PRAYER 

 Rev. Franklin R. Elliott 



Eternal God, 



creator of sun and leaf and soil 



of the cattle upon a thousand hills 



and of the perplexing spirit of humankind 



We stand tonight in the presence of your eternity- 

 reverent before your everlastingness 

 awed by the recognition 



of the meaning to yoiir eternity 

 of our decisions in our now. 



Out of all the millions of years you took to produce the rangelands 

 our time of responsibility is brief 



yet long enough to destroy what you have done 

 long enough to be a renegade in the family of 



of life. 



So as we face, Gtod, the choices we must make 



We pray that you might bless our spirits with qualities like 



the patience of the soil 



the power of the wind 



the refreshment of water 



the wisdom of chlorophyl 



the potentials of genetic strains 



the loveliness of the rangeland vistas 



the vastness of the prairie skies 



and the persistance of the wheatgrass: 



for it will take all of these and more 

 to keep the promises we must make 

 if we are to be good stewards 

 of the gifts you have given to us. 



Bless, God, this food to our use and 

 us to the service of your creativity. 



Amen 



87 



