Devotions and Prayers and Memes Oh My!

So, twice in two weeks I've been tagged.

I haven't been tagged in I think a year. And these two memes are unlike any I've seen floating around the internet before.





Lisa tagged me for a 3 favorite prayers meme and then Sherry tagged me for a 5 favorite devotions meme.

Now, the difference between a prayer and a devotion is beyond my understanding.
But I thought I'd show you a couple of prayers I really like and the books that I found them in...


Enlarge all the pics so you can read the prayers!!!

First off is this little prayer book that I got at church when I was in RCIA (conversion classes)





The prayers I like most in this book are this prayer for Peace in the Family



And the Prayer of St Francis.


Next there's the first prayer book written by my Favorite Friar, Fr Philip Powell




Which he was kind enough to sign for us when he was over to dinner a couple weeks ago!

Inside is this beauty which I find very comforting.

Don't we all have the occasional "Dark Night of the Soul"?

You can get a copy of this prayer book here.
And Fr Philip's second prayer book is also available, here.


Then, there's what seems to be every Catholic's favorite standby....

Praying the Rosary.






Because I know most of my readers are Protestant I thought I'd explain a little of what's said when a person prays the Rosary.

First there are 4 basic prayers. Which are shown here from the first prayer book:



There's also another prayer not listed here that is "optional". But my church says it at our group rosaries and I happen to just love it.

"Oh my Jesus, forgive us our sins and save us from the fires of Hell. Lead all souls to Heaven, especially those most in need of Thy mercy. Amen"

kinda says it all, huh?

Each bead, along with the crucifix and medal on a rosary is a reminder of what order to pray the prayers in and where you are. To pray an entire rosary usually takes about 20 minutes....depending on how fast you speak/think/pray.

Each rosary is divided into 5 parts (known as decades). During each decade you focus on one portion of the Gospel. These portions are called "mysteries" and are divided into 4 types of Mysteries, The Joyful, the Luminous, the Sorrowful and the Glorious Mysteries.

You can see the mysteries and their accompanying scriptures here:






It is recommended that you pray a rosary each day and rotate which "type" of Mystery you're focusing on. If you actually follow this schedule, you will go through Jesus' birth, miracles, death, and resurrection every week.


Just a note. You will see in the Hail Mary that it says "pray for us, sinners...." To say a Hail Mary isn't so much a prayer TO Mary, as a way to ask Mary, the woman who bore Jesus our Savior, to pray FOR us. My husband refers to this as the Heavenly Buddy System. Just as I will ask you, my friends, to join me in lifting a prayer request to Jesus; Catholics also ask Mary (and the Saints) to join in lifting their prayer requests. And the words of the Hail Mary are scriptural, Luke 1:28,42,&45.


Then there are the prayers that I pray most often. These are a group of specific prayer requests for our family and each member's needs. And the prayer that I started putting my oldest to sleep with when he was a newborn that now each kid says every night.

"Dear God, please send Angels to watch over my (mommy's) babies and keep them safe tonight. Amen"

But what is probably my favorite devotion is simply basking in God's beautiful handwork.

"Be still, and know that I am God."
Psalm 46:10.


I'm tagging ALL of YOU!!!
If you have read this post, then YOU are tagged and I would love to read about your favorite prayers and devotions!