Wish-Prayers

Today is gorgeous here in the Northwest. A stellar summer-like day. There are cottonwood seeds flittering everywhere.

I remember this same thing as a child—so many fuzzy seeds wafting by like a snow flurry in summer. I used to catch the seeds in my fingers and make a wish. I also remember blowing the seeds off a dandelion and wishing, too.

Somewhere along the way, I began making prayers out of wishes. Making a wish is still fun. But now I’ve turned vocalizing my heart’s desires into prayers. I call them wish-prayers. Instead of launching a wish into space and hoping in something (really nothing) to make it happen, I began turning my wishes in to prayers, taking my requests to God. I do this at birthdays, too, and have for years.

Today as I watched the cottonwood seeds flutter by on the breeze I remembered my pattern of making wish-prayers. As a child, I’d chase down those seeds so I could grab one, wish and let it go. Today I was content to enjoy the weather without striving.

Then one landed in my lap.

Okay, Lord, I can take a hint.

I lifted up a prayer to the Lord, one thing I’d love to see this year—related to my writing. Then, since I was on a roll and sensed His favor, I lifted up other requests, too.

Wish praying is letting your heart dream, letting yourself hope for something fun or a big blessing. It’s okay. Go ahead, lift up a wish to the Lord. You never know what'll happen to it in His hands.

Lord, I love it when You...

Grace me with the sensations of Your presence.

Hover over me as I pray.

Cover me as I write.

Lead me while I parent.

Kiss me with revelations from the Word.

Speak life to me.

Pour out hope for my future in You.

Give me the dreams in Your heart for me.

Speak or pray through me for someone else.

Embrace me while I worship.

Private Life in God

She's doing it again. My toddler has now begun, again, to take my face in her little hands and give me kisses. When she was about five months old (maybe younger), she would take my face in her hands and bring her open mouth close to me. (I wrote about this in Chicken Soup for the Soul Celebrating Mothers and Daughters--"What's the Word", 2007.) Well, she's doing it again, only this time with a more controlled "kiss." What a punkin!

Reminds me. I have special ways of interacting with the Lord. During my quiet times I meet with Him in certain ways (some familiar and some new). Those private interactions are just between Him and me. Do you have special words or phrases or prayer patterns--using your imagination to meet with Jesus--in your own private life with Him? That is something no one can take away.

When I was a child one day it struck me. Okay, all these adults are telling me to sit still and be quiet. But I can yell as loudly as I want to in my head. Okay, so it's a little rebellious. Here's my point. You can have as much of God as you want. Go after Him and nurture your private life in Him. It's eternal and will be fruitful with His goodness as you pursue Him.

God bless you.

Alone Time

On Mother's Day I took my daughter to the mall and we got her ears pierced. This was a special occasion, just the two of us. A few nights before that, I took another daughter out to a late meal after an evening church service. These are memories I have with each of them, during a time we spent on our own. My littlest one and I have special moments often, but I've been trying to be more purposeful with our time as she is much more interactive than she used to be.

These opportunities with my children are so important. They need time alone with myself and my husband, just to speak freely, laugh and make memories.

It strikes me, though, that lately my alone time with God has been too minimal. And I can easily berate myself for this. But I will choose to remember His grace. I believe God demonstrates Himself to people in a way that they expect Him to (on most occasions). The Word says:

With the faithful You will show Yourself faithful; with the upright man You will show Yourself upright. With the pure You will show Yourself pure; and with the perverted You will appear perverse. (2 Samuel 22:26-27, ModernKJV)

So, I will choose to remember that He is good, because the Word says He is good. I will remember His grace and hope in His mercy. That voice of condemnation has less of a foothold when I do. I also feel drawn the more I consider His goodness.

Like food and water, I need my alone time with God.

Lilacs and Birthdays

God celebrates birthdays! Not His own, because He has no beginning and no end. But yours!

He knows one of my favorite flowers is the lilac. Every year, somehow, He gives me lilacs. (They bloom around my birthday.) One year, I received permission to gather some fragrant flowers from the preschool my daughters attended. Another year, a neighbor offered some. One particular year, my birthday fell on a Sunday. As I entered our church that morning, I saw vases filled with lilacs. What a joy! After the service, I asked for some of the bundles and was blessed to take some home. Where I grew up, I recall lilacs actually waiting to bloom until my special day. God is so faithful. He knows what I like and what will bless me. I sit with my prayer journal and the beautiful flowers, my Bible and a pen and just enjoy His presence for a while.

Last week I asked permission, so this afternoon, I will go snip some blossoms from a piano teacher's yard and carry them home--my special birthday present from the Lord.

Whenever your birthday falls this year, remember He is singing over you, so glad that you were born. He delights in you.

Celebrate.