A PRAYER FOR HAILEY

( An 11 year old 5th grader, a little girl and classmate of my granddaughter, who was a victim of bullying, and yesterday morning stopped the pain herself in her room.)

PSALM 80

14.    Return to us, God Almighty!

    Look down from heaven and see!

Watch over this vine,

15     the root your right hand has planted,

    the son[e] you have raised up for yourself.

16 Your vine is cut down, it is burned with fire;

    at your rebuke your people perish.

17 Let your hand rest on the man at your right hand,

    the son of man you have raised up for yourself.

18 Then we will not turn away from you;

    revive us, and we will call on your name.

19 Restore us, Lord God Almighty;

    make your face shine on us,

    that we may be saved.

O God

Our God

We grieve this day in our vineyard

A vine has been cut down

Nourished by care

Pruned by attention

Cultivated by family and friends

A vine has been cut down

Now there is a space in the vineyard

An emptiness where green and growth

Flourished and radiated

Sprouted and grew

A vine has been cut down

and will not grow again

a space that cannot be filled

a loss that cannot be replanted

O God

Our God

We grieve this day in our vineyard

We feel helpless when the storms

batter and bruise our vines

with angry words and torments of hatred

We weary of thorns of bitterness

that choke the freshness of youth

and shatter the innocence of childhood

We confess too often we stand silent

when disturbances strikes

at our most precious fruit

       Return to us, God Almighty!

    Look down from heaven and see!

Watch over this vine

Watch over our vineyards

and keep them safe

from the wolf at the door

and the storm in the night

Watch over our vineyards

and help them grow

with our love and protection

so they can dance in the sunlight

       Return to us, God Almighty!

    Look down from heaven and see!

Watch over this vine

Watch over our vineyards

and make us better gardeners

that can preserve and protect

our precious vines

Watch over our vineyards

keep them safe and warm

in your loving care

this day and all days

Amen