When in Rome

I went to Rome this weekend.
Its kind of like going from College Station to Houston.
You always love the small city when you have battled through the big one.

I was gonna give you a detailed account of my trip, and make some jokes about Mary Kate and Ashley, but since only Claire would get those and I wanted to write about something else anyways, I thought a recap would suffice.


I saw the Colosseum.




I threw a coin in the Trevi fountain.



And I saw the Pope.
(yep, that's him in the window.)




Not bad for a two day adventure.

We also ate American food at the Hard Rock cafe (refills--yes!), people watched on the Spanish steps, and became masters of the metro system.

So, if you ever need a tour guide, you know who to call.

Now here is what I wanted to post.
My dad gave me this little book called Valley of Vision for Christmas a few years ago.
It is a little book of wonder.
Every page is magnificent.
Its old Puritan prayers, and for some reason they hit home every time.

I have read this one before, but it is exactly where I am and what I need right now, so I wanted to pass it along.

Morning Dedication

Almighty God,
As I cross the threshold of this day
I commit myself, soul, body, affairs, friends, to thy care;
Watch over, keep, guide, direct, sanctify, bless me.
Incline my heart to thy ways;
Mould me wholly into the image of Jesus, as a potter forms clay;
May my lips be a well-tuned harp to sound thy praise;
Let those around see me living by thy Spirit,

trampling the world underfoot,
unconformed to lying vanities,
transformed by a renewed mind,
clad in the entire armour of God,
shining as a never-dimmed light,
showing holiness in all my doings.

Let no evil this day soil my thoughts, words, hands.
May I travel miry paths with a life pure from spot or stain.
In needful transactions let my affection be in heaven,

and my love soar upwards in flames of fire,
my gaze fixed on unseen things,
my eyes open to the emptiness, fragility,
mockery of earth and its vanities.

May I view all things in the mirror of eternity,

waiting for the coming of the Lord,
listening for the last trumpet call,
hastening unto the new heaven and earth.

Order this day all my communications according to thy wisdom,

and to the gain of mutual good.

Forbid that I should not be profited or made profitable.
May I speak each word as if my last word,

and walk each step as my final one.

If my life should end today, let this be my best day.