Prayer

I am a prayer.  You're probably thinking I said prayer when actually I said pray-er.  That's deep, either way.

As I continue this relationship I find I talk to God more often, and try to listen more often too.  If prayer is communication with God I seem to do it a lot.  It's mostly me doing the talking.  Sometimes I'm making requests.  Sometimes I have questions.  Mostly it is me just chatting.  I suppose if you were to listen in it would sound like a phone conversation where you can't hear what is being said on the other end.

"How's it going?"
...
"I am doing ok.  Did you hear what happened to me today?"
...
"I know, I know, I know."
...
"I'm curious why this happened at ______ tonight.  Was it because of _____ or _____?"
...
"Come on.  You can tell me."
...
"OK.  I need to go to bed.  I'll call you in the morning."

Pretty mundane.

Other times it's much more traditional or even liturgical but it always seems to be a part of my day.  I was not always this way.  I used to find it difficult to pray.  Now it seems like that is all I do.  The last while I have been joining everything I can, going everywhere I am invited, and doing everything asked of me in an attempt to find a place where I "fit".  I think it's time for me to scale it back a little.  After this brief burst of exploration I have discovered I am a pray-er.  I like to pray.  Our Friday morning prayer time has become quite important to me.  It is one of the things I will keep as I scale back on other things.

My mom is a pray-er.  She would describe herself as an intercessor, of the somewhat charismatic persuasion.  I am not.  But I finally have a glimpse of where she is coming from.  I remember her telling me years ago that prayer is to an intercessor what candy is to a child.  That's a cool thought.

I will continue to pray.  I will talk and I will listen.  It's been said that prayer is an activity that changes the heart of the pray-er more than the heart of God.  I can't say if that's true or not, but I suspect the more time you spend with someone, the more you will become like that person.  I can live with that.

Lord, let my life be a prayer to You.
I'll call You in the morning.