Prayer Pause

There is so much I’m supposed to be doing this morning.  In fact, I didn’t work today just to make sure that I could get it all done. 

Last week was Halloween and I need to put all that away. 

We had a party at the house and three school parties and I need to find safe places for those new favorite crafts till next year.  Not to mention finally put away my serving dishes. 

I was out of town over the weekend for a girls trip so I’ve got to unpack. 

And catch up on laundry. 

I’ve got work to do with scheduling my other three jobs.  Talk to bosses, quit one, confirm others, move one, etc.  You know, basically making sure the calendar is straight for the next two weeks or life will be chaos. 

Not to mention scheduling all the stuff for church that has to have attention now that it’s November and the “just get through October and then I’ll handle it” plan was put in place.  Because I got through October.  And now I need to handle it…

I’ve got to work on our family reunion for next year.  It’s going to be here in Kansas City and I am ridiculously excited about it.  So, the husband and I are going hotel shopping today. 

And I’ve got to catch up on this!  I knew I wasn’t going to post last week because Halloween is a holiday in this house and gets all the attention of one.  But now I’m back and have experiences to chronicle, recipes to share, and more party ideas/tips to possibly help someone take the plunge and host one this season. 

BUT, sometimes, you’ve got take a second and cry.  Whether tears of sadness or joy or both.  For your friend whose baby died, the anniversary is approaching, and you get to see the pictures of her beautiful little nugget, grinning for the camera, waiting for her in Heaven. 

You smile and you cry and you pray.  For comfort and for His presence and for the joy to be present in the tears.  Even ten years later. 

You cry because an old High School friend whose raw, real, and stunning poetry captured her heartbreak and journey got married over the weekend.  And even though you’ve drifted pretty far apart, you want to shout ‘Congratulations!’ from the mountaintops.  Because a new family has been made and children are smiling and grandparents are giddy and there’s peace and laughter and joy in the smiles of the bride and groom. 

And you say a prayer of Thanksgiving and ask that their transitions will be smooth and that all the family will always and only be an ‘us’ now.  And never a ‘them’. 

Or for the friend whose husband passed.  And today is his birthday.  You take seriously her admonition to do something for someone else today that will bring a smile.  And you pray because you know that even though they got lots of good years in, she wishes they had more.  And you do to. 

So you pray for comfort and funny memories and good dreams tonight that will be a balm. 

I have so much to do and will get it done, including my ‘real’ posts for this week.  But before I dive into the busy-ness, I take five minutes, ten minutes, fifteen, to pray for my sisters.  And my brothers.  Those whose days are blazing with light.  And those that will be shadowed. 

That is my favorite thing about prayer.  It can be lengthy.  It can be fast.  But all are heard.  And all are from the heart.  May your day start with prayer.  For yourself or your kids or friends or strangers.  Take the five minutes or five seconds to intercede or rejoice with someone. 

And then get the day done.