While my wife and I were in Savannah recently, and since we are avid amateur genealogists, we took time to do a bit of family research.
One of Jean's distant cousins was a Presbyterian minister, a Rev. Murdock Murphy, who lived in a rural part of Georgia in the early part of the 19th century. And since she was aware that two of only three copies of his journal currently reside in the Bull Street branch of the Savannah Public Library, we patiently waded through 250 pages of text; lingering on pages which interested the one or the other of us.
It seems the good reverend was especially sensitive to his own spiritual positives and deficits, (with the emphasis on the latter,) and we found any number of earnest prayers scattered among his account of life in the local church and community.
One prayer in particular stood out for me; (and at this time in my life I can so well relate to it).
"Lord, give me a cheerful and contented mind which is well-pleasing in your sight, and give me a placid temper, ready to forgive all injuries; forbearing to all, while exercising severe and watchful oversight over myself."
I can only add
... Amen.
By William McDonald, PhD. Excerpt from "(Mc)Donald's Daily Diary" Vol. 11
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