Prayer Place

10/5/09 Do you have a prayer place? Mine is a big chair in the corner of the living room. Out of the way and yet obvious, if you get my drift. It’s also beside a window that makes it perfect for seeing my cherry tree, that Josh gave me one Mother’s Day, as it changes with the seasons. Larry hauled the chair all the way from Charlene’s in Halls, TN for me because it was big enough that I could sit in it with my legs crossed under me. I also have a hand-sewn pillow whose fabric has bees embroidered on it----a reminder of Keeper of the Bees, a book loved by me and the two “dancers” in my life. It is also a perfect back support for my old back. The arms of this big old chair have been known to hold, all at once, 2-5 devotional books, a blue blog post-it pad, a box of Kleenix® for weeping Wednesdays (or just a drippy new nose and drooling new mouth) as well as a bowl of oatmeal.

Beside the chair is a decoupage red tray top table embellished with a fleur-de-lis like design that holds my “prizes”---a Bible, topped with my Metropolitan Museum of Art magnifying glass whose handle has carvings of Old Testament scenes, my Canterbury Cathedral mug that holds my assortment of pens, one is from The Cove and is a smooth writing kind with ink that seems to flow, a ballpoint duo which changes to a highlighter with just one turn, and my “extra sharp” sharpened pencils along with an assortment of highlighters differing in color---one comes with post-its in it allowing for page marking ease---and my ever present “Wite-Out.” Obviously not all folks understand my obsession with correctness but this self-professed “journaling junkie” prefers to tidy up mistakes, even in prayer journals. It is a malady that I am working on but have not quite conquered.
There’s also an assortment of perfect gifts on this small table ---a wonderful LUX fragrance candle with a silver cross accent, appropriately named Faith, handmade bookmarks, a MOTTAHEDEH dish that holds my Levenger plastic clips, assorted colored paper clips and sometimes my reading glasses, along with a National Trust leather coaster from Selworthy to hold my morning “cuppa.” The focal point of the table is a framed black and white picture of Daddy sitting in his rocker with his Bible opened and his Upper Room in his hand. The picture was a gift from brother, Buddy, and Charlotte and it is a treasure! The bottom of the table is anchored by my Mama Davenport’s family Bible and a “golf” watch fob that Larry hung there to assist this time compulsive lady who can sometimes let time slip away. Just to the side of this table is a wrought iron magazine rack (until I can afford a Canterbury style one) that is filled with folders of Allen Bible Church info, favorite verses, prayer portions, sermon notes, etc. It also holds a variety of old and new journals, and current reading materials---it really could use an overhaul at the moment.

The corner walls surround my prayer chair with other treasures/gifts. A hand- colored antique (300 years old) book plate, “Palma Dactylifera,” (Palm Sunday), two of Tony Williams antiquarian prints, one of Wells Cathedral and the other of remains of old Castle of Douglas, Larry’s grandmother’s family name. Tony and his wife, Liz, have provided housing for me on a couple of my England treks, from the coast to the most recent one in their Devon farmhouse. An iron cross with an antique patina and fleur-de-lis accents rounds out my prayer place.

So why Have I gone in to all this description of “my prayer place” which many of you have never seen? “My” place draws me! It awaits me! When I’m there, my mind and my spirit know why I’m there. Can you see why? Do you have such a place for prayer and meditation? If not, maybe now is the time to seek out such a place. Make it yours.

Streams in the Desert, (Oct.2) said, “In order to grow in grace we must spend a great deal of time in quiet solitude.” God Calling (Oct. 3) and yesterday’s “Upper Room” both cited the Psalm 46:10 verse.

“Be still and know that I am God;”

“God is the room I rest in.” (Thomas Merton)

Go now and find a place to think on these things.