Last night, when I sat down in front of my computer, I intended to write about prayer and about our Lenten study that focuses on prayer. I obviously got a little off topic as I rattled off about my frustrations in healthcare. Funny, I was so calm and planning to discuss prayer and ended up mad about our healthcare system.
I'll try a little harder to stay on topic today!
Last night, we had our first group meeting in our Lenten Study titled "A Season of Prayer."
We started off talking about what prayer means....means to us, means to others, etc. Prayer is different for everyone. We have our standard prayers, those we are taught as children that are permanently engrained in our mind, and those that get a little deeper. We all felt that our prayers and the way we pray has evolved over the years. Deep, meaningful prayers isn't necessarily something that we can be taught...or, that we can teach.
Chad and I (and most in our group) were raised similarly with those taught prayers..."Now I lay me down to sleep..." "God is good, God is great..." Funny, these are not the same prayers we use with our children. Our kids use two different meal time prayers, one is "God is good" but the other is one they learned at school and church, "God our Father." Our bedtimes prayers consist of a prayers that was in one of our baby prayer books and goes like this: "Bless the people that I love, keep them safe from up above. Bless me as I fall asleep on my pillow soft and deep." We also try to talk about any "special prayers" (which range from those who are sick to NFL quarterbacks or college basketball players who have injuries). We finish up with the Lord's Prayer, which Payton has known for some time and Owen is now learning at school. I know they can't understand the meaning of the Lord's Prayer, but it is something that Payton recognizes in our sermon every week, at school, and most recently at the graveside service for Chad's grandmother. It makes my heart melt when I hear their little voices repeating the Lord's Prayer, or any prayers really.
As we discussed it last night, one of our questions was "Growing up, what did you learn about prayer? Who taught you to pray?" I was a little shocked that I couldn't really answer this question. Obviously my parents taught me to pray - they taught me the words to God is Good and Now I lay me down to sleep...(is that correct Mom and Dad?). It is funny to me that I can't remember this because prayer was always important. I remember praying at bedtime and mealtime....and this is something I always did and still do...so, I know that they taught me! I think the point is that they taught me to pray early enough that I can't even remember a time without prayer. I am hopeful that Payton and Owen will be able to say the same thing one day.
My distinct childhood memories involve a few older people from my church...like our former pastor, Rev. Grady Barringer, who gave me a picture of Jesus when I was little...really little, but old enough to remember. I think the picture is still on my mirror in my room at home (Mom??). I can't remember if the Lord's Prayer of the 23rd Psalm is on the back...but, one of them is there. I will never forget that memory. I thought that little card was so important!
I also remember that we had marbles with the golden rule printed on them. "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." Obviously, the point was to remind us of the Golden rule, but I think everyone was supposed to have the marble in their pockets. I can remember asking people if they had their marble and they always did. My dad used to carry his in his pocket. I am guessing he doesn't anymore, but I could be wrong. That was only about 25 years ago!
One of my fondest childhood memories is my grandmother with her Bible...and, I think it is great that Chad and I have similar memories. I know I have talked about my grandparents a million times....this is my dad's mother, my Nannie Helen. She was deaf and didn't get to attend church until after my Uncle David passed away (because she provided 100 % daily care to him 100 % of the time for 50 + years....just one of the reasons she is the most amazing person I know). Anyway, my grandmother stayed up late every night...I think she always watched the 11:00 news before going to bed (and most Carolina basketball games). Her Bible ALWAYS sat right beside her chair, right beside her phone. The bible I remember probably hadn't always been her bible because I remember that it was large print! I can remember many times that we would stop by her house late at night and she would be sitting in her chair reading her bible (or perhaps sleeping with her bible resting on her plump little belly!). Since she was deaf, you could "sneak" up on her...she wouldn't hear you until you started in the door...which is probably why we saw her actually reading her bible so much. I wasn't old enough, or perhaps mature enough, to know to ask her these questions before she passed away...but, I wonder how many times did she read the bible? What was her favorite story? What was her favorite verse? Oh, how I wish I had known to ask!
Last night was a great discussion and provided a great time to reflect on prayer and what it means to each of us. We discussed the saying of the Lord's prayer and what it means and how we feel when we say it. We discussed our more in depth personal prayers. We discussed those times that praying was the only thing we knew to do, in those tough situations, which some of us know better than others. It was refreshing to discuss this with friends.
During our sermon this past Sunday and in our small groups this week, we were challenged and encouraged to try a new form of prayer during Lent. Each morning, we were asked, as a congregation to attempt using the method known as Lectio Divina. My women's bible study has talked about this in the past and we have done several exercises with Lectio Divina. I was excited to hear it mentioned in our sermon. Lectio Divina is a way to prayerfully read scripture. A way to open your heart and mind to listen for God's spirit and allow God's spirit listen for you. Our leader in bible study taught us to use Lectio Divina by reading a short passage of scripture three time...each time read it, think about it, pause, reflect and then do this again. It is really powerful and a way to use scripture in prayer in a way that you may have never done before. Verses take on a whole new meaning!
Each evening, we are asked to use the method of examen. Examen is a time of prayer and reflection that allows us to think back though our day and reflect and learn from them. Specifically being very aware of all aspects of your day and thinking about frustrations, grateful moments, moments you were not grateful. Deep reflection on these parts of your day will allow you to see how God was at work.
I have done a great job over the past 24 hours with staying off facebook most of the day. I have been impressed that the last two times I logged on, I was greeted with the post of a friend who had shared a prayer. It is funny how these things are right in front of you just when you need them. One I shared last night about parenting and the other was about focusing on God's will in our lives, which is exactly what I shared in our group last night.
Amazing how God is at work...all the time...in all aspects of our lives.
Feel free to steal some of our prayer habits over the next 6 weeks. I am excited to see what deeper relationships come out of the next few weeks and our study together.
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