Going through the mud

It has been a very rainy May around here. So much so that whenever my daughter and I are able to get out for a walk, we do it, otherwise we may not be able to for another couple of days. Because of the rain, many of our routes there is mud or puddles on the sidewalk/trail and you have to go through them. I always feel that I become super aware of my footing and slow down when coming across this. Now, I could choose to just stop and turn around, but we would not have the opportunity to see and experience all that we do and eventually get to our destination. So going through a bit of mud is worth the efforts. 

There are times in our prayer lives that we are being asked to carefully walk through a bit of mud. Perhaps there is "nothing" going on, but God is simply asking you to slow down and focus on Him. Or maybe there are changes or challenges in life currently - rather than giving up and saying "Nope...not going to even try!" God is inviting you to walk through it with Him. Once we get through the mud, we are able to walk more confidently the rest of the journey and get to our destination of ultimately heaven.

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Lord God, 

I recognize that right now I may see a bit of mud before me, but there is a much better destination ahead that I am working towards. I need you to guide me through this mud carefully so I can grow closer to you and not give up even if I feel like I may slip. 

In your name,

Amen.

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Simply a little pencil in God's hand,

Elizabeth

Going to a good ole favorite

There are some days that everything seems to go right and then some days where everything seems to go in the opposite direction of that. I find on these no so great days to regroup with some tried and true good ole favorites - favorite music, favorite movie, favorite books, etc. I know all the lyrics to those favorite songs and can belt them out. I can quote all the best lines from the movie and laugh all the more with every time I watch. I can find the pages that the best parts of my favorite book and paint the scene vividly in my mind. Though it doesn't usually make the day all of the sudden better, it for sure boosts my mood and helps re-frame my focus. These favorite things can also be a bit of a warm, comforting and gentle hug for the soul when things feel chaotic. I know how these favorite things will go...as I have listened, watched, and read them hundreds of times before. 

There are times we can get in a funk with our prayer lives. Maybe God does not seem as close as He once did or entering prayer has been difficult for one reason or another. I think when this happens, we are invited to go back to a good ole favorite prayer. Praying it may not make you immediately feel God or get out of your funk, but I think it can help re-frame our thoughts and get back to simplicity.  What is one of your good ole favorite prayers that helps you when you are feeling in a spiritual funk?

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"I still believe in Your faithfulness

I still believe in Your truth

I still believe in Your holy word

Even when I don't see, I still believe" 

--Jeremy Camp, "I Still Believe" 

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Simply a little pencil in God's hand,

Elizabeth

Thrift store finds

About a decade ago now some friends introduced me to the world of thrift store shopping. Truthfully, I was a bit skeptical in that I usually like to know before going to the store what things I should be able to find. However, after a couple trips, I got hooked. There is something about going in and not knowing what exactly you will walk out with - even if you have a general idea of what you hope to find. The process of this type of shopping takes a bit longer than going to a regular store as you have to look deeply into everything. Now, not every trip did I find what I was hoping for, but 99% of the time I walked away with a new treasure. 

There are times when I enter into prayer with a list of things I hope to accomplish and questions I hope God will answer. But, the reality is prayer can be like entering a thrift store where you do not know exactly what you will find each time despite what you hope. Just like with this type of shopping, it takes time and looking around to find the treasures when we pray. I cannot expect to give God only 2 minutes and expect to walk away with dozens of gifts. We have to sift through the richness of Him and discover all the great things He has for each of us. More often I believe we find not what we had set out to find, but something better. A treasure that will carry with us for many years to come.

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God, sometimes I enter into prayer with my own list of hopes and things to find. I will put aside this list and spend time simply looking into your love, words through scripture, and enjoying my time with you. In your name, Amen.

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Simply a little pencil in God's hand,

Elizabeth

The slow light

I am very fortunate that I do not have to do much driving. When I do have to drive, more often than not it is a short and quick trip on the same couple dozen streets. Recently, there has been a light on one of my routes that has seemed to change the timing. It used to be pretty sensitive to a car that just came up and would change pretty quickly. Now, regardless of the number of cars, it takes a good solid minute to change if I do not hit the light just right.

A minute does not seem like a long time, but when you have been used to something happening quickly it seems like an eternity. Truth be told I have found myself annoyed at times by the fact that I have to wait a whole minute for the light to change. But over the past couple weeks with the pause at the light I have decided to sit in that "painful" moment and be quiet and still.

This time of the year we are so busy with graduations, kids wrapping up their school year, and numerous other things that it can feel like we are only rushing from one thing to the next. It is easy to over-extend ourselves and feel exhausted in the process. It is easy to not be so sensitive to God's presence because of being so occupied that we forget to pause in His presence. So, though it started as a nuisance, that slow light has become a blessing to take a minute for God to just be and pause. For that, I am grateful.

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Thank you God for those slow lights that take a long time to change! I thank you for being present in those quiet and slow moments while everything else seems to be rushing around me. Help me to always take time to pause and return to you God. 

Amen.

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Simply a little pencil in God's hand,

Elizabeth

Hitting the power button

Recently one of my teachers asked for my help with her computer. It was not doing anything and couldn't figure out how to even get it to turn on. We played with cords and finally decided let's just try the power button again...for the 3rd/4th time. As we did this I decided why not pray too..."Come Holy Spirit, Come Holy Spirit."

Sure enough it turned on and began working like there was never an issue. She asked me how did I fix it and I said, "I literally pushed the power button and prayed." We both chuckled to ourselves about praying over the computer to get it to work, but God truly intervened!

I think in our lives there are moments that we need to turn off/turn on again the power button on ourselves and call upon the Lord to come on in. We have so much happening in our lives we need to sometimes reset ourselves so we can operate at full capacity again. This may sound like, "Oh, I have to go on a weekend retreat and get away from everyone." Perhaps yes, maybe that is what is needed. But I think it can be as simple as going for a walk without your phone and praying. It can also be as simple as curling up in bed with a good spiritual book and then taking a long nap. Maybe it is as easy as saying in the moment, "Come Lord Jesus, Come!" Just this little reset can add fresh eyes and perspective to the day.

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Lord, 

Help me to turn off the outside distractions and things creating anxiety, frustration, or pain and retreat into your love, mercy, and comforting embrace. Allow me to unplug and reset so my focus be back on you, your word, and your love. 

In your name,

Amen. 

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Simply a little pencil in God's hand,

Elizabeth

Icebergs

In the world of special education teachers often talk about behavior of students. In one professional development I had years ago we talked about how behavior is simply the tip of the iceberg of what a student is trying to communicate. That every iceberg you see some of it, but there is so much more going on below the surface. That student who is "all of the sudden" agitated and arguing about a homework assignment may be feeling or enduring way more than what you are seeing. Perhaps that student did not sleep last night due to bad weather and are feeling overtired by the end of the day. Or maybe the boy/girl they like started dating someone else and are feeling upset about it. Just maybe, that student worked hours over the weekend and struggled to complete it because their parent was not around to help them because they were working. It makes any educator pause for a moment to really get down to what is happening.

As we walk among future saints in the making, we all are our own icebergs. You may see that person always coming late and then jetting out right after the final prayer at Mass but not know that they have an hourly job and use their lunch break to attend. Maybe that person seems cold or unwilling to talk because they are doing everything in their power to hold back the tears that will come if they open their mouth and are afraid of being judged or being annoying. Or maybe that person who always seems sad is actually painfully lonely and does not have many friends

There is a song "God Only Knows" by For King and Country that carries this sentiment. In listening to the song the following lyrics bring tears to my eyes:

God only knows what you've been through

God only knows what they say about you

God only knows the real you

But there's a kind of love that God only knows

God only knows what you've been through

God only knows what they say about you

God only knows the real you

There's a kind of love that God only knows

Truly God knows the weight you are carrying. God sees what is beneath the surface of your heart and what is going on even better than we know ourselves. With so much deep beneath the surface of our hearts and souls it is all the more important to pray for one another. Even if you do not know what is going on or "everything seems great" for someone we are called to pray and be loving children. 

So, the next time that person rubs you the wrong way, annoys you, seems to be struggling, or behaves in a way that moves you to sadness or anger - remember they are enduring more than meets the eye. They are a child of God who is loved and made in His image and likeness just like you. 

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Father, You see all of me - my heart, my mind, and my soul. Thank you for loving me and helping me with my suffering and challenges. May I humbly show compassion to every person I come across who has his/her own iceberg. I fully recognizing there is more happening below the surface of what I see with my eyes and desire to see him/her with your eyes to love them more. Amen.

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Simply a little pencil in God's hand,

Elizabeth