I Love Thursdays

Thursdays I wake up late. I literally roll out of bed just in enough time to throw some type of lunch into the kids backpacks, make sure something has been inhaled for breakfast and walk them to school. Thursday mornings are usually my most tired mornings, it is the only morning I don't have to be up and showered and ready to go. An example of this tired morning - one of my sons started walking to school with no shoes on and I didn't even notice ;-) Thank God he realized! I can already imagine the teacher conferences next week.

I made myself some coffee, lit my candles and have sat in my office/quiet room watching the sun rise higher and light up the day. This room is really in the best spot of the house. I am going to the Habitat For Humanity Re-Store today to see if they have any office desks on the floor. I really need to figure this room out. I am spending more and more time here, praying, prepping and planning, praying. Always praying.

I did a homily this past Sunday based on Luke 18:9-14

The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector

"To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector.

I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.'

"But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'

"I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." Luke 18:9-14 (NIV)

My first question to the congregation was "Raise your hand if you pray." I got the exact response I expected - only a quarter of the people raised their hand. First - you have to remember we are Episcopalians and being physically demonstrative in any way is an interesting concept ;-) But what struck me as I read the scriptures and prepared my message is that many people don't know what prayer is. Such a common word with extraordinary meaning.

What is prayer?

What is the meaning of prayer?

Why do we pray?

Who should pray?

When do we pray?

For me - prayer is a conversation with God. Now I study prayer, so there are a ton of "formulas" and regimens and acronyms you can follow, I know this to be true. However, for me, my whole life is a prayer. I wake up, in that sleep hazed world of between here and there and my first thought response is "Thank you God for bringing me safely into this new day." "Thank you God for the very breathe I take that sustains my life." And then we go on from there, my God and I talking.

Some days all I can pray is "Thank You". Some days all I can pray is "I surrender". Some days my prayer is pleading for help, for courage, for strength. Some days it is cry of grief and pain for the suffering that abounds in this crazy, broken world we live in. Some days I am in my prayer dancing and singing with such wild abandon that I want to be in the kingdom right then. Some days I realize I am in the kingdom already - if I just had the courage to open my eyes to God.

I pray throughout the day, always and everywhere, sometimes with words, sometimes with actions, sometimes out loud, sometimes silently, sometimes leading others so they might open their heart and mind to God and sometimes so secretly it is just a whisper from my soul to my Creator.

My prayer today is that you might join me. Even if all you say is "Here I am God, I don't know about this prayer stuff." Stay quiet, for just a moment, just 60 seconds and let your prayer rest upon the wind and see where it carries you.