April Eighth

O LORD my God, for life and reason, nurture, preservation, guidance, education; for Thy gifts of grace and nature, for Thy calling, recalling, manifold recalling me again and again; for Thy forbearance, long-suffering, and long long-suffering toward me, even until now; for all from whom I have received any good or help; for the use of Thy present good things; for Thy promise, and my hope, of good things to come; for all these things, and for all other, which I know, which I know not, manifest or secret, remembered or forgotten by me, I praise Thee, I bless Thee, I give Thee thanks; and I will praise, and bless, and give Thee thanks, all the days of my life. What shall I render unto the Lord for all His benefits to me? Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honor and power - amen.

-- LANCELOT ANDREWES (1555-1626)
Render to the Lord, photo by Gjon Mili, Life magazine archives

August The Eighth

BLESSED art Thou, O Lord our God, the God of our fathers, who turnest the shadow of death into the morning; who hast lightened mine eyes, that I sleep not in death. O lord, blot out as a night-mist mine iniquities. Scatter my sins as a morning cloud. Grant that I may become a child of the light, and of the day. Vouchsafe to keep me this day without sin. Uphold me when I am falling, and life me up when I am down. Preserve this day from any evil of mine, and me from the evils of the day. Let this day add some knowledge, or good deed, to yesterday. Oh, let me hear Thy loving-kindness in the morning, for in Thee is my trust. Teach me to do the thing that pleaseth Thee, for Thou art my God. Let Thy loving Spirit lead me forth into the land of righteousness - Amen.

-- LANCELOT ANDREWES (1555-1626)

Battle Of The Bulge: Mist and fog-shrouded countryside of the northern Ardennes Forest; conditions which helped German troops and hampered aid to Allied soldiers during the Battle of the Bulge, the last major German offensive of WWII.
In Ardennes, Belgium; taken Dec. 20, 1944, by photographer George Silk.

July The Sixteenth

THE Lord be my keeper, the Lord be my Defence upon my right hand. The Lord preserve me from all evil, yes, the Lord keep my soul. The Lord preserve my going out, and my coming in, from this time forth for evermore.
O Lord! Thou knowest, Thou are able, Thou art willing, to do good to my soul; I neither know how, nor am able, nor, as I ought, willing to do it.
Do Thou, O Lord, I beseech Thee, in Thine unspeakable loving kindness, so order and dispose of me as Thou knowest to be best pleasing to Thee, and most expedient for me.
Thine are goodness, grace, love, kindness, O Thou Lover of men! gentleness, tenderness, forbearance, long-suffering, manifold mercies, great mercies, abundant tender compassions. Glory be to Thee, O Lord - Amen.

-- LANCELOT ANDREWES (1555-1626)

April The Twenty-First

AND NOW, Lord, what is my hope?
Truly, my hope is even in Thee. Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, yet I will fear no evil. Lord, Thou knowest whereof we are but dust. I am Thine, Oh, save me! Behold, O Lord, how that I am Thy servant, and the son of Thine handmaid; Thine unprofitable servant, yet Thy servant; Thy lost prodigal child, yet Thy child.
Into Thy hands I commend myself as unto a faithful Creator. Lord, I am created in Thine own image. Suffer not Thine own image to be utterly defaced, but renew it again in righteousness and true holiness. Into Thine hands I commend myself, for Thou hast redeemed me, Thou God of Truth - Amen.

- LANCELOT ANDREWES (1555-1626)

April the Eighth

O LORD my God, for life and reason, nurture, preservation, guidance, education; for Thy gifts of grace and nature, for Thy calling, recalling, manifold recalling me again and again; for Thy forbearance, long-suffering, and long long-suffering toward me, even until now; for all from whom I have received any good or help; for the use of Thy present good things; for Thy promise, and my hope, of good things to come; for all these things, and for all other, which I know, which I know not, manifest or secret, remembered or forgotten by me, I praise Thee, I bless Thee, I give Thee thanks; and I will praise, and bless, and give Thee thanks, all the days of my life. What shall I render unto the Lord for all His benefits to me? Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honor, and power - Amen.

LANCELOT ANDREWES (1555-1626)