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A COAST GUARD PRAYER |
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Almighty and
Everlasting God, Whose hand stills the tumult of the deep, we offer our prayers for those
who serve in our Coast Guard. We are mindful of their traditions of selfless service to
the seafarers who make their ways to appointed ports. Employ their devotions of good ends
as they track the weather and search for the seas for those in extremity of storm,
shipwreck or battle. Make their soundings and markings sure that safe passages may be
found by those who go down to the sea in ships. Encourage them, O Lord, as they stand
guard over our coasts and the bulwarks of our freedoms. Graciously deliver them from
threatening calamities in all their perilous voyages. Bless the keepers of the lights and
be Thou their close friend in lonely watches. Keep the beacons of honor and duty burning
that they may reach the home port with duty well performed, in service to Thee and our
land. AMEN. |
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| THE PRAYER OF A COAST GUARD CADET |
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O God, Thou who
are waiting to bring peace to my uncertain soul, give me the grace to accept Thy perfect
love which casts out all fear and feverish tensions. Accept my gratitude for the privilege
of wearing the uniform of a Cadet. Keep me steady in all my strivings to become worthy of
the trust, which others have placed in me. Grant that I may have the heart and mind to
make decisions in terms of what is right and wrong and not according to my emotions or
desires. Fill the sails of my life with courage, strength and truth that I may be one with
those who steer their lives by the stars above. Enable me to live as a good brother or
sister in the family of mankind, sharing all my good fortunes with others, irrespective of
their station, race or creed. Quicken my spirit as I seek to live by the honor code. Make
me wise in patience, tack and understanding that I may be found worthy of leadership.
Bless my loved ones and may I never fail them. Bring me to a good end and an unfailing
confidence in Thy protecting care. AMEN. |
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| A SPAR’S PRAYER |
Lord give us the
grace of humility
And the courage to follow in Thy wake
A course of selfless service.
Instill in us tolerance, loyalty
And cheerful obedience to those
Whose duty is command.
Make us glad that we are SPARS
True to the highest traditions of the Coast Guard.
Inspire us to wear with proud dignity
The uniform that is symbolic of the Flag.
Keep us true to the code of the gentlewoman
In its finest sense, ever mindful that
Reputation is but the reflection of character.
Make us to be silent when to speak would be unkind.
Give us the faith to say at each day’s end,
Lord, Thy will be done. AMEN.
--Beatrice V.
Ball,
Commander, U.S. Coast Guard Reserve
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| Other Coast Guard Prayers of a General Nature |
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Father In Heaven, you have given us a mind to know you, a
will to serve you, and a heart to love you. Be with us today in all that we do, so that
your light may shine out in our lives. Help us to be today what you created us to be so
that we may praise your name in all that we do when we serve. Help us to be prepared to
search for what is true and right so that our freedoms may be ever secured and a source
for loving you. Help us to be secure in your love so that we might serve our fellow
citizens well this day. AMEN.
Spirit of
God, as we begin this day we ask for the sure hope that
your love is stronger than the doubts which assail us. Help us to see the Coast
Guard as one family and the harmony comes not only from our common call to serve those in
need – but also in the wisdom of leadership. In Your name we pray. AMEN.
Give me the courage this day, O Lord, to do those
things I know I should be doing…give me the strength to keep from doing those things
I know I should not be doing…give the ability to properly tell which is which. Be
with us all. AMEN.
Lord, may what we begin today in effort and
cooperation be done with your inspiration…continue with your help…and be
completed with your guidance. Heavenly Father, guide us in our efforts…help us to
persevere with faith, courage and sincerity. AMEN. |
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Coast Guard Prayers for Meals |
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O God, you alone have no beginning or end. You are
eternally without change. We welcome you as our unseen guest at this meal as we think
about what change means to us. Bless the food we are about to eat that it may strengthen
us to bring changes in our lives to a successful ending. Bless our companionship at this
table that it may strengthen us to begin to see the new opportunities our changing world
is about to offer us. AMEN.
Eternal Father, for the continued
blessing of Heaven we give you thanks. As you feed our bodies so may our minds partake of
that which is wholesome and pure. With this physical and mental nourishment grant that we
may so live in a way that brings honor to the Coast Guard, our country, and ourselves.
AMEN.
Our Father, we are mindful of those who have friends
but no food…and those who have food but no friends. We thank you this day we have
both. Help us to befriend the friendless and to share our substance with those who hunger.
AMEN.
Bless us, O Lord, our food and drink which we are
about to receive from Your bounty. Bless this and those who live in it, granting them
health, peace and progress: For you are good and to You we ascribe glory now and forever.
AMEN. |
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| A Prayer for Coast Guard Day |
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God, we thank you
for this special day. It is our Birthday. It is a day to rest from our daily labor. It is
a day to share our daily bread with each other. It is a day to challenge each other to a
different kind of excellence. May we be
refreshed today – in body and soul. May
we be renewed today – in mind and spirit. May
we be re-dedicated today – in word and deed. Lord,
in everything we do, may we please you, may we be all that we can be and may we do for
those whom we help what we would like them to do for us. AMEN. |
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| ODE TO A CUTTER |
Thou
art a solitary cutter,
That's sailed the seven seas.
For every wave that's crashed your bow,
Another wrinkle leaves.
The journey's course, thus far, is kept,
Your guide, the stars in heaven.
The battered ship now seeks, at last,
Calm waters of safe haven.
For every storm you've weathered,
Another's come to sight.
And every turn of your brass-plate screw
Brought you closer to your next fight.
But now the mission's nearly done.
The white hulk's full of rust.
She limps her final journey home
The deck plates almost bust.
Our cutter's fought in battle's proud,
While death raged all around.
She's been a mother's womb in need,
Where safety has been found.
Our cutter is our madonna.
With suckling child at breast.
She's brought the Coasties in her care,
Safe port…to joy …and rest.
-J. Fisher |
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| THE CUTTER |
And when she steams into the harbor
People don’t flock ‘round like bees;
For she ain’t no grim destroyer,
No dark terror or the seas.
And there ain’t a load of romance
To the guy that doesn’t know,
When the icy northers blow.
But men that sail the ocean
In a wormy, rotten craft,
When the sea ahead is mountains
With a hell-blown gale abaft;
When the mainmast cracks and topples
And she’s lurching in the trough,
Them’s the guys that greet the “Cutter”
With the smiles that won’t come off.
When the old storm signal’s flyin’,
Every vessel seeks a lee,
‘Cept the “Cutter,” which ups anchor
And goes ploughing out to sea,
When the hurricane’s a-blown’
From the Banks of old Cape Cod
Oh, the “Cutter,” with her searchlight,
Seems the messenger of God. |
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