Trolling the web, I stumbled on this great little prayer, via Amy Cunningham over at Beliefnet:

“Warm all the kitchen with Thy love, and light it with Thy peace.
Forgive me all my worrying and make my grumbling cease.
Thou who didst love to give men food, in room or by the sea
Accept this service that I do, I do it unto Thee.”

–found on a plaque at a flea market.

I think it struck my fancy because it’s a shorter version of a familiar prayer that my own mother had hanging over our kitchen sink when I was growing up:

“Lord of all pots and pans and things,
Since I’ve no time to be
A saint by doing lovely things or
Watching late with thee,
Or dreaming in the twilight or
Storming heaven’s gates.
Make me a saint by getting meals or
Washing up the plates.

Although I must have Martha’s hands,
I have Mary’s mind, and,
When I black the boots and shoes
Thy sandals, Lord, I find.
I think of how they trod the earth
What time I scrub the floor,
Accept this meditation, Lord,
I haven’t time for more.

Warm all the kitchen with thy love,
And light it with thy peace,
Forgive me all my worrying
And make all grumbling cease.
Thou who didst love to give men food
In room or by the sea
Accept this service that I do
I do it unto thee.”

Anybody know where this originated?

With last week’s gospel about Mary and Martha still in mind, perhaps the Holy Spirit is trying to tell me something … ?