A Continual Conversation

Prayer should be a continual conversation with the Lord. Why do I start my prayer as if I'm writing a letter? When I spend an entire day in the room with my kids and try to start a new conversation, do I say "Hi .... , first I'd like to say...."? Of course not. I just spit it out. I have a friend, people (including myself) would consider her my bff, who I get to see mostly at church. On Sunday. Or Wednesday. Or an occasional Friday. And there are times we don't get to say "Hi!" We just continue talking to one another as if our conversation never ends. Shouldn't that be how it is with The One who is always with us? Always. With. Us. My conversations with Jesus are continual. I'm constantly asking for his direction on one matter or another, for his grace in situations where I don't see it, or in laughing with him at the antics of my children. Sometimes I get caught up in "appropriate prayer presentation" that I forget I'm not speaking with some magic genie in the air, but I'm in the presence of the Most High God and am talking to him as a friend, a Father, my first Love! So, next time I pray. Perhaps I need to be more aware of what I'm doing and not just the "how" to do it!

What Am I Doing?

Has anyone else ever wondered, "Is this REALLY what being a parent is about?" I'm sitting on the couch at about 10:30 on a Friday morning watching Team Umizoomi with a 3 and 2 yr old. I know...be jealous. I'm slowly coming to the realization that this is ok. This moment is not making me a failure as a mother (or aunt). I often find myself trying to be who people imagine me being. I've often been informed about how fortunate I am to be so "well off" and surely, I can't imagine the challenges others go through that have to work and earn a paycheck and live without a full time baby sitter on hand. (We've lived with my Mother-in-Love our entire married life and that's how she's been viewed by some.) While Grandma is ever so gracious to be such a large part of our lives, she still allows her son and I to be Dad and Mom. These ideas others have about our family dynamics does not change what is true...Parenting is hard. The decisions my hubby and I have to make for our family sometimes drives us to tears and desperation where all we can do is hit our knees and cry out to Father God for direction. So, what am I doing? How am I living a life that glorifies my God and still meets the demands of wife, mother, Worship Pastor, friend, daughter, sister and everything else? I pray. I sing. I smile. I laugh. I cry. I play. I give kisses and hugs and fix boo-boos. I pretend. I make a pretty rockin' fort, if I do say so myself! I love. THAT is what I'm doing. And it is good. ~*Hope*~