By Alec Haines

Thank you Lord for my bed.

Thank you for all the blessings you have showered upon me this day and every day.

Thank you for your mercy shown towards me, a wicked, vile and cruel sinner, not worthy to receive any of your gifts, but you are my loving, heavenly Father and you send your angel to look after me.

I thank you for my life, every second, every moment of it so beautiful, so wonderful, so valuable and so interesting.

I thank you Lord for the marvellous health you have allowed me through all my days; that even now at my age I am still able to do all the things I want to do, and love to do, for you are my heavenly Physician, and you ensure that I am reasonably fit in body, mind and spirit. And it is to you alone I give thanks and praise for my wonderful health.

I thank you for my faculties, that I can see, hear, enjoy and discover the wonders of your creation that are around me, and so very many, very close to me, as I only need to go into my garden and witness the wonders that occur there. For you, O Lord have made this world and everything within it.

You have placed an order on everything, everything in its time, and in its place, and in its season. You have made the universe, things terrestrial and things celestial, clear night sky, myriads and myriads of lights shine down upon me, the moon in its appointed time and the sun by day, for you, O Lord are the light of my world and you allow me the light of life.

Thank you, heavenly Father, for now I come to seek forgiveness for the very many sins

which I have committed against you, this day and every day in thought, in word and deed. Forgive me Lord, I pray. Forgive me also for all the sins that I have committed against heaven and against my fellow man, in thought, in word and in deed. Forgive me Lord I pray. Heavenly Father, in your mercy, hear my prayer. And now I commend to you the soul of my dear wife, Mary, who rests with you. Thank you for her memory. I commend the soul of my brother, Clifford, to your care, and the soul of my good friend, Tommy Price of Eaton Hall Farm to your care, especially remembering before you his wife, Mary, who has been so very kind and so good to me over the years. I ask for your blessings on her and her family.

Now I commend to your love and care the whole family and my many friends, wherever they are, especially remembering before you my three grandchildren, Edward, Victoria and Nicholas. Bless them I pray. Bless also their parents, little Miss Jenkins of Cheltenham and above all, all blind persons throughout my county. Be near, I pray, to each and every one of them, and may your light shine upon them and grant them your peace, for they are wonderful people, O Lord.

I commend to you my blind friend, Alec Le Feuvre of Leominster, Dr Margaret Armistead and Gladys Richards of Church Stretton. I pray also for all who are ill in the hospitals of Hereford or ill in Leominster Community Hospital tonight. Also those who are ill at home in Leominster. And now I commend to you the children of my town, the homeless, those without hope and those who are bereaved. I commend also to your care the Mooney family of America, Sister Margaret and the nuns of Stanbrook Abbey, the Team Ministry of the Priory Church at Leominster. Finally I ask for forgiveness of all my sins, through Jesus Christ, my Saviour, who died on the cross of Calvary for sinners like me, who overcame death and sin, rose again to be with you, the Holy Father and the Holy Spirit, and sits on the right hand of the throne of the kingdom of heaven. Thank you, heavenly Father, for although I have not spoken one word with you again today, you have never, ever, forgotten me. Thank you for sending your guardian angel to be near me and to oversee me, that I do not travel through this life alone, neither do I travel through this world alone, for you are near me. Thank you Lord for everything. Amen.