Before I get in trouble, I've got to give a shout out to my man, MC Hammer. Thanks for the title, you know I had your album memorized in junior high.
Now, moving on past that bit of nostalgia. Here we are in India and waiting on a lot to be decided about our future. Our American friends are all moving on to new places and we're staying on until we know for sure where we are supposed to go and what kind of business we're supposed to start when we get there. So, what's an independent, hard-working girl supposed to do to get things done around here? to move things forward? Absolutely nothing.
Not quite true. The other night, over a literal temper tantrum, God reminded me of a very important thing (through my incredibly gifted and talented husband, by the way). I'm supposed to pray. Well, Duh! Now, anybody who even pretends that there is an Almighty will say that this is an important -- many would say THE most important -- thing to do in any situation. And they'd be right. I've said it myself. Today, I got sick of it. How in the world would a God who brought me here to this place, blessed me with gifts and talents, gave me a healthy body and strong mind, want me to 'just' pray? Doesn't He need me for something bigger than this? Doesn't He want me to make some big decisions? Step up and move things along? Figure it all out? Nope. Well, isn't that anticlimactic?
Now I have a history of God having to take my ego down a peg or two. I've made quite a challenge of it. So, when I was reminded (yet again) of the fact that I can't DO anything, I threw a fit. In the middle, Chris asked oh so gently, "Em, can you really think of any higher calling?" The answer . . . after a little more cry and a little more pout was, "No, of course not. But I can't think of a harder one, either." It's sure tempting to skip out on the hard work of prayer and waiting on God and just do something ourselves, isn't it? Or maybe it's just me.
Yes, I've heard all of the great ideas about the importance of prayer. I've even spouted them off to others and truly believed that I believed them. Now, when it really matters, when I can prove it, I wuss out. I complain and try to short-cut my way out of patiently going to God and partnering with Him in this life that's His anyway.
So, here I am . . . praying. Because in the end, there's nothing else I can do. Even if I think there is. Even if I want there to be. And really, I'd rather be praying than not. The amazing thing is that my God still listens to me and still acts. Even when I forget.
And now for some gratuitous cute-kid pics! The kids ready to save the world (complete with ninja stars, Darth Vader slippers, cape, and juice bottle).
Now, moving on past that bit of nostalgia. Here we are in India and waiting on a lot to be decided about our future. Our American friends are all moving on to new places and we're staying on until we know for sure where we are supposed to go and what kind of business we're supposed to start when we get there. So, what's an independent, hard-working girl supposed to do to get things done around here? to move things forward? Absolutely nothing.
Not quite true. The other night, over a literal temper tantrum, God reminded me of a very important thing (through my incredibly gifted and talented husband, by the way). I'm supposed to pray. Well, Duh! Now, anybody who even pretends that there is an Almighty will say that this is an important -- many would say THE most important -- thing to do in any situation. And they'd be right. I've said it myself. Today, I got sick of it. How in the world would a God who brought me here to this place, blessed me with gifts and talents, gave me a healthy body and strong mind, want me to 'just' pray? Doesn't He need me for something bigger than this? Doesn't He want me to make some big decisions? Step up and move things along? Figure it all out? Nope. Well, isn't that anticlimactic?
Now I have a history of God having to take my ego down a peg or two. I've made quite a challenge of it. So, when I was reminded (yet again) of the fact that I can't DO anything, I threw a fit. In the middle, Chris asked oh so gently, "Em, can you really think of any higher calling?" The answer . . . after a little more cry and a little more pout was, "No, of course not. But I can't think of a harder one, either." It's sure tempting to skip out on the hard work of prayer and waiting on God and just do something ourselves, isn't it? Or maybe it's just me.
Yes, I've heard all of the great ideas about the importance of prayer. I've even spouted them off to others and truly believed that I believed them. Now, when it really matters, when I can prove it, I wuss out. I complain and try to short-cut my way out of patiently going to God and partnering with Him in this life that's His anyway.
So, here I am . . . praying. Because in the end, there's nothing else I can do. Even if I think there is. Even if I want there to be. And really, I'd rather be praying than not. The amazing thing is that my God still listens to me and still acts. Even when I forget.
And now for some gratuitous cute-kid pics! The kids ready to save the world (complete with ninja stars, Darth Vader slippers, cape, and juice bottle).
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