Enthusiastically, Dawn

I am grateful for Summer. Grateful for the sunshine and green that is so lavishly spreading itself over the trees and bushes. I’m grateful for the abundant, colorful flowers beautifying the places my eyes wander. Summer is a time of both refreshment and exhaustion. I say that because with so many options and such a short season of lingering light, and lovely weather it’s hard to hold back on taking advantage of the abundance of all that summer offers. We want to squeeze out all we can of Summer days, don’t we?

Summer mornings allow me a change of scenery during my quiet times of reading scripture and spending time with the Lord. I venture outside to the patio, and sit listening to the birds, and taking in the morning’s precious, quiet offerings before the busyness of the day hums louder and louder from the road we live on with morning commuters and vacationing tourists. To be up with the dawn literally brings blessings straight from heaven- I’m convinced it’s true!

During one of these mornings on the patio this past week as I sat-I was bumbling around in Matthew, chapter six and was visited by a few words about praying, and I chiseled them into something resembling a poem.

I have been on a bit of a writing break, meaning I seem to be writing prolifically in my journals but that is it. Ideas, poem seeds, bits and pieces of prose, and daily rambles. This, to me, is a break from writing. I continue to listen as the Lord guides my writing life. Sometimes that feels and looks like I am not doing anything. But I have found that this is needful, and often precedes something new, something previously not experienced. So I wait, listen and enjoy writing for my audience of one in my journals, for a bit and await my next great adventure. Meanwhile, this one felt like it was meant to be shared. So out of the journal page and onto the blog. I hope it is a blessing.

A Word about Prayer

Talking about prayer is not praying.
Reading about prayer, though
possibly beneficial, is not praying.
Praying is praying.

Telling another’s business,
regardless of intention,
is not, after all, praying.
Praying is praying.

Thinking about praying for someone else’s
problem, or for their need
is not the same as praying for them.
Praying is praying.

Judging another’s shortcoming,
sinful behavior, addiction,
or choice, is not praying.
Praying is praying.

Saying the words,
“I will pray for you”,
no matter the sincerity
at the time spoken, is not
the same thing as praying.
Praying is praying.

The best advice, the promise to pray,
our mouths alone do betray
the empty words we too often say.
Instead, Lord, lead us, guide the way.
As you taught the disciples,
teach us, today.

Repeating of matters is
not the same as believing
and trusting the One who came-
who taught we should pray in His
holy name.

As you taught the disciples, Lord-
teach us today.