I published something this morning about art, but since I don't think I'll get any writing time tonight, I wanted to update you now on my praying.
To read about Day 1 of a Day in the Life of a New Prayer Warrior, click here.
To read about Days 2 & 3 of a Day in the Life of a New Prayer Warrior, click here.
To read the first post in my prayer series Into a Life of Prayer--A Journey, click here.
Here I will chronicle Days 4 & 5:
Day 4 was my day to pray alone. On the other pray-alone days, I started almost immediately after putting the boys to bed (unless there were dishes to do). On night 4, however, I was thinking about the cute, new-hat pictures I wanted to download of my girls. It had been a difficult evening with my older son, and I wanted to drink in the blessing of my girls--in photos.
Now friends, let me tell you, I failed. The Holy Spirit said to me: No! Do it like the other nights. Put God first. No photos, no e-mail, no news, no other writing.
I told myself I would just download the pictures, writing something about them another time--thereby getting to my prayer in a just a few minutes.
But no, my desire to put me first--my desires first--trumped my desire to be a prayer warrior. I ended up writing about what my girls meant to me, instead of getting to the prayer.
In the midst of my post about the girls, Beth woke up coughing from allergy-related post-nasal drip. After settling her back down, my Mary had a night terror, which occasionally happens lately. I held her through it until she fell asleep. While holding her, I fell asleep until Beth cried out again from her room.
You've heard people say you'll never sleep well again until your kids leave home? Yeah. Right on.
I'm not complaining, mind you. I love my little ones. And I'm sure I'll love staying up late, listening to my teenagers pour their hearts out. That is coming, people tell me. Teenagers take up your sleep time too, not with their snotty noses or night terrors, but with their complicated feelings.
I never got back to the living room at all that night. I awoke at 1:30 AM, brushed my teeth and washed my face, and headed back to sleep. If I had attempted to do much more, I probably would have suffered insomnia the rest of the night.
I was horribly disappointed in myself.....but I learned a lot. Always put God first. I can't even entertain other ideas for my time, until I've put God first. To experience all that He has for me, and for my family--in terms of relationship--I simply must put Him first.
The next day I tried to make up for the previous night's prayer time, by praying as I was nursing Beth to sleep for her nap. This is a regular prayer time for me, but not a long one, or a particularly organized one. I kept losing my focus, and never got beyond Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving. My mind skipped around shamefully. It made me realize that my prayer blog is my saving grace, in terms of disciplined prayer. I can focus so well there, praying for thirty minutes without even thinking about it.
The next night, Day 5, was husband and wife prayer night. We got back from church at 8:45 PM, and started putting the children to bed. Peter's OCD flares up after church for some reason, so Sunday night is always emotionally exhausting. As well, the children are all over-stimulated, which makes for afun night exhausting tuck-in time. I can't wait until our schedule allows for morning church!
As soon as the last child fell asleep, I went right to the living room to join my husband. I starting praying as soon as I sat down, so the enemy wouldn't have a single minute to work on me.
I prayed for about fifteen minutes, then it was husband's turn. From sheer exhaustion, I partially reclined in the easy chair as he began praying. I spent time in the sun that day with the children, which always seems to sap my energy.
Not that four young children can sap your energy or anything.
Yeah...it was the sun.
My poor husband.
I actually fell asleep toward the end of his prayer! Can you believe how spiritual I am?
Other than this revealing information, I wanted to tell you about something I'll definitely use for tonight's prayer.
A list.
Yes, in order to consistently pray for the people in my life, I can't do without a list.
I plan on keeping a list taped to the side of the computer, which will include:
- my immediate extended family, husband's immediate extended family
- other family, less known to us
- neighborhood families
- friends from other states
- friends from Ohio
- my online friends
- church acquaintances, pastors
I will rotate praying for all the people and needs on this list.
So, friends, that's my update.
How is it going for you?
To read about Day 1 of a Day in the Life of a New Prayer Warrior, click here.
To read about Days 2 & 3 of a Day in the Life of a New Prayer Warrior, click here.
To read the first post in my prayer series Into a Life of Prayer--A Journey, click here.
Here I will chronicle Days 4 & 5:
Day 4 was my day to pray alone. On the other pray-alone days, I started almost immediately after putting the boys to bed (unless there were dishes to do). On night 4, however, I was thinking about the cute, new-hat pictures I wanted to download of my girls. It had been a difficult evening with my older son, and I wanted to drink in the blessing of my girls--in photos.
Now friends, let me tell you, I failed. The Holy Spirit said to me: No! Do it like the other nights. Put God first. No photos, no e-mail, no news, no other writing.
I told myself I would just download the pictures, writing something about them another time--thereby getting to my prayer in a just a few minutes.
But no, my desire to put me first--my desires first--trumped my desire to be a prayer warrior. I ended up writing about what my girls meant to me, instead of getting to the prayer.
In the midst of my post about the girls, Beth woke up coughing from allergy-related post-nasal drip. After settling her back down, my Mary had a night terror, which occasionally happens lately. I held her through it until she fell asleep. While holding her, I fell asleep until Beth cried out again from her room.
You've heard people say you'll never sleep well again until your kids leave home? Yeah. Right on.
I'm not complaining, mind you. I love my little ones. And I'm sure I'll love staying up late, listening to my teenagers pour their hearts out. That is coming, people tell me. Teenagers take up your sleep time too, not with their snotty noses or night terrors, but with their complicated feelings.
I never got back to the living room at all that night. I awoke at 1:30 AM, brushed my teeth and washed my face, and headed back to sleep. If I had attempted to do much more, I probably would have suffered insomnia the rest of the night.
I was horribly disappointed in myself.....but I learned a lot. Always put God first. I can't even entertain other ideas for my time, until I've put God first. To experience all that He has for me, and for my family--in terms of relationship--I simply must put Him first.
The next day I tried to make up for the previous night's prayer time, by praying as I was nursing Beth to sleep for her nap. This is a regular prayer time for me, but not a long one, or a particularly organized one. I kept losing my focus, and never got beyond Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving. My mind skipped around shamefully. It made me realize that my prayer blog is my saving grace, in terms of disciplined prayer. I can focus so well there, praying for thirty minutes without even thinking about it.
The next night, Day 5, was husband and wife prayer night. We got back from church at 8:45 PM, and started putting the children to bed. Peter's OCD flares up after church for some reason, so Sunday night is always emotionally exhausting. As well, the children are all over-stimulated, which makes for a
As soon as the last child fell asleep, I went right to the living room to join my husband. I starting praying as soon as I sat down, so the enemy wouldn't have a single minute to work on me.
I prayed for about fifteen minutes, then it was husband's turn. From sheer exhaustion, I partially reclined in the easy chair as he began praying. I spent time in the sun that day with the children, which always seems to sap my energy.
Not that four young children can sap your energy or anything.
Yeah...it was the sun.
My poor husband.
I actually fell asleep toward the end of his prayer! Can you believe how spiritual I am?
Other than this revealing information, I wanted to tell you about something I'll definitely use for tonight's prayer.
A list.
Yes, in order to consistently pray for the people in my life, I can't do without a list.
I plan on keeping a list taped to the side of the computer, which will include:
- my immediate extended family, husband's immediate extended family
- other family, less known to us
- neighborhood families
- friends from other states
- friends from Ohio
- my online friends
- church acquaintances, pastors
I will rotate praying for all the people and needs on this list.
So, friends, that's my update.
How is it going for you?
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