By Greg Asimakoupoulos

Special to the Reporter

Fifteen years ago this month, I flew out to Seattle from Chicago to interview with a church that proceeded to hire me as their lead pastor. Although I’d been raised in Washington State, it had been a quarter of a century since I’d lived here. That unusually warm and sunny February weekend revealed the amazing beauty of the Pacific Northwest I’d forgotten. I realized how much I loved Washington.

It is that love of our state I celebrated recently. Whereas Valentine’s Day tends to bring out the poet in many a romantic, I found myself waxing poetic. Having been invited to give the opening invocation at the State Capitol in Olympia, I decided to pen my prayer in rhyme. What follows is my Valentine’s Day Prayer with gratitude for our beloved state:

Creator God, we render thanks

for salmon grilled on cedar planks.

For snow-capped mountains, tulip fields

and rivers cold and clean.

We love our state of Washington

where millions come to share our fun

at ski resorts and Lake Chelan

and in the San Juans, too.

Good Lord, there can be no mistake.

Our hearts beat proudly for a state

that woos us with her endless charm

and beauty that won’t quit.

For public markets by the Bay

and venues where our sports teams play,

for landmarks needling the sky

and piers where cruise ships dock.

We give You thanks for Mount Rainier

that symbolizes You are near.

Its awesome wonder we behold

speaks grace we can’t ignore.

For businesses of which we boast,

we offer prayers and make a toast

that they will prosper and succeed

within this new decade.

For Starbucks, Costco, Amazon,

Microsoft, the list goes on

including Nordstrom, REI,

Expedia and more.

Potatoes, orchards, vineyards, wheat

help feed our world and offer drink

to celebrate that life’s a gift

we unwrap every day.

For those who hunger without homes,

who struggle daily on their own,

we pray protection even as

we seek to end their plight.

Most gracious God, as we confess

our need for You, would You please bless

the ones who lead us. Help them strive

to serve with dignity.

So in this week of Valentine’s,

our love’s expressed with words that rhyme

as we commit to care for this

great state we call our home.