"Lord, have mercy on this barbarian, no better then the beasts of the field.

Have not my lips tasted meat and mead, stolen bread and exotic fruits and the toils of my own labor?

Have I never entered into a kinship of sweat and blood with devil and saint, and trod upon silken floors, roads of brick, tear soaked earth, gore slick decks and thick carpets of Nature’s green?

Have not my arms vibrated ...with the crunch of bone, my back the kiss of the whip and my feet the joy of dance?

And yet, in your wisdom you seek out the truly broken hearted and take them to your busom!

Lord, have mercy upon this barbarian, and let it be your Will over mine to forgive those who spit in my face, though everything in me coils to rip off their head.

Let it be your Will over mine to hold my tongue when the winds blow a-fowl, when long suffering among the arrogant ignorant wears thin and know the wisdom of encouragement when needed.

Your Will over mine that I should allow all to sit at my table and eat my food and warm themselves before my fire without the thought of returns.

For it has been your Will to have chosen me when I was unwanted and place in my hand the coin of Peace That Transcends All Understanding.

So let it be your Will that I lower my sword, bow my head and bend a knee before my Lord Christ Jesus and change my weapon to a palm branch, my armor to the robes of mercy and my heart from stone to living water for those around me, the Eagles and the Insects.

This is the humble prayer of a barbarian, no better then the beasts of the field."

Rich Gibbs