It is time once again for the Photo of the Month!
In September we went to Hawaii. We took the kids. I let Hope take pictures this trip. I told her to take pictures of whatever. I downloaded the pictures she took and found this one. When I mentioned it to her…She said that she knew I would be the one to download the pictures. She wanted me to know that she loved me.
Check in at Hearts Reflections for other Photos of the Month.
This month at What’s On Your Mind ‘09 we are talking about Prayer. I don’t think I am following the directions very well but I am talking about Prayer, Praying, Pray. Last week I covered Prayer, you can find that HERE, if you want.
Today I am talking about Praying.
I pray a couple of ways.
One way is the conventional by myself in a room. Deep in thought, Deep in meditation, Reminding God that I know who He is, I know what He has done for me, I Praise Him, I Apologize and Ask for Forgiveness.
I Pray…
for my friends,
for my family,
for my country,
for my church,
for healing for all the ills in the world.
Another way is my crazy way. It just comes out, usually when I am driving and I have been singing to Jeremy Camp, Third Day or many of my other favs….All of a sudden I’ll say something like….
“Lord, I lift up _____ to you. I ask you to let your light and love touch those kids in her son’s class” or “Father, Please help _____ with their job hunt. Let your favor pour down on ______.”
Most of the time the “crazy way” is intercessory. Although recently I had been praying for a little boy that had cancer. I remember standing in a store, doing everyday life, when my phone beeped that I received an email. When I opened it and the words that he had gone home to Jesus where on the screen. I thought about asking “WHY?” instead I prayed for continued strength for his family and loved ones. It didn’t stop the tears that silently fell but I did all I could do, all alot of us could do….we continued Praying.
What is Praying to you?
Praying to me is talking to my best friend.
Praying to me is sitting under his shelter crying.
Praying to me is Fellowship with my Creator, Father, Spirit and Jesus!
Praying to me is just part of who I am.
I was thinking.
I was wondering.
Why do you Serve? I’m not talking Tennis or Volleyball.
Why do you serve at the Shelter, Mission, Clinic, School, Church?
Do you serve because it is your gifting? The Lord put it in your heart to read to 2nd graders, serve soup, organize the thrift store, greet people at church or whatever way it is that you serve.
Is it All for God? For His Kingdom? Because you Love your Neighbor, Friend, Church?
Or Do You Serve to say….
I do This….
I do That….
I have this Planned…..
What are your motives?
Do you serve because you want to or because you have to?
To Who’s Glory goes the benefits of your service?
YOURS
or
GODS
I will explain why I ask on Wednesday.
I am a planner. I like things figured out, taken care of and done so that I can move on. This pretty much describes alot of aspects of my life. Bill Paying, Grocery Shopping List, Nail Appointments, Work, etc. You get the idea.
I was informed the other day that I need to learn how to “Fly by The Seat of My Pants”. That made me think that I wasn’t spontaneous. So I decided to look up the word and refresh my memory….You all know how much I love dictionaries.
Spontaneous-
| 1. | coming or resulting from a natural impulse or tendency; without effort or premeditation; natural and unconstrained; unplanned: a spontaneous burst of applause. |
| 2. | (of a person) given to acting upon sudden impulses. |
Well After reading that I must admit that over all I am NOT Spontaneous. I don’t give in to my “Sudden Impulses” anymore.
I use to, when I was younger. Why I remember a girlfriend and I at 17 left our house at 1am and decided to go to Tahoe. Just a 5 hour drive. Luckily we had her boyfriend and his brother with us. It was Labor Day weekend. This was back in the day of no cell phones. We did leave a note for our parents that we had left and would be back. I had a blast that weekend, I was Spontaneous. I was also in TROUBLE!
Now in my forties I have a tendancy to get trips planned out. Request time off of work, Flights booked as soon as they go on sale, Hotels reserved, rental cars or transfers reserved and paid for. I usually do this all about 5-6 months before the trip. But once all of that stuff is planned I relax and have a blast. I love to go…I think I am a pretty easy guest. I don’t require 24 hours of entertainment. I also enjoy being alone.
After analyzing the definition and looking at my habits for the last 10 years or so, I have a response to my friend….
I DO FLY BY THE SEAT OF MY PANTS….I JUST PLAN IT OUT 3 OR 4 MONTHS IN ADVANCE.
Are you a Planner? Are you more Spontaneous?
This month’s topic for What’s On Your Mind ‘09 is…
Pray/Prayer/Praying
This week I am looking at Prayer.
I really wanted to see some “official” definitions of this word.
Prayer-noun
1. a devout petition to God
2. a spiritual communion with God, as in supplication, thanksgiving, adoration, or confession.
3. the act or practice of praying to God.
4. a formula or sequence of words used in or appointed for praying: the Lord’s Prayer
So Now that we got that out of the way….
I would really like to hear what you think about Prayer.
Does the above definition cover your thoughts?
Is it a gift to be able to talk to our Lord?
To take our praise, questions, and concerns to Him directly.
Is it uncomfortable to join others in Prayer?
In the last couple of weeks I have sent out a couple of prayer requests. I had asked my friends and family to pray for my family, for this weight that I was feeling. The response I received was amazing and 4 days after my initial Prayer request I had amazing break-through. So my closing sentence will tell you what I truly think about prayer….
PRAYER ROCKS!!!!
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