I found this prayer this morning in Bless This Mess & Other Prayers by Jo Carr & Imogine Sorley. Loved it.
I would like to dedicate the following to all mind wandering prayers!
It’s kind of hard to think noble thoughts, Lord,
when I just found
three-and-a-half pairs of dirty socks on the bathroom floor.
They know better.
Goodness knows I’ve told them often enough.
Thoughtless, care-less kids.
I make excuses for them.
They’re busy –
paper routes,
lots of homework –
and surley they deserve an ocassional unscheduled moment.
Still, there are some things they must learn.
And picking up their dirty socks is one of them.
Lord, I need an objective sort of patience.
I need to be able to look at the kids once in a while
as though they belonged to somebody else.
To size ‘em up – evaluate –
and stern up my attitude.
I have no call to be mean or gripy or even dogmatic.
But I need to teach them to pick up their socks.
Amen.