Religious

  • The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

    He maketh me to lie down in green pastures;

    He leadeth me beside the still waters. He

    restoreth my soul; He leadeth me in the

    paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.

    Yea, though I walk through the valley of

    the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for

    Thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they

    comfort me. Thou preparest a table before

    me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou

    anointest my head with oil, my cup runneth

    over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow

    me all the days of my life: and I shall dwell

    in the house of the Lord forever.

  • I am home in heaven, dear ones;

    oh, so happy and so bright!

    There is a perfect joy and

    beauty in the everlasting light.

    All the pain and grief is over,

    every restless tossing passed;

    I am now at peace forever,

    safely home in heaven at last.

    There is work still waiting for you,

    so you must not idly stand,

    do it now, while life remaineth–

    you shall rest in God’s own land.

    When that work is all completed,

    He will gently call you home;

    oh, the rapture of that meeting

    oh, the joy to see you come!

  • May you always walk in sunshine

    and God’s love around you flow,

    for the happiness you gave us,

    no one will ever know.

    It broke our hearts to lose you,

    but you did not go alone,

    a part of us went with you,

    the day God called you home.

    A million times we needed you,

    a million times we’ve cried.

    If love could only have saved you,

    you never would have died.

    The Lord be with you and

    may you rest in peace.

  • Don’t grieve for me, for now I’m free;

    I took His hand when I heard Him call;

    I turned my back and left it all.

    If my parting has left a void;

    then fill it with remembered joy.

    My life’s been full, I savored much;

    good friends, good times,

    a loved one’s touch.

    A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss;

    ah yes, these things, I too, will miss.

    Perhaps my time seemed all too brief;

    don’t lengthen it now with undue grief.

    Lift up your hearts and share with me;

    God wanted me now, He set me free.

  • Life is but a stopping place,

    a pause in what’s to be,

    a resting place along the

    road to sweet eternity.

    We all have different journeys,

    different paths along the way,

    we all were meant to learn some

    things, but never meant to stay.

    Our destination is a place

    far greater than we know,

    for some, the journey’s quicker,

    for some the journey’s slow.

    And when the journey finally ends,

    we’ll claim a great reward,

    and find an everlasting peace,

    together with the Lord.

  • May the road rise to meet you.

    May the wind be always at your back.

    May the sun shine warm upon your face.

    And rains fall soft upon your fields.

    And until we meet again,

    May God hold you in

    the hollow of His hand.

  • I said a prayer for you today and

    know God must have heard.

    I felt the answer in my heart

    although He spoke no word!

    I didn’t ask for wealth of fame

    (I knew you wouldn’t mind).

    I asked Him to send treasures

    of a far more lasting kind!

    I asked that He’d be near you

    at the start of each new day;

    to grant your health and blessings

    and friends to share your way!

    I asked for happiness for you

    in all things great and small.

    But it was for His loving care

    I prayed for the most of all!

  • God grant me the serenity to accept

    the things I cannot change,

    courage to change the things I can,

    and the wisdom to know

    the difference.

    Living one day at a time, enjoying one

    moment at a time, and accepting

    hardship as a pathway to peace.

    Taking, as Jesus did, this sinful world as it is,

    not as I would have it, and trusting that

    You will make all things right if I surrender to Your will.

    So that I may be reasonably happy

    in this life and supremely happy

    with you forever in the next.

    Amen

  • Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace;

    Where there is hatred, let me sow love;

    where there is injury, pardon;

    where there is doubt, faith;

    where there is despair, hope;

    where there is darkness, light;

    and where there is sadness, joy.

    O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much

    seek to be consoled as to console;

    to be understood as to understand;

    to be loved, as to love;

    For it is in giving that we receive;

    it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;

    it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

  • O great Apostle of Ireland, glorious St. Patrick, to whom under God, so many

    are indebted for the most precious of all treasures, the great gift of Faith,

    receive our fervent thanks for the zeal and charity which have been

    to thousands the source of blessings so invaluable.

    Ask for all who dwell in this land and the land of thy labors, the precious light

    of Faith, and beg for us on whom its glorious rays have long since beamed,

    the grace to regulate our lives by its sacred maxims.

  • Almighty God, Protector of all Mankind,

    Your strength, power, and wisdom are a beacon of light to all men:

    Give special guidance to Firemen and Firefighters so that we may be protected

    from harm while performing our duty. Help me with Your loving care while

    I work to save the lives and property of all people young and old.

    Give me the courage, the alertness to protect my neighbors and all others whom

    I am pledge to aid when involved in a fire or accident.

  • Lord, I ask for courage: courage to face and conquer my own fears;

    courage to take me where others will not go.

    I ask for strength; strength of body to protect others;

    strength of spirit to lead others.

    I ask for dedication: dedication to my job to do it well;

    dedication to my community to keep it safe. Give me, Lord, concern:

    concern for all those who entrust me;

    and compassion for those who need me;

    and please, Lord, through it all, be at my side.

  • For all the times I have swung a club.

    For the many friends and the game I love.

    For the patience I have found in sand or rough.

    For the excitement of making shots thought tough.

    For success in not measured by holes in one,

    But by the times that are shared when you are having fun.

    Lord would you grant me one last request,

    To play you a round of the game I love best.

  • God grant that I may live to fish for another shining day,

    But when my final cast is made, I then most Humbly pray,

    When nestled in your Landing net as I lay Peacefully asleep,

    You’ll smile at me and judge that I am Good enough to keep.

Non-Religious Prayers and Poems

  • I’d like the memory of me

    to be a happy one,

    I’d like to leave an afterglow

    of smiles when life is done.

    I’d like to leave an echo

    whispering softly down the ways,

    of happy times and laughing times

    and bright and sunny days.

    I’d like the tears of those who grieve,

    to dry before the sun of happy memories

    that I leave behind when day is done.

  • You toiled so hard for those you loved.

    You said goodbye to none,

    your spirit flew before we knew,

    your work on earth was done.

    We miss you now, our hearts are sore,

    as time goes by we miss you more.

    Your loving smile, your gentle face:

    no one can fill your vacant place.

    Your life was love and labor.

    Your love for your family true.

    You did the best for all of us.

    We will always remember you.

  • When tomorrow starts without me

    And I’m not there to see;

    If the sun should rise and find your eyes

    All filled with tears for me.

    I wish so much you wouldn’t cry

    The way you did today;

    While thinking of the many things

    We didn’t get to say.

    I know how much you love me

    As much as I love you;

    And each time that you think of me,

    I know you’ll miss me too.

    When tomorrow starts without me,

    Don’t think we’re far apart

    For every time you think of me,

    I’m right here in your heart.

  • When I must leave you for a little while —

    Please do not grieve and shed wild tears

    and hug your sorrow to you through the years,

    But start out bravely with a gallant smile:

    And for my sake and in my name

    live on and do all things the same,

    Feed not your loneliness on empty days,

    But fill each waking hour in useful ways,

    Reach out your hand in comfort and in cheer

    and I in turn will comfort you and hold you near;

    And never, never be afraid to die,

    For I am waiting for you in the sky.

  • Do not stand at my grave and weep, I am not there, I do not sleep,

    I am a thousand winds that blow, I am the diamond’s gift of snow.

    I am the sunlight on ripened grain, I am the autumn’s gentle rain,

    When you awaken in the morning’s hush, I am the swift uplifting rush.

    Of quiet birds in circled flight, I am the soft stars that shine at night,

    Do not stand at my grave and cry, I am not there, I did not die.

  • When I come to the end of the road and the sun has set for me,

    I want no rites in a gloom-filled room, Why cry for a soul set free.

    Miss me a little – but not too long and not with your head bowed low.

    Remember the love that we once shared, Miss me – but let me go.

    For this is a journey that we all must take and each one must go alone.

    It’s all a part of the Master’s plan A step on the road to home.

    When you are lonely and sick at heart go to the friends we know

    And bury your sorrows in doing good deeds

    Miss me – but let me go.

  • I just wanted to let you know that I made it home.

    The journey wasn’t an easy one, but it didn’t take too long.

    Everything is so pretty here, so white, so fresh and new.

    I wish that you all could close your eyes and that you could see it too.

    Please try not to be sad for me. Try to understand

    God is taking care of me… I’m in the shelter of His hands.

    Here there is no sadness, no sorrow, and no pain.

    Here there is no crying and I’ll never hurt again.

    Here it is so peaceful when all the angels sing.

    I really have to go for now… I’ve just got to try my wings.

  • Oh, please don’t feel guilty

    It was just my time to go.

    I see you are still feeling sad,

    And the tears just seem to flow.

    We all come to earth for our lifetime,

    And for some, it’s not so many years.

    I don’t want you to keep crying,

    You are shedding so many tears.

    I haven’t really left you

    Even though it may seem so.

    I have just gone to my heavenly home,

    And I’m closer to you than you know.

    Just believe that when you say

    my name, I’m standing next to you,

    I know you long to see me,

    But there’s nothing I can do.

    But I’ll still send you messages

    And hope you understand,

    That when you time comes to “cross over,”

    I’ll be there to take your hand.

  • Light a candle, see it glow

    Watch it dance, when you feel low

    Think of me, think of light

    I’ll always be here, day or night

    A candle flickers out of sight

    but in your heart I still burn bright