Good Morning, God

As I drove back into my regular life on Monday morning, I found myself saying my now habitual good morning to God and my thanks for the small things in life - a good car, the shining sun, electric heat, etc.

This Monday I noticed something. I had not said these things out loud all weekend. I had asked for prayer cover, but I had not done the same for myself. My mind tried to go to the usual place of beating myself up over my lack of spirituality, but it was immediately blocked by the thought - it was all covered.

It was all covered.

As I look back, I know that my spirit was praying. And I know that I was awash in the prayers of my community. I was able to focus on my friends and family, tending them in the ways God knew they needed me to be there for them.

Because I live a shared life, perhaps it is not always ME who needs to be on my knees praying. Maybe sometimes my prayers look like making phone calls for an auto part when I was "supposed" to be boutique shopping with my friend. Maybe sometimes my prayers look like listening to a friend talk until midnight about the amazing ways God provides and the enemy tries to tempt.

I don't know if this is true, but it encourages my soul. It gives me encouragement to keep doing the hard work of building a true Christ centered community. I need people to carry me. I cannot cover all the bases on my own.

I need to know it is all covered.

Too Much Drama

Nothing in life seems to go off without a hitch.

This morning John discovered that the trailer and passenger load would overload the tow vehicle by almost a ton. 2000 extra pounds! And yet he calmly opened Internet Explorer and began searching for a car trailer that would be somewhere close to the current location of the car.

Perhaps I worried enough for the both of us. (That seems to be my role in this relationship.)

But I also prayed. I asked God for guidance and a way out of this sticky situation. And He provided.

When John let out a sigh of relief, I knew he had been a bit worried, too. But he didn't let that overwhelm his ability to tend to the situation. (That seems to be his role in this relationship.)

And I had to wonder: is this What Jesus Would Do? What He DID DO for us as he walked toward the Garden and toward Calvary?

I am such a Martha. I want to be busy worrying the details so that others won't even notice all the little things going on in the background. It's part of what makes me perfect for my job, but leaves me not a little stressed out in my daily life.

"Truly I tell you...." Jesus spoke plainly. He knew what was before him both in his circumstances and in the hearts of his friends. He knew all the drama that would unfold in his last days. And yet he calmly tends to the situation, setting right everything he can, speaking clearly about what was to come.

During this season, how do I slow my pace and my passions so as not to become overwhelmed by the drama of my life? How do I tend to the situations before me calmly and in-tend-tionally? How do I turn my gaze to the one who knows all that is before me?

Lord, help me to slow my pace so I may listen well to your tending!