Cooking can be very nurturing. At least that is what I read.

Thanksgiving is about thanksgiving. A question leads us into this holiday: "What are you thankful for?" At least once a year, we think about something other than ourselves.

What do you like about Thanksgiving?

Wedding Anniversary

Today is my Wedding Anniversary. Phyllis and I have been married for 24 years. There is no one else that I feel more comfortable with than her. We are best friends! My love for her is deeper than I can comprehend. She is a special woman.

Phyllis is a great mom. Our children know without a doubt, that their mother loves them dearly. She has been very patient and encouraging.

Phyllis is a tremendous teacher. She is the kind of teacher that parents hope their children will have. She seldom gets angry, and never puts a student down. She believes every child can learn. When we met, she was teaching special education. I thought this was a good thing, because she would probably be able to put up with me a little easier.

Not a day goes by that I forget to thank God for Phyllis. She has been such a blessing in my life. Loving Phyllis has been easy. I am amazed that she loves me.

Surprise, Surprise, Surprise!

The strangest thing happened tonight as I was going through my Favorites Places (AOL). Several weeks ago, a friend sent me one of those cute animated cartoons of a stick figure floating down and hitting these circles. You could also manipulate the stick figure and free it so it would continue to fall. It was designed to be a stress reliever, so I guess I saved it. I'm not sure why. I am kind of wondering if it somehow saved itself. Anyway, I saw it as one of my favorites so I clicked it. What came up was a bit surprising. It was a website with links to very questionable websites, if you know what I mean.

Has anything like this happened to you?

Man Not Included

The New York Times had an article this morning about children of sperm donors trying to connect with their siblings. There is a national registry which provides a place for discovery. There are over 5000 individuals looking for a sister or a brother who share the same father, but have a different mother.

There is also a service that started in the UK, which is now in the US, that is a sperm bank, primarily for lesbians and other singles who want to have children. The company is called Man Not Included.

What would motivate a man to donate his sperm? The obvious answer is money. Donors are paid for their sperm. Banks typically pay men between $100 to $150 for a vial, according to the Times. Most men who donate are probably thinking of picking up a quick buck and not thinking about the consequences. Recipients pay 5 to 10 times more for the sperm.

If a man donated regularly, he could have hundreds of children. Imagine the potential confusion and complications for the children.

There is so much talk today about the needs of "the children." What is odd is that many of the very groups that are the leading advocates of children, are also the ones that support a "man not included" world.

We are designed with a desire to have a relationship with our father, as well as our mothers. Maybe we have gotten to this point in our culture because men have been missing in the lives of their children long before fathers were sperm donors only. I am not sure that there is that much difference between Donor 154 and a father who has been absent for most of the life of his child.

Healing Time

Two of the nurses looked at my arm and said that I would get stitches. The Physicians Assistant looked at it and said there was a deep cut inside a laceration which meant that if she sewed it up, it could get infected. My knee and elbow were x-rayed revealing that nothing was broken. I was given a tetanus shot and a prescription of antibiotics.

During my visit in the emergency room, someone came in who had overdosed on pain pills. I could hear the doctor ask her if she was trying to commit suicide. I didn't here the answer. Another women came in with sever stomach cramps and was hyperventilating. Her boyfriend brought her in and then left. It was Saturday night, and the emergency room was just getting busy. I thought it would be interesting to work in an emergency room. Maybe I missed my calling?

It has been a week of changing dressings and trying to get back to normal. Working has been difficult because of the clothes requirement. Everything rubs against my wounds no matter what I do.

One mistake I made was refusing a prescription of pain pills. I have decided next time something like this happens, I will get the prescription and stock up if I don't need them.

It will probably take another week before I will be able to ride. I look forward to getting back on my bike. Lance Armstrong's book, "It's Not about the Bike," was right. It is about moving forward, in spite of pain. Whether it is cancer, contusions, or depression.

"I Don't Have Time to Bleed" (not by Jesse Ventura)

Riding into Willow River Farms was an extremely rewarding experience. Many of the residents of The Center were walking around greeting the riders. The best part of participating in the fundraising rides is meeting the people that you are riding for. I found the map of the premises and where the First Aid station was located. My goal was to get my wounds bandaged so I could get to the Katy game on time. I went to Cottage #6, no one was home. The First Aid sign was in front of the house, but I guess the medical personnel were getting barbecue.

At first I thought about skipping the barbecue and going directly home to clean up my mess. That thought passed as I caught the aroma of Texas barbecue. Walking to where they were serving lunch, I tried to hold my arm in the right position so I wouldn't freak people out. I realized there wasn't much I could do. Finally, I decided the best way to do this was to get in and out as fast as I could, then go home. That is what I did. Most people were engaged in conversations and their own needs, so I didn't attract too much attention.

Driving thirty miles home, eating my delicious barbecue lunch on the way wasn't too bad. As soon as I was home, I immediately went to the shower. I did my best to clean the wounds. Phyllis was at the game already. Hydrogen peroxide and taping a ripped up pillow case was about the best I could do for now. I put my shorts on and my Katy t-shirt, and I was ready.

When I arrived at the game, it was already the beginning of the second quarter. Phyllis had given me the play by play on the way by cell phone. I found my seat, and began watching the game. It wasn't long before my bandages were soaked with blood. Katy's colors are red and white, so I felt like it was another way to show support. At least the concession stand had plenty of napkins. Women in the stands started passing me Tylenol. Katy won the game, 48-0. We are on our way to the second round of the playoffs!

After going home and cleaning the wounds again, I went to my friends house who was a medic in the Navy. Phyllis deferred after she saw the wounds. My thinking was that he could apply butterfly bandages and I would be on my way. Sam and his wife, Tracey looked at my arm and knee and suggested an urgent care center or emergency room. Sam mentioned something about infection, lock jaw, and other diseases.

My next stop was the Katy Memorial Hermann Hospital emergency room.

The Adventure Continues

After becoming one with the pavement, I picked myself up, bent over and tried to collect my thoughts. In spite of the encouragement of the motorcycle escort, and the person I was riding with to wait for someone to pick me up to get medical attention, I decided to get back on my bike and finish the 27 mile ride.

At first my bike was making noises and difficult to ride. The chain then lined itself into the correct gear and I moved the computer cable contact so it wouldn't hit my spokes. My handles were bent in but my gears and brakes still worked well enough to shift and stop. I was on a mission, and I was going to finish this ride. I had rode 180 miles on a mountain bike with my knees in severe pain (I bought a rode bike after this) and had ridden many "centuries" in worst conditions. I was strong enough to go the remaining 17 miles.

Within a few minutes after beginning again, I felt intense stinging in my right ankle. Apparently after the crash, I was standing near a fire ant colony. As I was riding I then began to pick off the fire ants. I removed all of the ants and decided it was just one more thing to deal with. The ride must go on.

The motorcycle escorts rode beside me to make sure I was okay, I waved at them, they waved back, and continued on. As I rode, I began to gain my strength back and everything seemed fine. I made it to the next rest stop, but decided to go on. I looked for a first aid station, there was none, so I rode on. I still had water in my Camelback, so I could make it the next 7 miles.

Why did I decide to ride when I obviously needed some medical attention? First, I didn't look at my wounds closely. I thought it was just "road rash" and not contusions. Second, you don't get many opportunities as you get older to "play through pain" and I wanted to take advantage of it.

My crash became a metaphor for life. Even though I had many crashes in my life, I have always gotten up and moved forward. "Keep moving forward in spite of the pain" became my theme for this ride.

With a few miles to go, another motorcycle escort rode beside me and tried to get me to pull over. I told him I was fine and wanted to finish the ride. I didn't stop, and finally I convinced him to go ahead. I didn't see what he saw. With only a few miles to go, I knew I would finish. Other than working through some cramps, I felt good. The finish line was in full view, I rode across it and into Willow River Farms. My next goal was to get my "free" barbecue lunch and then go home and clean up, and head to the Katy football game for the 1:00 PM kick-off.

Next: "I don't have time to bleed."

Adventures in Cycling

Cycling in an organized ride is a great experience. Most organized rides benefit a charitable organization. The most popular of these type of rides is for Multiple Sclerosis. I have ridden the 180 mile ride from Houston to Austin three times. This ride has a cutoff of 13,000 riders, which makes it the most popular MS ride in the country. Leading up to the MS150 ride in April, is smaller rides which can serve as preparation benchmarks. One such ride is the November Fest Metric Century which benefits The Center: serving persons with mental retardation. The Center is located at Willow River Farms, which is near San Felipe, Texas.

Sixty two miles is a metric century, which I had originally signed up for. However, a Katy High School Football playoff game was scheduled for 1:00 PM, so this would prevent me from cycling the sixty-two miles and making it to the game. This ride like most preparation rides had some lesser mile rides, so I decided to do the twenty-seven mile route which would give me plenty of time to get back in time for the kick-off.

Everything was going so well. There were quite a few novices on this ride, so I like to ride up to someone who is struggling and give them encouragement. After riding a mile or so I will then speed up and ride with someone else to encourage them. This gives me an opportunity to meet new people and it makes the ride more enjoyable.

Coming out of Sealy, we were riding on a busy road with wide shoulders. I rode up to the next person to encourage and started talking. Within a few seconds I heard a thump and I was on my side with my bike on top of me, skidding down the highway. I could feel the pavement ripping my skin. I got up pretty quick, a little dizzy, and bent over trying to catch my breath, and figure out what to do next. I thought my front tire had a blow out. It was fine, and then the women who I was riding next to showed me a piece of wood that I hit. I wasn't looking down, so I hit it and it sent me flying. The problem I had with this was that no one ahead had removed the board when they rode past. There were at least 100 riders ahead of me, along with marshals and motorcycle escorts.

As I was trying to regain myself, an older couple on a motorcycle stopped to help me out. They were trying to get a SAG vehicle, but couldn't make contact. As I was standing there, I decided to check out my bike to see if I could ride it. At first I thought it was too damaged, however, I was able to bend a few cables and fix the chain, and I was ready to ride. The grips were chewed up, the handle was slightly bent, and the front tire had a slight wobble. However, I was able to get it going. Those standing around me were surprised and startled that I had gotten back on my bike. They encouraged me to wait for the SAG and get medical attention. Something inside me said go. I had gone about 12 miles and had 15 more to go. In pain, I decided to finish the ride.

Next: Riding with Pain

Cycling Fun

Yesterday, while cycling in a fundraising event for Willow River Farms, traveling at a speed of about twenty mph, I hit a board which sent me and my Trek skidding down the road for about twenty feet.

More to come...

Courage and Competence in Action

Last night, about 200 fans watched a traumatic event at the Katy High wrestling match against The Woodlands High School. In the 185 lb class, the opposing wrestler fell back and filled the gym with the sound of a "blood curdling" scream. The wrestler dislocated his left ankle, becoming what looked like a "right angle." Our trainer, Justin Landers, was on the scene in a matter of seconds and reset the injured ankle. The young man quit screaming and 911 was called. As Justin put an air bag around the ankle and administered ice, the wrestler became calm. Also, one of the student trainers, a young women, was holding his head and giving him comfort. Within a few minutes, the ambulance arrived, the athlete was loaded onto a gurney and carried from the gym to the ambulance as the crown applauded. He waved to the crowd.

Justin was courage and competence in action. He would probably say, "I did what I was supposed to do, no big deal." This is what the heroes of our culture typically say. However, it is a powerful testimony to the men and women who are in those positions where they lay their life on the line to save someone else.

Who do you know that exemplifies "courage and competence in action?"

Bring on the Winter!

We weren't able to use our air conditioner last night. A pan that collects condensation rusted through and the water came through our ceiling. I poked holes in the ceiling to let the water out (our AC is in the attic). I am going to try to fix it myself, which is going to be a major project. Hopefully, we won't have many more days and nights of warm weather and high humidity.

Late fall and winter is my favorite time of year. Your clothes stick to you less, and sometimes I get to where a long sleeve shirt and a coat.
A couple of times a year we use our fireplace, which is always exciting.

We are going to Dallas for Thanksgiving. It is always good to head up north to experience some cool weather and see real fall colors.

Perceptions

What is your perception of evangelicals?

Exploring a Parallel Universe
Why does the word evangelical threaten so many people in our culture?
by Philip Yancey

For almost ten years, I have participated in a book group comprising people who attended the University of Chicago. Mostly we read current novels, with a preference for those authors (Philip Roth, Saul Bellow, J. M. Coetzee) who have a connection with the school. The group includes a Marxist-leaning professor of philosophy, a childhood-development specialist, a pharmaceutical researcher, a neurologist, and an attorney.

I marvel in our meetings at how the same book can evoke radically different responses. Yet after navigating a sea of ideas, the living room conversations almost always drift back to political issues. Though I live in a red state, all but one of my book buddies are liberal Democrats—the sole exception being a libertarian who opposes nearly all government.

The group views me as a window to a parallel universe. "You know evangelicals, right?" I nod yes. "Can you explain to us why they are so opposed to homosexuals getting married?" I do my best, but the arguments I cite from leading evangelicals make little sense to this group.

After the 2004 election, the Marxist professor launched into a tirade against "right-wing evangelicals." "They're motivated by hate—sheer hate!" he said. I suggested fear as a possible alternative, fear of changes in a society that is moving in a troubling direction. "No, it's hate!" he insisted, uncharacteristically raising his voice and turning red in the face.

"Do you personally know any 'right-wing evangelicals'?" I asked. "Not really," he admitted a little sheepishly, though he said he had known many in his youth.

I have learned from this group how threatening religion can seem, especially to those who see themselves as a minority of agnostics in a land of belief. They tend to regard evangelicals as morals police determined to impose their ideas of proper behavior on people who do not share their beliefs.

Visiting another city a few months ago, I met with three gay men who consider themselves Christians, attend church regularly, and take their faith seriously. They view the political landscape through the same lens as my reading group friends, though with a far more acute sense of alarm. "We feel like we're in the same situation as the Jews in the early days of Hitler's regime," said one. "We're trying to discern whether it's 1933 or 1939. Should we all flee to Canada now? It's obvious the country doesn't want us, and I believe most evangelicals would like to see us exterminated."

I responded with sheer incredulity. "How can you think such a thing! Homosexuals have more rights in this country than ever. And I don't know a single Christian who wants to have you exterminated." The three cited legislative efforts in several states to roll back rights granted homosexuals and gave me several pages of inflammatory rhetoric against homosexuals by prominent evangelical political activists.

I went away from that discussion with my head spinning, just as sometimes happens at the university reading group. How can people who inhabit the same society have such different perceptions? More ominously, what have we evangelicals done to make Good News—the very meaning of the word evangelical—sound like such a threat?

Only one person in the reading group has expressed interest in matters of faith. One evening Josh told us about his sister, now a conservative evangelical. She had been a drug addict, unable to hold a job or keep a marriage together. "Then one day she found Jesus," Josh said. "There's no other explanation. She changed from night to day."

Josh asked me to recommend some books by C. S. Lewis or someone else who could explain the faith in a way that he could understand. "My sister sends me Christian books, but they're totally unconvincing," he said. "They seem written for people who already believe them." I happily complied.

Reflecting on our conversation, I remembered a remark by Lewis, who drew a distinction between communicating with a society that hears the gospel for the first time and one that has embraced and then largely rejected it. A person must court a virgin differently than a divorcée, said Lewis. One welcomes the charming words; the other needs a demonstration of love to overcome inbuilt skepticism.

I thought, too, how tempting it can be—and how distracting from our primary mission—to devote so many efforts to rehabilitating society at large, especially when these efforts demonize the opposition. (After all, neither Jesus nor Paul showed much concern about cleaning up the degenerate Roman Empire.) As history has proven, especially in times when church and state closely mingle, it is possible for the church to gain a nation and in the process lose the kingdom.

Copyright © 2005 Christianity Today.
November 2005, Vol. 49, No. 11, Page 128

Formatting our Lives

My computer screen froze on Sunday night. I turned it off. It was a "fatal" error. After that, Windows would not boot. I tried for two days to get it going. Finally, I gave up and had to install Windows again, which meant formatting my hard drive.

Formatting is like smoothing out the sand before you write again. Whatever was written on the sand before, is gone.

In the process of becoming a follower of Jesus, God formats our hard drive, erases the sins of our past, and installs a new program. This program is Jesus Christ. I was very frustrated when I had to format my hard drive, God formats our lives because of his kindness and love. Titus of the first century described it like this:

But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior (Titus 3:4-6).

Let the Playoffs Begin!

5 A Texas Football Final 2005 State Rankings

Rank / Team / Record / Last Week / Next Game

1 Southlake Carroll 10-0 beat Richland 49-0 D2 playoffs
2 Spring Westfield 8-0 beat Humble 35-14 D1 playoffs
3 Lufkin 10-0 beat Klein Collins 48-0 D2 playoffs
4 Katy 9-0 beat Alief Taylor 30-0 D2 playoffs
5 Longview 10-0 beat Tyler John Tyler 42-13 D2 playoffs
6 North Shore 10-0 beat Pas. Memorial 49-0 D1 playoffs
7 Copperas Cove 10-0 beat Belton 34-7 D2 playoffs
8 Schertz Clemens 10-0 beat Seguin 22-13 D2 playoffs
9 Plano 10-0 beat Flower Mound 26-22 D2 playoffs
10 Dallas Carter 10-0 beat Dallas Skyline 37-7 D2 playoffs
11 Abilene 10-0 beat Midland Lee 49-27 D2 playoffs
12 Smithson Valley 9-1 beat SA Roosevelt 28-7 D2 playoffs
13 South Grand Prairie 9-1 beat Coppell 21-16 D2 playoffs
14 Euless Trinity 9-1 beat Irving MacArthur 31-24 D1 playoffs
15 Irving MacArthur 9-1 lost to Euless Trinity 31-24 D2 playoffs
16 Garland 8-2 beat Lak. Centennial 41-23 D2 playoffs
17 Leander 9-1 lost to Cedar Park 10-0 D2 playoffs
18 Austin Westlake 9-1 beat Hays Consolidated 31-30 D1 playoffs
19 Hays Consolidated 9-1 lost to Austin Westlake 31-30 D2 playoffs
20 Richardson Berkner 10-0 beat Carr. Creekview 19-7 D1 playoffs
21 Pearland 10-0 beat Alvin 44-7 D1 playoffs
22 San Marcos 8-2 off D2 playoffs
23 Midland 8-2 beat Odessa 24-9 D2 playoffs
24 SA Madison 8-2 beat SA Mac 40-34 (OT) D2 playoffs
25 Tyler John Tyler 8-2 lost to Longview 42-13 D2 playoffs

Division II is loaded this year with 21 of the top 25 teams in Texas. Three teams from each district make the playoffs. The school with the most attendance goes to Division I, the other two schools go to Division II. Katy has won state in both D I and D II. Southlake Carroll was hoping to go D I this year, but the team that was third in their district was larger.

Texas High School playoffs are very exciting. Teams play at a higher level. Katy has been known in the past to improve dramactically with each game. We have also had our "agony of defeats." This is going to be a great playoff run!

Becoming Solution Focused

One of the books I am working through is Do One Thing Different by Bill Ohanlon. He is one of the proponents of solution focused therapy or solution oriented living. Ohanlon's background is in psychology and family therapy and studied under the imminent psychiatrist Milton Erickson. The following is included in his chapter titled, Analysis Paralysis.

The problem with psychology and psychiatry for solving problems is that:

They give you explanations instead of solutions.

They orient you toward what can't be changed: the past or personality characteristics.

They encourage you to view yourself as a victim of your childhood, your biology or genetics, your family, or societal oppression.

They sometimes create new problems you didn't know you had before you came into contact with a program of a book.What do you think? Join me as I work through some of his ideas on the next few blogs.

Prayer of Taize Community

O living God, come and make our souls temples of thy Spirit.
Sanctify us, O Lord!
Baptize thy whole Church with fire, that the divisions soon may cease, and that it may stand before the world as a pillar and buttress of thy truth.
Sanctify us, O Lord!
Grant us all the fruits of thy Holy Spirit: brotherly love, joy, peace, patience, goodwill and faithfulness.
Sanctify us, O Lord!
May the Holy Spirit speak by the voice of thy servants, here and everywhere, as they preach thy word.
Sanctify us, O Lord!
Send thy Holy Spirit, the comforter, to all who face adversity, or who are the victims of men's wickedness.
Sanctify us, O Lord!
Preserve all nations and their leaders from hatred and war, and build up a true community among nations, through the power of thy Spirit.
Sanctify us, O Lord!
Holy Spirit, Lord and source of life, giver of the seven gifts,
Sanctify us, O Comforter.
Spirit of wisdom and understanding, Spirit of counsel and strength,
Sanctify us, O Comforter.
Spirit of knowledge and devotion, Spirit of obedience to the Lord.
Sanctify us, O Comforter.