1/29/10 Lying in bed on this "snow day," (of sorts) I didn't see one single flake or hear any pelting of sleet but Channel 5 news announced it at 5 am. Even though Shelby County Schools was not included on the scrolling at the bottom of the screen, I took them at their word and went back to bed and snuggled down.
Too tired (or just plain lazy) to get up and too awake to sleep, I began to pray for my Friday folks and Clarence, Sally P., Keith, Gail, Gurner, Kim and others with “hospital” needs as they came to mind. Since I didn’t want to leave the warmth of my pile of covers and go to my prayer chair, I began to attempt to pray without request list or scripture---what a rambling attempt that was. (Can A.D.D. be a prayer diagnosis?)
My prayers were certainly not of the “foxhole” variety. I had no focus and no sense of urgency. After all, it was a “snow day” so I had all day to pray. Yet, in reality, I knew that once my feet hit the cold floor, I would be into my “to do” mode. “Be still and know that I am God” came to mind.
To “be” ---if you ever want to be confused look up that definition in the dictionary. (I didn’t need thoughts like transitive or intransitive or subjunctive or indicative mood floating in my mind.) I needed Him. “To be or not to be--that is the question” or so says Prince Hamlet in the Shakespearean play. But…..to pray or not to pray is not the question. Certainly not. One can’t ever question that! Pray without ceasing. (1 Thessalonians 5:17)
So…I allowed my intransitive be to become transitive as I quit just being and began to be in prayer with Him as my object/focus.* I began my bumbling attempts at prayer. So bumbling, in fact, that in the midst of praising the Lord for His attributes, my mind would flit to options for my morning oatmeal----cranberries...walnuts or both. But....I kept at it. Have you ever heard the old adage, “Pray ‘til you feel like praying”?
Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. (Psalm 4:4) I didn’t exactly stand in the vertical sense but I did “stand” in my mind as God took over----and that’s awesome!
At 6am the phone rang. I got up. It was Shelby County Schools informing me that schools were closed. How timely. I open the library a 6 am each day----glad I listened to news at 5. But God now had me on my feet so I went forth with a prayer in my heart---that today I would be all that He would have me to be.
*Apologies to my English teaching friends if this grammar lesson is all mixed up---just hope you get the point.
Friday, January 29, 2010
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