National Day of Prayer, May 6, 2010

Often, our prayer life consists of requests and deals. When we are short on cash or need a vacation, we talk to God a little more than when we have money left after the bills are paid or when we book the $7,000.00 Disney Vacation. When we have a migraine or one of our children is sick, we tend to strike deals with more enthusiasm than a realtor in the years 2008-2010. Unfortunately, we often think of prayer as a way out rather than a way in. It is "human nature" to forget that God is there to talk to at any time of day in any circumstance. Fortunately, a quality of his mercy and grace is that he is quick to take us in, no matter how far we stray. I pray daily. Most of the time, I pray alone or with my children. I also pray with my husband, but I find that we pray together more when we "need" something than when "life is good". As a unit, we forget that "life is good" because of our Lord, and we should talk to him together to thank and praise him, but also to ask for guidance, wisdom, and strength. We may not "need" material things, but we certainly need the other things. We are raising two pre-adolescent daughters, and this alone calls for lots of guidance, wisdom, and strength!

So, today, I pray for wisdom, guidance, and strength to get through my days, but I also pray prayers of gratitude. I thank God for my family. I praise Him for walking with us through all of the "hard times" and for his promise to walk with us, no matter how hard times get in our futures. I thank God for my health and the good health of those whom I love dearly. I thank Him for dying on His cross so that when our health fails, we can live eternally with Him. I thank Him for my friend Gina, whom I spoke with today about everyday things AND about her daughter's first birthday. I praise Him for bringing Gina and Peyton through some very scary times in the months and weeks before Peyton was born. I thank Him for giving me friends like Gina...and Christie...and Paula...and Stacie...and Deann...and my husband, Marc, among so many others.

Today is our National Day of Prayer, and I find comfort in knowing that we live in a country that can actually acknowledge a day of prayer without extreme governmental oppression. However, it saddens me that this day may rank right up there with Christmas and Easter, as far as the spirituality of many in our country. I openly admit that I tend to save my prayers for the "hard times", but I also know that it is prayer that gets me through each day, whether a horrible Monday or a fabulous Friday.

I try to spend my daily "quiet time" in my glider rocker. I usually have my Bible and notebook in my lap rather than a baby, these days, but the rocker reminds me of the huge evidence of God's will, grace, and mercy in my life. I also pray prayers of thanks as I run or walk the 2.2 mile course at the park. It keeps me going as I look up to the sky, whether it is blue or cloudy, and it is there that I feel closer to God than anywhere.


It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
to sing praises to your name, O Most High;

—Psalm 92:1

Enter his gates with thanksgiving,and his courts with praise!Give thanks to him; bless his name!—Psalm 100:

"The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in Him" - Nahum 1:7

Blessings

"The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in Him" - Nahum 1:7
NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER THIS THURSDAY, MAY 6th!

The message above was emailed to me on Monday morning from my girls' principal. I have waited YEARS to be able to actually say that out loud and put it in writing, and now it is our reality. We are not wealthy, and we certainly have had struggles in many areas of our lives, but we are blessed to be able to send our girls to a school that is based on Christian principals and bathed in open prayer daily. Prayer is the cornerstone of our lives. We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us (Phillipians 4:13).

More to come.....carpool calls........