Friday, March 13, 2015

Spring Break and #practice

Whoppee, we made it to Spring Break!  We have a few things planned but have plenty of time to relax too.  

Today's Lenten reflection was the word PRACTICE.  
Grace, love, kindness, gentleness, forgiveness.  
There's a lot of practice that I should be doing.  I do better some days than others. 
There is one practice though which makes all the others a little easier.   
Prayer.
When I make the time to pray, when I ask God to show up-- He does.  My day doesn't suddenly become easy.  Oh no, it's not free of irritating squabbles between kids, or mundane chores that have to  be tackled, or sad stories that make no sense.  That stuff still hangs around.  But I'm different.  Less ready to add fuel and more prepared to offer peace or at least to just be still and offer grace.

#practice

Oranges?  Yes, oranges. 
 Lucy took this picture yesterday while we did some grocery shopping.  We were trying to make the very best of the hour between her pick up from school and the girls' early release from school.  Which meant a trip to the store during what would usually be LUNCH!  It could have been a disaster...hungry Lucy doing an undesirable chore.  Instead, I handed Lucy my phone to document the trip.  It took a little longer but it was time well spent. 
Before the trip I took some time (while scrubbing floors, changing sheets and conquering laundry) for prayer and the peace I gained paid off in silly but very true way.  
While shopping I got a couple of not so nice looks from really incredibly important, much busier than the rest of the world shoppers who must not like kids with cameras.  Trust me we weren't in anyone's way and to the benefit of every single shopper our trip was meltdown free.
But those looks hurt.
The feelings those looks create can seep into your heart and make grace, love, kindness, gentleness, forgiveness impossible.
Instead a hardened heart spreads distrust, coldness, cynicism and ridicule.  
  Prayer puts me in a place of peace and releases me from fear. 
 I fear judgement.
Even from a total stranger at Trader Joe's.  
Dumb but true.
I know I have too many good things to accomplish to be held down by the fleeting judgmental thoughts of somebody I don't even know.
Prayer saves me.
All the time.








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