At 84 years of age, Mom mentioned her all too quick temper that raises its ugly head whenever even the slightest harm poses threat to one of her loved ones. She confided that there were many days when she was raising my four older brothers and my sister (I came a little later) when household chores and such distracted her from her preferred specific prayer time with the Lord. There were times where all she did was briefly run through the list of thanksgiving and need silently to the Lord as she went about doing the household business of the day. She says that while she knows God still heard her prayer, those days almost always proved more challenging than the days where she had made the time to talk, one on one, through conversational prayer, with God. She'd catch herself being 'touchy' - more easily agitated and as a result, she'd say things she wished she hadn't said and did things she'd regret doing.
The days where her personal time with God was clearly defined, she recalls as having been smoother, even though the challenges of those days were certainly just as physically and emotionally demanding as the days when she would pray on the run.
I don't know about you, but just imagining the daily tasks required to raise five young children makes me quickly aware that there were likely not many, if any, easy days for my Mom. But it was during those harried days of young parenthood when she realized the value of making a special effort to talk with God through intentional prayer. Those difficult days made her recognize the truly good and powerful thing she had going with God because of the personal time she chose to spend with him in prayer.
Dear God,
I wish there were always something clever to say about how I am learning to value our time together, but I know that sometimes the lessons in life are woven within the ups and downs of everyday stuff and don't always come forward like an obvious red bow on a package.
Thank you for the simple, everyday life stuff that makes me realize once again that you care for imperfect me. I thank you that you taught my imperfect Mom that lesson, too, because her decision to make time for you gave me the best imperfect Mom a person could ever hope for.
Help me to latch on, once and for all, to this powerful thing called prayer. Just like my Mom, though my chores are not as difficult as raising five youngsters, I want to be able to sense your presence and ease because I chose to include you in my day. I want to recognize the difference in my day when I don't invite you to join me through prayer. Even if it hurts me, even if I feel worn down and exhausted or fed up and angry, make me well aware of when I overlooked the opportunity of inviting you to join me.
I know that just because I pray to you that everything won't be a piece of cake.
I believe, though, that when I do specifically pray to you, whatever comes my way within that day will be easier to handle as you would like me to handle it. I believe that you can keep my quick temper in check. I believe that time with you will be like having my own personal spiritual trainer by my side that will tell me to stand tall when I feel discouraged and want to give up. I believe that my prayer time with you will better equip me to handle everything that comes my way_ the good will seem even better and the rough patches will miraculously appear doable.
So, make me aware, God. When I've forgotten you by neglecting to really speak with you personally, let me feel it. Whatever it takes, wake me up and help me know to draw near.
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