With a little help from my friends

"indeed she is truly my sister"

Genesis 20:12

I read a great story today.  And it was made even more enjoyable by the fact that I pretty much lived the story yesterday. 

What I read was my sister's blog.  She does a blog about the joys and trials of raising an autistic child, and she said an event that took place over the weekend.  You can read it here. 

In a nutshell, what happened was that through a slight mistake on my brother-in-law's part, and a slight mistake on my sister's part, she and her son got lost trying to find their way to a specific place in the mountains, where they were to meet her husband. 

She tried for a good long while to fight her way through the marital miscommunication that got her into that situation, but then she was ready to give up.  Her cell phone was useless in the remote area, she had tried several things to find him, and was tired and out of ideas. 

But her son encouraged her to keep trying.  He was earnest and supportive, so she kept going, and a short while later they found their destination.  It's a great story.  But she tells it better, truth be told.

Now, my similar story took place at the DMV yesterday.  I shared a little bit of that joy yesterday.  And I alluded to the fact that we had a little trouble with my daughter's social security number, during which the DMV agent was very pleasant and helpful.  But here are the details:

When we left the house to go to the DMV, I could not find my daughter's social security card.  I looked in several logical places, but a few months ago we had decided to find a new location for it, and of course I now rue that decision.  The kids helped me look, and I called my husband at work to ask him, and we all prayed, but still no luck. 

But that was okay, because we only needed the number, not the card.  I don't have it memorized, but my husband had it written down in his wallet, so he read it off to me.  But when I got to the DMV, and the lovely lady tried to verify it, it didn't work.  She typed it in several times, and clarified my daughter's name and birthdate, but it wasn't coming up on the computer. 

So I called my husband, and read back the number he had given me.  Yup.  That's the number he had.  Now what?  I didn't want to waste the two hours we had spent waiting for our turn, so I called my parents on the off chance they had some record of my kids' social security numbers, and lo and behold, they did!  So my father gave me my daughter's number, which differed from the number my husband had.  So yay!  Problem solved!

I went back to the window and gave the woman the number and would you believe?  It was wrong!  I was stunned.  The woman was so sympathetic, and she's sitting there with all these numbers on pieces of paper that I had given her. 

When all of a sudden...

Now ~ before I tell you the sudden inspiration, I'll give you a visual.

Here's my daughter's SSN:  123-45-6789
Here's what my hubby told me:  123-45-6798
Here's what my father told me:  123-19-6789

Can you believe they both had it written down wrong?  What are the odds? 

But here's the inspiration:  My dad had the middle two numbers wrong, and somehow seeing it written that way, I knew those two numbers were wrong.  Somehow, looking at my daughter's number enough times over the years, I guess there was some familiarity, and I knew my husband had that much of the number right.  I knew I had a light bulb over my head at that point, and I said to the agent:  "Try this..."  and I read off the first five numbers of my husband's version with the last four numbers of my dad's version.  And it worked.

I was the one who figured it out, miraculously, but only with the prompts I had from my hubby and my dad.  They gave me what I needed to make it happen. 

Same with my sister.  She was ready to give up on finding her destination, and just go home.  My nephew insisted they keep trying, and he looked out the window with her and tried to help identify the landmarks they needed.  My sister figured it out, miraculously, but only with the persevering encouragement of my nephew. 

Sweet, funny, wonderful reminders that God gives us what we need, in some pretty unexpected ways...

~ "Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot,

you shall have help." ~

1 Samuel 11:9

~

Heigh ho, heigh ho, it's off to church we go

We made it safely to church and back on Sunday.  Praise God!

Normally I would be more nonchalant about our trip to and from church, but I got a good reminder this week about appreciation, especially when it comes to things we take for granted.

The Apple of my Eye was driving.  This in itself is unusual.  While he generally does the driving for the family, I drive to church.  This is for two reasons:  first, we go to church in my car, and I like driving my car.  It's fun.  ☺

 But also, first thing on Sunday mornings ~ like, really first thing ~ he plays pickup ice hockey with some friends.  Early on Sundays is when they can get the rink for free, and everyone can manage the time in their schedule.  So by the time we leave for church, he's already been up several hours and driven ± 20 miles, and he's quite happy to just sit, and let me drive. 

But this week, I was trying to help my daughter with something, and it made us a few minutes late in leaving the house.  Not a lot, but enough that he had decided to save a little time by starting the car and backing it out of the garage.  So she and I just ran out of the house and hopped in.  And off we went. 

We hadn't gotten far ~ only to the first major intersection on our route ~ when my hubby made a left turn and nearly hit a cyclist who was crossing the street when it wasn't her turn.  He braked hard, and the kids and I all flew forward in our seats, and the cyclist looked up with an expression that could have been "whoops!" if you were generous, but really seemed more like, "hi, how are you?" 

Which seemed a surprising response, considering we could have killed her, if my hubby hadn't been aware, and had a quick response.  But, ya know, to each her own.

Then as we turned into the parking lot of church, we had another near-miss.  This time it was us making a left turn, when all of a sudden we had to brake hard ~ again ~ as a car that we thought was going to turn before it got to us, didn't.  It was coming straight, and we were in its path.  It wasn't coming fast, and they slowed down, allowing us to go ahead into the parking lot. 

Neither instance was anything more than a small error, with huge possible consequences.  But in both cases, everything turned out fine.  Disaster was avoided. 

I hadn't prayed for a safe journey when we left the house.  But I was certainly thanking Him for it by the time we arrived.

Imagine my thought process if it had said, "Compact Only"

"why should I not be impatient?"

Job 21:4

So I had a doctor's appointment a few weeks ago.  Just a well-check, but I was really not looking forward to it.  I felt too busy and stressed to take time out of my schedule for it, and I knew I was going to end up waiting in the lobby for awhile before I was called in for my appointment.  Because that's just always the case, isn't it?

It was an office I had never been to before, but I wasn't worried about locating it.  I know the area very well, and though I didn't recognize the street address, I knew if I got close, I'd be able to find it. 

When I got close, I glanced at the address again, on a brochure I'd gotten from my referring physician.  There was a crudely-drawn map on the bottom, but I realized that it was so crudely-drawn that it didn't even have the street labeled; just the cross streets.  So again I thought, "Well, I'll get nearby, and I'll figure it out."

Well, as you can probably guess, it wasn't that easy.  The street address of the office is a street that runs north/south.  But the front door of the building (and the actual number on the building) face a street that runs east/west.  So I drove up and down the north/south street, not seeing the number I was looking for, and then finally pulled into the hospital parking lot and called the office.  She gave me more specific directions, and I found my way there.

But as I pulled into the parking lot, I was frustrated.  While I was only going to be a few minutes late to my appointment, a few minutes can make a big difference, the way doctors double-book themselves these days.  I was irritated that the map wasn't more help, irritated with myself for not leaving a few minutes sooner, irritated that doctors double-book, you name it. 

I headed toward a parking spot, but as I turned my car into it, I realized that the spot was labeled:

PATIENT

CUSTOMER

ONLY

Now, I realize that they meant "Patient/Customer," with "patient' being a noun, but my immediate, and ironic thought was, "Well, I obviously am not allowed to park here, because right now I am a very impatient customer!"

The humor of my thinking both cheered me a little, but also made me realize what a bad place I was in, emotionally.  I thought, "what if we were excluded from things because of our attitudes?"  But in truth, we are.   We miss out on things because we're distracted by ourselves, or we flat-out ignore things because of our misdirected focus.   What do we not notice, hear, or see when we are irritated, impatient, or selfish?

I went ahead and parked in that spot, but in a weird way, I felt like I had a responsibility to improve my attitude.  A few deep breaths, and a few prayers later, I was in a better place.  Blessed are the patient customers.

~ "The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit." ~

Ecclesiastes 7:8

~

Peace in Unexpected Places

"being caused to fly swiftly"

Daniel 9:21

So I just finished a reading a very interesting book about World War II, that my father lent to me.  Now, there are a whole lotta books out there about WWII, but this one had an interesting slant.  It was about industry, and how companies and CEOs mobilized and worked to build what America and the Allied forces needed to fight.  It was called Freedom's Forge: How American Business Produced Victory in World War II, and it was written by Arthur Herman.

The two "heroes" of the book are William Knudsen, and Henry Kaiser.  Knudsen was an auto industry magnate who was named by FDR as the Chairman of the Office of (War) Production Management.  Kaiser was the father of Kaiser Aluminum, Kaiser Steel, and Kaiser Permanente, and became known as "the father of American shipbuilding".  These two men were responsible for the successful manufacture of ships and planes, in massive, staggering quantities, in a very short time.

Kaiser (photo credit: wikipedia)

Knudsen (photo credit: wikipedia)

So there's a bit of a history lesson for you.

But as the saying goes, I told you all that so I could tell you this:  There is an account in the book, I think of a B-29.  Now, I might get these technical details wrong, but as I understand it, the B-29 has separate compartments (cockpit, middle, rear) to maintain pressure, because the plane was too big to maintain proper pressure throughout.  Each compartment is sealed by a plastic barrier called a "blister".

{I'm really sorry if I'm making a confusing mush out of all this.  

My father's probably rolling his eyes at me....}

Anyhow, one day, when the plane was on a test flight at 30,000 feet, one of these "blisters" popped, and blew its way out of the plane, taking with it everything in its path, including an airman.  The book said, "The boy was sent flying through the aperture, along with his guns, his equipment, and just about everything that wasn't strapped down." 

Knudsen met with the airman, and asked him about the experience.  He said, "It was like an elephant kicking me in the pants, sir."  Knudsen replied, "So what did you do?"  The boy answered, "I found myself up there without any airplane, and just pulled my cord."

I just loved the simplicity of his answer.  There was no way he could have anticipated being catapulted out of his airplane like that, but he was a soldier, and he was prepared for anything.  It didn't matter how ended up where he was; he knew what to do.

There's a great lesson for all of us here.  About shock and pain and fear... and about doing what you know to do.  About difficult days and scary decisions ~ and the role of prayer and praise and worship in our lives.

Some days we just can't anticipate what's ahead.  Fortunately, we don't have to.  We have what we need to respond to any situation we find ourselves in, however surprising.  So don't analyze, don't equivocate, don't hesitate.  You know what to do.  He's right there.

~ "The Lord will rescue me...

and bring me safely into His heavenly kingdom" ~

2 Timothy 4:18

~

Keeping secrets ~ from everyone but Him

"a secret message"

Judges 3:19

I have a secret.

Well, it's not really my secret; it belongs to a friend of mine.  We were chatting last week, and she asked me to pray for a situation in her home.  And she asked me not to tell anyone.  Which, of course, goes without saying for a lot of sensitive conversations and prayer requests.  Women sometimes talk about very close-to-the-heart issues.

Normally I don't think it's a big deal to hold something in confidence.  By that I mean it's not hard for me to do so.  It would be easy enough for me to say that it's because I'm not the gossiping type ~ but I guess most women would say that.  I think it's true, but the other fact is that I really don't have anyone to tell.  My circles of friends are fairly small, and pretty much revolve around church friends and Bible study friends.  Neither of those groups know each other, and when I do see them, I'm there for church or Bible study, and there's just not that much time for chatting.  So any secrets stay secret.

But every once in a while, I'm handed a secret that's a burden.  Like this one.  And the problem is the weight of it... the grief it gives me.  I'm aching for my friend, and I feel like if I could tell my husband, or another close friend, then they could be praying, too. 

It's not necessary, of course.  God doesn't ignore prayer requests while waiting for a bigger crowd to join in.  And I'm probably not the only one in whom my friend has confided.  But if I am the only other person that knows my friend's secret, then God is treasuring the prayers of two.

I feel honored that my friend feels I'm "worthy" of her confidence.  And I feel loved, knowing that God hears our hearts and cherishes our prayers.  And I feel grateful, that it was part of His plan for us to share our prayer-burdens with others.

But mostly, I feel a sweet, joyful responsibility for my friend's supplication, and I continually lift it to Him.

~ "For where two or three are gathered

together in My name,

      I am there in the midst of them." ~

Matthew 18:20

~

A Lesson from Downhill Skiing

"sitting on the top of a hill"

2 Kings 1:9

The past couple of days I've been enjoying the downhill skiing portion of the Olympic experience.  "Alpine Skiing," they call it.  Downhill, Super G (no idea what that stands for.... gravity, maybe??  Wait -- I just asked my sweetie, and he said he thinks it's short for "Super Giant Slalom".) Slalom, Giant Slalom and Combined.  All different in their own way, but lots of fast, and lots of down. 

We saw slalom when we were at the Salt Lake City Olympics.  It was an incredibly snowy day, though, and it was very hard to see the top half of the mountain, even on the video screens.  Hard to believe that spectators used to watch events without video screens!  But it was plenty exciting to see them come around the turn and out of the snowy air to race toward the finish line. 

I still remember the woman who took the gold in the race we watched.  Her name is Janica Kostelic, and she's from Croatia.  She was Croatia's golden girl, I think, beloved in her country, and it was so much fun to see how excited her countrymen were.  I was cheering right along with them!  And I've had a soft spot in my heart for Croatia ever since. 

Plus, they have a cool flag. 

But I've noticed something this time around that has intrigued me.  And I've seen it a few times in the past week.  It happens when the skiers are in their own world, pre-race.  Sometimes they are listening to music on their headphones (or "earbuds" as the kids call them today).  Sometimes their eyes are closed.  But what I love is that they are "rehearsing" the run in their mind, and with their bodies.  More than one I've seen in the "skiing" position, but just standing, holding imaginary "poles" in their hands, and running through the course they are about to ski.  And one girl I saw sort of squatting, on her bottom, but with her legs up in the air, mimicking that low-down position that skiers take when they're going fast. 

I love two things about this.  First, their focus.  I love that they take it so seriously that just training runs are not enough.  It's not just physical practice, it's mental practice. 

And secondly, I love that they know the course well enough, that they are even able go over it in their minds.  I don't know whether it's because they have run it so many times, or because they've studied the run visually, or what.  But they know they can't do their best if they are unprepared for any part of the course.  There are too many variables already ~ wind, temperature, condition of the snow, etc.

I wonder if it would work to run through my day this way, especially on a day when I'm anticipating challenges.  That would be a wonderful prayer time, wouldn't it?  Going over with Him what you're going to work on, each bump and curve, the ins and outs of your day... to be as prepared as possible for the predictable parts so that you have energy and patience in the unpredictable parts. 

A little focus, a little eyes-closed, a little quiet time for Him to guide you through what's expected.  And then it'll be all downhill from there. 

~ "Whoever does not practice righteousness

is not of God" ~

1 John 3:10

~

(Un)Answered Prayer

"all night in prayer"

Luke 6:12

There was a traffic accident outside our house last night.  It's not the first time.  Our backyard overlooks a somewhat busy street in our city, and every three or four months we hear the screech of tires as a car going too fast tries to react to something.   And then sometimes the screech is followed by the sound of impact.

We've seen cars hitting other cars, and cars hitting the light pole, and cars hitting the median.  But yesterday evening it was a car hitting a bicyclist.  Scary.

We couldn't identify the sound at first.  Frankly, I didn't even hear a screech, I just heard a metallic thunk.  It sounded like when I was a kid, and we had metal trashcans and one of them fell over or was banged into.  My husband went outside to look around a little bit, and when he looked over the wall, he could see what had happened. 

The driver was there, and the cyclist had not been alone, so his friend was there, too.  They were obviously calling 911 already, so there was nothing we could do. 

Nothing but pray, of course. 

The worst accident we've ever witnessed was several years ago.  There was a horrific crash about 11pm ~ a driver going the wrong way crashed head-on into a car carrying two people, both of whom died.  One instantly, one at the hospital later.  The driver who crashed was fleeing the police due to some other crime I have now forgotten about.  He ran away from the accident, and was apprehended in our next-door neighbor's backyard. 

The kids slept through the whole thing.  {Mercifully.  It was quite frightening to wait inside our house as we heard the police running through our yard and our neighbors' yards in pursuit of the driver.  I'm glad I wasn't having to explain things to the kids, or reassure them.} 

And after the police took the man away, my husband and I went back outside, as we didn't know how bad the accident was.  An ambulance took the passenger away, and we watched the police pull a sheet over the driver.   And then, because it was a crime scene, the police/paramedics/coroner were there all night.  They set up bright lights, and did all those things that have to be done ~ taking photos, measuring skid marks, dealing with the victim, etc.  We slept very little that night, as our bedroom faces that side of the house, and there wasn't much chance of blocking those bright lights, even if we hadn't been somewhat traumatized by what had taken place. 

I was so aware of prayer that night.  I'd never felt so helpless as when I watched those terribly hurt people.  I thought about their families, and the phone calls they would be receiving with the news.  And I prayed and I prayed. 

I thought about all that again yesterday evening.  I knew the cyclist was far less hurt than that time ~ I could tell he was talking, and I saw him move his toes when the paramedics told him to.  But I could also see the dent in the hood of the car, and that he was bleeding in a couple of different places. 

I don't think I'll ever know how he is, and how well he recovers.  There are two major hospitals near here, so I don't know where he was taken.  I don't know his name, and even if I did, with confidentiality laws being what they are, I doubt the hospital would tell me anything about his condition.

So again I'm in a position where all I can do is pray, and I won't ever know the answer to my prayers.  But I'm glad to be doing my part, and glad to know my prayers matter to Him.  But most of all, I'm glad to know that whether or not I ever know His answer to my prayers, I can trust His plan for whoever I'm praying for.

~ "Pray for one another" ~

James 5:16

~

Praying Prayers

"regard the prayer which Your servant 

is praying before You today"

1 Kings 8:28

I had another session of pondering, recently, that was based on the collision of two separate thoughts, from different sources, entering my head at roughly the same time. 

Sort of like those old Reese's peanut butter cup commercials, where the chocolate and peanut butter came together accidentally, and the result was good. 

I love it when that happens.  'Cause I love pondering.  And wondering.  And musing and contemplating and meditating and ruminating and chocolate and peanut butter.  All good.

The first, was a conversation with my sister.  We were talking about prayer, and she asked me my opinion on a specific aspect of prayer that was troubling her, to wit:  how to pray for everything.  Or, how to cover in prayer all the things she thinks of that need prayer.

It's a good question.  Sometimes that's a hard aspect of prayer: the tendency of the mind to wander to things that each prayer request reminds you of.  Like, if I prayed for my daughter when she was taking the practice SAT test, then I might think, "Well, I should pray for all those other kids taking it, too."  And then I might start thinking about the college she'll end up at, and pray about wisdom in that decision, when the time comes, and then think I should pray about her eventual roommate, and her eventual boyfriend and her eventual best friend and her eventual best friend's parents, 'cuz what if she enjoys visiting them for dinner sometimes, they might have some influence on her life and do they go to church and oh, will she have any trouble going to church when she's in college if that's not near here and where will she be and will it snow there andI'dbetterprayforherdrivingcuzthatcanbetricky foragirlwhogrewupinaplacewhereitneversnows....

*pant, pant*

So I tried to put my sister at ease, because I think she was a little concerned about this.  You see, she's an oldest child, and a lot bit of a Type A personality, so it can be difficult for her to do anything to less than whatever standard she thinks is optimal. 

And then a few weeks ago I read this, from a friend of mine who puts out a monthly prayer calendar for worldwide ministry in which she's involved:  "Once again this month I was gripped by the audacity of fitting prayer and praise requests for children and adults worldwide, into the space of a box on a calendar that holds, at most, 215 letters and spaces.  What if, in our limited vision, we are asking wrongly?"

Now, I don't know if this friend of mine is a Type A oldest child, but that's much the same worry that my sister was having. 

Truthfully, this is not something I've ever worried about.  I believe that our prayers are precious to Him, even when poorly spoken.   In Revelation 5:8, John describes in his vision of heaven, twenty-four elders, who fell down before the Lamb, "each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints."  Isn't that awesome?

So I don't worry about the timing of my prayers... I just found out that a long-lost friend of mine had heart surgery a few years ago.  We weren't in touch at the time, so I didn't know, and wasn't praying.  But as soon as I heard, I automatically prayed, counting on God to apply those prayers retroactively.  After all, He's outside of time and space, so why couldn't He?  And why wouldn't He?

And I don't worry about the length of my prayers... Sometimes I just say a name in my mind, or picture a person or a situation.  He knows.  He doesn't need details.  On the other hand, sometimes my mind wanders uncontrollably, from prayers to my grocery list, and back again.  I know I never lose Him.  He never tunes me out. 

And I don't worry about the wording of my prayers... Sometimes, whether praying out loud in a group, or in my own head, my words get jumbled or won't come.  I'm too overwhelmed, too overwrought, too tired, too whatever.  But Romans 8:26 says, "Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses.  For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered."

No, there's no such thing as a perfect prayer.  But I trust Him to take what I offer, and make it perfect.

~ "Lord, teach us to pray" ~

Luke 11:1

~

With Him

"I will meditate in Thy precepts"

Psalm 119:15

solitude

silence

listen

alone

commune

inspiration

waiting

gathering

strength

pause

tranquility

seclusion

muse

hearing

reading

marking

learning

slowly

peace

stillness

thoughtfully

God's Word

love

grind

gather

resolve

~ "I will meditate on Thy precepts

         and contemplate Thy ways" ~

Psalm 119:15

~

Who cares what they're wearing, on Main Street or Saville Row?

"from her dressing room"

Joel 2:16

I went to a baby shower today.  A friend of mine is going to be a grandmother in a few weeks.   It was a lovely afternoon of chatting with some friends I haven't seen in awhile.

Getting ready to go was a little tricky, however.  It's January, but it's also been in the 80s lately, so I wasn't entirely sure what to expect, weather-wise.  I get colder quicker than the average bear, so I wanted to wear pants, but I chose a top with three-quarter length sleeves that's very tropical looking.  I thought that was perfect because I had some sleeve, but not too much, and the feel of the shirt would be summery.  That was important because I knew (and I was right) that a lot of my friends would be in sleeveless dresses and sandals.  So I didn't want to look too cold weather-y when they all looked warm weather-y.

I had to give some thought to my shoes, too.  I needed to run an errand before going to the shower, so I wore my comfy shoes, and brought my girly shoes to put on at the last minute. 

My hair gave me a little bit of trouble today.  I think my bangs need to be trimmed, so it took me a little extra work to get my hair to look the way I wanted it to. 

It also took me a few minutes to decide on my jewelry.  I wear bracelets in warmer weather (short sleeves) but then I put them away for the winter (long sleeves).  So I had to get that little box out from the out-of-season storage under my bed. 

I thought about changing my purse, to something a little more party-ish, but decided that was too much trouble, and stuck with my regular bag.  I don't carry a giant bag anyway, so mine was fine.

Okay, now I'm sure you're wondering why I'm going into such detail about my dressing and primping.  And if you know me at all, you know I'm not one to be very concerned about my appearance.  I mean, I want to look nice, but I'm not a girl for whom clothes and shoes and purses are a priority.  Well here's why I'm giving you all these details:

My friend ~ the one whose daughter and grand-baby we were celebrating ~ asked me, and three other women, to pray over the baby at the close of the shower.  She asked us to pray for the baby's mind, heart, spirit and body.  Isn't that a lovely idea?  My part was to pray for his mind. 

Now, I gotta be honest, I was a little nervous about this.  It was just such a sweet honor.  I've prayed in public hundreds ~ maybe thousands of times, but this was a little unusual.  I'd been thinking a lot over the past week about what I should say, and hoping my part would be what my friend had in mind when she asked.

And as I finished getting ready, looking in the mirror to decide I was done, I realized that I was also "primping" in a spiritual way.  Readying my spirit, sort of.  I was thinking about prayer, and sort of praying already.  Praying about praying, if you will.

I think that, sadly, was a first for me.  While I often pray in the car on the way to wherever I'm going, it's generally a last minute, "I'm ready to go, so now I have a little time to pray" thing.  I'm not sure I've ever stopped before I left the house, and asked Him to prepare me.  To give me what I need to be able to please Him in whatever I'm doing, wherever I'm going.   I mean, I'm sure I have, before important or anxiety-producing things, but not on a regular basis. 

It struck a chord with me.  I realized my "getting ready" should be about far more than what I wear and how I look.  I should not be praying before I arrive at my destination, I should be praying before I even leave my bedroom.  Even if I'm only going as far as my family room.

I think, to paraphrase an old saying, "I'm never fully dressed without a prayer."

~ "And Joshua said to the people, 

'Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow 

   the Lord will do wonders among you" ~

Joshua 3:5

~

Oh, what a -- actually not really that great a morning...

"early in the morning"

Genesis 19:27

The Apple of my Eye had a rough start to his day today. 

For starters, he woke up realizing he had slept wrong.  Wrong pillow, wrong position.... something...  So he woke up with a stiff neck and a headache.  He used some painkillers, heat, a massaging pillow and some stretching exercises, but to not much avail.  Most of the pain persisted.

Then, when he was putting his contact lenses in, he somehow lost one.  He finally found it, but only after it had been on the floor for several minutes, by which time it was too dried out to use.  He had to open a new one, which was money down the drain.  So to speak.

This whole thing took him so long that he didn't have time for breakfast, so he decided to stop at McDonald's for one of their sausage... biscuit... muffin.... egg things.... I don't know.  But when he pulled in the shopping center, he was immediately stopped by workers repaving the parking lot, so he had to go around a longer way. 

And then he accidentally ordered the wrong thing.  Ordered the sausage-muffin-egg thing instead of the muffin-egg-sausage thing.  Or something...  But correcting his order took a few extra minutes in the midst of his running late.

Not a good way to begin a day. 

But I did everything I could for him.  Which is to say... nothing.  I didn't know anything about any of this until a couple hours later.  He emailed me from work with the whole story.  I'd been asleep until about two minutes before he left the house, and of course I wasn't there for the whole McDonald's part. 

Sometimes I wake up earlier, and I can chat with him while he gets ready for work, but I guess I was catching up on my sleep, because nothing woke me.  So he had a terrible start to his day ~ alone.

And this is why you pray for people, even when you have no reason to.  Or when you don't know why.   We need to pray for those we love whenever they come to mind, and when they don't come to mind, then we need to remind ourselves. 

I think it was Plato who said, "Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle."  But with apologies to Plato, I think in my mind, it's gonna be, "Pray for people; everyone you know is fighting some kind of battle."

My sweetie was fighting a battle this morning, and I had no idea.  But just in case, I should fall asleep praying for him, and wake up praying for him, and for my kids and my folks and my sisters and my in-laws and my friends and my pastor and my congressman and my president...

~ "Evening and morning and at noon I will pray...

And He shall hear my voice." ~

Psalm 55:17

~

When the third time isn't a charm

"I pleaded with the Lord"

2 Corinthians 12:8

I had a conversation with a friend today, that reminded me of a conversation I had with another friend, a few days ago, and together they reminded me of a conversation that Paul had with God.

Of course I only know about that one, second-hand. 

The friend today is a fairly new friend.  We went to lunch together and got to know each other a little better.  And one of the things I found out about her is that her husband is battling a chronic illness.  He was diagnosed six years ago, and was afflicted for eight years before that, before they were able to pinpoint what he has. 

The other friend is someone I've known for several years.  Her daughter has been battling intestinal issues for a few years now.  They've pretty much got her stabilized, but her system still gets thrown off by eating the wrong foods, catching a cold, or stress.  Then they have to pray again, and make more decisions about prescriptions and diet.

Anyhow, one of these women happened to mention the comfort she gets from 2 Corinthians 12, regarding Paul's "thorn in the flesh".  No one really knows what this was in Paul's life; he's not specific.  He calls it "a messenger of satan to buffet me".  And he also says ~ and this is the part that got me thinking today ~ that concerning this thing, he pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from him.

And I thought, "Three times?  That's it?  Only three??"  Anyone I know who's walking through life with a chronic complaint has asked a whole lot more often than that.  Weekly, daily, maybe several times a day, the prayers go up.  They're earnest.  They're sincere.  Maybe even pleading.  They pray and they cry and they ask and ask.

Why did Paul only ask three times?

Now, it's possible that that sentence isn't literal; that "three" is a symbolic number rather than an actual count of how many times Paul asked.  But Paul's next sentences support the idea that he had made his peace with the fact that his affliction was there to stay.  There's a lot to admire in that.

There's a parable Jesus spoke, in Luke 18, about the persistent widow, who cried out for justice until it was granted her.  Verse 1 of chapter 18 says that Jesus spoke this parable, "that men always ought to pray and not lose heart".  It's a parable of crying out to Him, "day and night".  (verse 7)  So clearly God's okay with nagging.

Well, persistence.

I don't know what the secret is.  I don't know how we know when to persist, and when to just accept what He has allowed in our lives, and just rely on His strength to get us through.

Maybe the secret is simply remembering that while it's okay to ask ~ encouraged, even ~ we also need to acknowledge that it's His call.  That we need to thank Him if He takes away our affliction, and thank Him if He doesn't.  And no matter what, find our strength in His grace.

~ "And He said to me, 

'My grace is sufficient for you,

for My strength is made perfect in weakness.'

... Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities,

in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, 

in distresses, for Christ's sake. 

For when I am weak, 

then I am strong." ~

2 Corinthians 12:9,10

~

Words from His Words

"I have put My words in your mouth"

Isaiah 51:16

I received an email from a friend a few weeks ago, with prayer requests for a ministry with which we are both involved.  In it, she used a small section of the Bible  ~ specifically one sentence of Jesus' in the Gospel of Mark ~ and expanded upon the meaning of the words to create a prayer of her own.  It was beautiful, and very intriguing.  It opened my eyes to the idea of praying His words back to Him.  And with her permission, I wanted to share it with you.

This is from Mark 14:36 ~

"And He said, "Abba, Father,"
         Because we all have one Father, we are brothers and sisters
                praying for our brothers and sisters across the world.
                There is urgency to this work we do for our family.

"all things are possible for You."
         We believe in the absolute sovereignty of our Father.
                He alone is directing the affairs of men,
                important for us to remember,
                especially when we get frustrated with delays.
                His timing is perfect.

"Take this cup away from Me;"
         This is the heart of our request to our Abba, Father.
                For Jesus, knowing the horror of what
                He was facing, His humanity cried out for release.
                For us personally, it might be the healing or salvation
                of a loved one; agonies for us.

"nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will."
         A transaction takes place when I utter the word "nevertheless".
               With this one word, I breathe out the angst of my own desire,
                and breathe in the assurance that my loving Father,
               Who never loses control, will answer my prayer for my best
                and His glory.  It is in this one word
                that I find the peace of surrendering to His will.

~

I think the possibilities of praying this way are endless.  Things like the Lord's prayer, or the "Love" chapter in 1 Corinthians leap to mind.  It's a beautiful way of parsing the words He has given us, and getting the most out of them.

He wants our thoughts to be about Him.  And He wants us to learn from His Word.  What better way than using His words to us, to guide our words to Him.

~ "Give ear to my words, O Lord,

       Consider my meditation" ~

  Psalm 5:1

~

Talking the talk

"What kind of conversation is this?"

Luke 24:17

I had something fun happen the other day.  I spent two hours chatting with an old friend.

I just love the term "old friend".  Because before I use it, I have to stop and think to make sure it's accurate, and that causes me to appreciate how long I've known that person.

In this case, the "how long" is thirteen years, almost exactly.  I met her in October of 2000, when I had a three-year-old and a five-month-old.  We were in Bible study together.  Now my kids are 16 and 13, and hers are married.

Although we see each other every few months, it's been a year since we've had a chance to really sit down and chat about our kids and our dogs and what we're learning in our separate Bible study classes, and who we've each seen lately of our mutual friends.  Oh, and TV shows and movies and how we both love Netflix.  And how we're both limping because I have a broken toe and she has a broken foot. 

And their vacation to Oahu. 

And iced tea. 

I think that was all. 

It was a lovely conversation, but the thing I loved most was the ability to really let the conversation wander where it would.  Life is such that the longest conversations I have with friends I really like, are brief, passing chats.  I have things to do, or one of us has to get home, or her kids are pulling on her, or whatever. 

I really dislike small talk.  It just feels shallow, which, I suppose it is.  So sometimes in those brief conversations, I try to make sure we get to the heart of what might be going on in her life ~ that struggle in her marriage, the issue with her child, a medical situation... Then at least I can know how to be praying for her.   But it's a poor substitute for a heart-to-heart.

This conversation was so wonderful because we had time for details.  Facts and feelings and plans and thoughts and questions and answers.  It's so much more fulfilling that way!  And as I drove home, I felt thankful that that's how my prayer life is, always.  That I don't need two hours to talk to God and explain how I'm feeling and give Him the back story so He's not confused.  He just knows.  And yet He listens anyway, for as long as I'll talk.  And then, wonder of wonders, He'll talk as long as I listen. 

Of course that doesn't last long because I'm distracted by the leaf-blower outside, or the dog barking or the dryer buzzing.  Which is why He gave us the Bible!  So much easier to stay focused, especially for those of us who are visual learners.

Oh sure, there's such a thing as a shallow chat with God.  But when that's the case, it's only because we're shallow.  His depth is there for us, always.

~ "Surely God will not listen to empty talk, 

  Nor will the Almighty regard it." ~

Job 35:13

~

A Few More Thoughts on Quiet Time

"a solitary place"

Mark 1:35

So, have I gotten you thinking about the concept of Quiet Time?  What it means?  Why it's important?  Well maybe it’s time to have some Quiet Time and talk to God about your Quiet Time.

What would He say to you about your time with Him, if you asked Him?  Now is the time to ask Him.

Do you meet with Him every day?  Almost every day?  Once in awhile?

If you meet with Him regularly, is your time with Him genuine, or are you in a rut?  Is it about the routine, and feeling good that it’s done for the day?  Or is it about hearing what He wants to say to you?

What does He say to you in your Quiet Time?  Do you meditate on it during the day?

Have you told Him what He wants to hear from you?  Do you praise Him, confess to Him, ask Him for guidance?

What do you think He would have you do differently?

In the Parable of the Sower, the seed grew when it fell on prepared soil.  Prepare your heart at the beginning of your Quiet Time.  Ask the Holy Spirit to open your ears, and your heart, to Him.  Close your eyes and bring your thoughts into the presence of His throne.

PRAYING… LISTENING

Speaking to Him and Listening to Him go hand in hand.  Both are necessary ingredients in your Quiet Time, but you may find that one or the other is easier for you…  

While Praying, you run the risk of monopolizing the conversation, or thinking of Him as your problem-fixing genie.

While Listening, you run the risk of hearing your own thoughts or desires, not His words to you; or being distracted by your to-do list.

This is the part of Quiet Time 

most likely to be skipped! 

Praying and Listening might come before Reading and Writing.  You might have questions for Him, or struggles you are bringing to Him, and then look to the Word for responses. 

Or you might Read and Write first, then sit quietly, discussing with Him what He said in His Word, and how He wants you to apply it to your life.

You might “Pray the Scriptures” – taking passages that are particularly meaningful to you, and praying them back to Him.

Is there anything He would have you do differently?

READING

Read a spiritual biography, or a devotional, but don’t let anything take the place of reading the Word.

Read Scripture every day.  Such as:

~ Annually read the whole Bible, 

               or the New Testament

~ Read a Psalm or a Proverb everyday

~ Go through a book of the Bible every month, reading a chapter of that in the morning, and a Psalm every night before bed.

  

~ If you read a devotional, it probably is based on a specific Scripture.  Go to that verse, and read the entire chapter in which it’s contained.  God didn’t intend for His Word to be read one sentence at a time….

~ Read passages associated with issues He has brought to your mind ~ ways in which you need to be transformed to fully please Him.

What might He want you to do differently?

WRITING

Writing is a valuable and productive ingredient in Quiet Time.  Whether it’s a life journal, a prayer journal or your own commentary on Scripture, writing will help you remember, and apply what He has said to you during your Quiet Time.

If journaling is hard for you, resolve to write a whole page every day, even if you feel you’re not writing anything of substance.  Allow yourself to be honest, especially with respect to sin. 

If you’re not sure what to write, consider:

~ Writing your prayers to Him

~ Writing your insights from meditating on Scripture

~ Writing your confessions of sin

~ Writing your frustrations and fears

~ Writing your dreams and desires

~ Writing your lessons from successes or failures

~ Writing your praise and worship to Him

What might He have you do differently?

~ "Now in the morning, 

having risen a long while before daylight,

He went out and departed

to a solitary place;

and there He prayed." ~

Mark 1:35

~

It's amazing what we can hear when we're quiet

~ Years ago I wrote years this piece, on the importance of having daily quiet time with God.  I stumbled on it recently, in the deep recesses of my computer, and I thought I'd share it with you. ~

           ~ ON HAVING A DAILY QUIET TIME ~

WHY?

Because Jesus prayed. 

In the morning, in solitude ~ Mark 1:35, 

        Luke 5:16

For His Disciples ~ John 17:11

For all Believers ~ John 17:20-21

He prayed to praise ~ Luke 10:21

He prayed to thank ~ Mark 14:22

He prayed in agony ~ Luke 22:44, 

        Matthew 27:46

He prayed His Father’s will ~ Matthew 26:39

He prayed to show us that we should, 

         and He prayed to show us how.

        

WHERE?

         Anywhere you’d eat green eggs and ham

         Don’t get caught up in the “where”.   

                  He’ll meet you wherever you are.

WHEN?

         Daily Quiet Time should be Q.U.I.E.T.

         Let the Holy Spirit prompt you 

                  to take advantage 

                  of the quiet in your life!

HOW?

         Just. Do. Something.

         Talk…. Listen…. Read…. 

         Write… Sing... Play...

Variety can be distracting, 

         routine can be a rut… 

                  be led by the Spirit!

~ May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer. ~

Psalm 19:14

 ~