Backpack Blessing for 2020

I realized that my normal backpack blessing prayer needed some alteration for this year (basically I added a paragraph):

Hi God!
Another School year is about to start.
And every day people load up these backpacks
with school work and notes to (or from) the teacher and lunches and snacks.
Keep the straps from tearing, the zippers from jamming or bursting.
Help the backpack avoid the mud puddle or the toilet bowl.
Help it stay where it belongs so it can always find its human.
Keep the precious papers put inside safe, not scattered over the street (or the kitchen floor). 

But really God we worry about the people who carry these things.
Keep them safe.
Keep them away from bullies, keep them from becoming bullies.
Make them brave enough to help when they see another person being bullied.
Sometimes school is scary, some days it seems too hard, some days we just don’t want to go.
God when this happens make us strong enough to keep trying,
remind us that learning means making mistakes so we can try again,
help us find the good things even on a horrible, terrible, no-good, very bad day. 

 

And while we are at it,

we worry about all those other people.
The teachers who prepare and present lessons,
the parents who send their children off to school (sometimes worrying about what the day will be like),
the bus drivers who get kids from one place to another,
the people at after school programs who take over when the bell rings.
Help them too God. 

This year God, is special.
We know every year is special but this one is different. 

This year we have a whole new set of possible worries and anxieties thanks to COVID-19.
School will look different this year, whether at the building itself or attending via computer screen and working at home.
Arrows on the floor, masks on the face, what will be in the heart and mind?
This year our prayers for safety carry a sharper edge.
God of Grace, help each child, each teacher, each administrator, each parent
have what they need for a successful, safe, healthy school year. 

God help us protect each other’s physical, mental, and emotional health.
So that we can all learn and grow together.
 

God you promise that we are not alone.
At home, at school, on the bus, and everywhere else you are there. 

Thank you.
Amen.