Thankful Thursdays

Today I am thankful for prayer. It's really an amazing thing. I feel like the past few weeks have been so full of goodness, along with so many difficult times for friends. I don't know how I could handle it all without prayer.

Psalm 37:7 tells us:

Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for HIM.

I don't know how many times a day I tell my children to be patient. We sing our song about patience at least once a day (sometimes I feel like I sing it all day long). But, how difficult is it for us to be patient as we wait on the LORD as we are instructed.

I'm not only talking about the big things, but the little things as well.

Prayer is one of the best ways I can remind myself to slow down. A few years ago, shortly after Murray was born, I challenged myself to pray before I responded to a situation I would normally lose my temper in. I've fallen away from this practice and recently reminded myself of it.

It's much easier to ask the Lord to guide you in your discipline and then deal with the puddle of water in the bathroom (puddle may be an understatement) or to not respond to the screaming between siblings by raising my own voice to get their attention. I am called to be a teacher, to be a parent, mostly to show God's love. The best way I can do this is to pray before each response.

So, this week I've prayed for a friend who's getting ready to move, for a friend who's waiting to find a job, for a friend of a friend who died in childbirth leaving behind a loving husband, 3 sons and a precious newborn daughter, I've prayed for so many of my friend's who are anticipating the arrival of babies, for a friend who's now survived her husband 6 months, for a friend's aunt who's having a tumor removed from her brain, for a friend with breast cancer, for our economy, for our nation's leaders, for my children, for my husband...and for myself, for patience, for guidance, for peace in my decisions, to be content with what I have.

I'm not sure how I could make it through a day without prayer. Not sure how I can handle the daunting task of raising my children in this world filled with temptation, sadness and sin. As we've entered Lent I've reminded myself to spend even more time in prayer, focusing on God's love and His plans for my life.

It's much easier to leave the big and little things in the hands of the creator, although it's hard to relinquish control, it's certainly easier than trying to multi task the planet's orbiting with my meal planning! I will just wait on the Lord and His plans for me and the ones I love (especially this wiggly sweet baby girl I'm so anxious to meet!)