Silly Prayers

I don't know that silly prayers even exist, but recently I've felt like I've prayed some that were just that . . . silly. A few months ago, I attended back to back women's conferences in Colorado Springs. The first was a leadership conference and the second was a Beth Moore Living Proof Live event. Friday was a big day. I would spend the morning at the hotel finishing up the leadership conference, then later that evening I would attend a huge arena for the Beth Moore event.

As I stood in the bathroom getting ready for the day, I looked in the mirror and prayed. "Lord, I know this is silly, but it would be so cool if I could talk with Beth Moore today." I attended the morning sessions at the leadership conference and headed to the main session room for lunch. We had an unannounced, surprise speaker . . . Beth Moore! To make a long story short, there was a question and answer time and I was able to ask the last question.

After Beth Moore had left the room, I looked at the two women sitting next to me. "This is really silly, but this morning I prayed that I could talk to Beth Moore today." Well, get out the kleenex, these two women laughed and cried and were amazed at how God worked. One of the women, another Beth, said that my prayer was not at all silly and that God knew that I would talk to Beth Moore that day. She believed that God had prompted me to pray, knowing that He would provide. Wow, never thought of it like that!

A few days ago, I prayed another prayer that I would categorize as silly. Owen and I love to walk out to the mailbox together and get the mail. He likes to open the mailbox and carry the mail inside. Recently, he wanted a little more involvement. He wanted mail! Very sweetly he asked, "Mom, is there any mail for me today?" My heart was breaking! "Lord, that would be so great if Owen could get some mail of his own." I had it all figured out, I would send him some mail in the next couple of days. Then I remembered, God is in the business of answering prayer--even silly prayers! The very next day, Owen got mail! I don't know why these things continue to surprise me, but they do. Then, as if the postcard from his Mom's Day Out teacher was not enough, the day after that he received more mail, a thank you note from a friend of mine. Wow! Talk about pouring out blessings and giving good gifts!

I am so thankful that I serve a God who cares about every detail of my life. He knows me. He knows what I want, He knows what I need, He knows what is best for me. He loves to give good gifts to me, but He wants me to ask. It doesn't matter if His response is yes, no or not right now, I know He has my best interests at heart.

The Olympics

I am loving the Olympics! Whether it is swimming, running, volleyball, gymnastics or even wrestling, I will watch any and every competition with great enthusiasm. Why is it that every two years I am suddenly passionate about sports?

Maybe it is because the stakes are so high. This is a competition that only comes around every four years. Athletes have trained their entire lives for this one moment. The thrill of victory is so sweet and the agony of defeat is excruciating.

Show me the . . . medals! This event is not about money. There are no trades, no injury lists, no strikes. These athletes compete for the honor of receiving a gold, silver or bronze medal for their beloved country.

Possibly the biggest reason I enjoy watching the Olympics is because I know all my friends, family and neighbors are cheering for the same team. How often does that ever happen! I love going to Facebook and seeing friends in California, Tennessee and even Rockford, Illinois cheering on the same athlete, the same team, the same country.

Well, off I go to see who wins the men's marathon. Although the United States is not a top contender I'm still glued to the screen anticipating the thrill of victory and cheering on the world!

Leadership

I love coordinating our church's annual women's retreat. As the retreat coordinator, I lead a team of about 20 women. We have a great team and it is a joy to serve. A few weeks ago, the women's ministry director at our church gave me a book to read. The book is "Unleashing the Power of Rubber Bands: Lessons in Non-Linear Leadership" by Nancy Ortberg. I'm a little over halfway through the book and have already learned so much. Two statements have hugely impacted me.

1. Have the conversation.
-I avoid conflict at all costs. As a leader, I do not have that luxury. It is my job to deal with any issues or problems that arise. I know that this statement will be popping into my head when my heart wants to turn and run the other way. If I allow God to lead through me and deal with difficult situations in a loving and compassionate way, our team and ministry will be healthier and stronger.

2. The intersection of vision and reality may be one of the greatest tests of leadership.
-This portion of the book really hit me hard. I love to dream. I love to hope for the best. I love to see what could be. Unfortunately, I can't live in this world. I need to dream, I need to hope, I need to see what could be, but I also need to live in reality. Nancy Ortberg says this, "It is having sober eyes and an optimistic spirit, and refusing to chose between the two. It is the good news--bad news moment when you cannot allow one to dismiss the other. They are both true--where we are heading and where we are--but we have to walk through reality in order to move toward the vision. Without that, vision becomes a simple addiction to the emotional high of an imagined future."

Coming this Fall

It's August! My brain hurts a little thinking about all the upcoming changes and new routines in our lives. I was talking to someone on the phone today about my schedule. I told her that there is a lot going on, but it's great! In a few weeks, our schedule will look a little like this . . .

-Mom's Day Out for Owen on Monday and Friday

-Kindermusik for Miles (and mommy) on Monday

-Work on Tuesday and Friday

-Heartbeat (Jr High) on Wednesday

-Bible Study on Thursday

-Church and Jr High Small Groups on Sunday

-Retreat planning sprinkled throughout