Praying...

As the afternoon has gone on, I've found my heart distracted by the people and things I'm praying for. Today my heart is praying for:

• two friends who've just welcomed their long-awaited daughter into the world
• my grandma, celebrating 80 years of life
• a friend far away, who yesterday had to make the decision of whether or not to attend church, because he is in a part of the world where Christians are sometimes persecuted, and the church he was invited to attend and give a word at was one of several in the area that received a bomb threat
• a family I'm aware of that lost both mother and one son to cancer within a few days
• a friend looking for work
• and another who will soon be traveling home
• another two friends who are honeymooning,
• and two more with only two weeks to go before their wedding
• provision of just the right people in the office, preferably in a full time role
• some who's hearts are broken
• and others who are celebrating new opportunities
• restoration of family
• health
• and strength
• and daily bread
• for a few who are searching for a place to live
• in gratefulness that I have a cozy place to call home
• the person who comes to mind from a dream long ago
• deeper understanding of dreams, and ability to pray them out clearly.
• the ability to continually choose life, even in those moments it seems most impossible.

My heart is praying...

Scattered...

I am, thus far, having an incredibly scattered morning.

I've been pulled in a thousand different directions so far today, and that's just the work stuff. Never mind all the things floating around in my mind and heart.

I finally slept last night. I also dreamt odd and deep and pulling dreams. It does seem to be one or the other with me. Sleepless, or dreaming. To be honest, I'm not sure which I prefer.

Today is my grandma's 80th birthday. The plans to celebrate are for this coming Saturday, but I wanted to call her today to wish her a happy birthday. She wasn't home. Like so many of her generation, she hasn't quite figured out the total operation of her answering machine. The phone rings 10-12 times before her machine picks up, and then you typically get an annoyling electronic voice that treats each word as if it were a full sentence, "After. Tone. Leave. Message." Today I just got another electronic voice saying her answering machine was full. She also has a cell phone, that one of my aunts decided would be a good security measure for when she's out and about. Trouble is, she has even less ability to use that then her answering machine! She doesn't know the number, and no one else seems to have it either. But that doesn't matter really, since I'm fairly confident that she wouldn't have any idea how to answer a call if she ever managed to turn the phone on and receive one anyway!

My brain is running in a thousand directions. Still thinking about the events of the weekend. Still praying. Considering family, and relationships. Thinking about the dream I woke from this morning and remembering a similar and rather stunning dream a few years back. Realizing that it is once again time for the weekly trip to the soul-sucking grocery mega store. And that I also have to run a few other errands tonight. Running down the list of items remaining in our living room that I must sort through and either unpack or dispose of. Considering the people I need to be in touch with to arrange dinner or tea dates. And those are just the personal things, not the work things!

So, with that, it's back to the "to do" lists that surround me in various forms!

Being Blessed

Another great thought from Henri Nouwen

Being Blessed

Jesus is the Blessed One. When Jesus was baptised in the Jordan river a voice came from heaven saying: "You are my Son, the Beloved; my favour rests on you" (Mark 1:11). This was the blessing that sustained Jesus during his life. Whatever happened to him - praise or blame - he clung to his blessing; he always remembered that he was the favourite child of God.

Jesus came into the world to share that blessing with us. He came to open our ears to the voice that also says to us, "You are my beloved son, you are my beloved daughter, my favour rests on you ." When we can hear that voice, trust in it, and always remember it, especially during dark times, we can live our lives as God's blessed children and find the strength to share that blessing with others.