On The Practice of Prayer

Sure, we can say, "Praying is easy; it's just talking to God." And yes, I'd agree with that, pray without ceasing, fire off text message prayers to God throughout the day. I also think that there is prayer that goes beyond that. Let me impart my thoughts. I'll start with what Daniel is known for... the small encounter with the lions' den. In Daniel 6 we see that Daniel is distinguished above all the other satraps and presidents of Darius' kingdom and also that the king had planned to set him over the whole kingdom. Jealously arises in the hearts of the satraps and presidents so they aim to find a ground of complaint against Daniel but can find none due to his faithfulness. Note: The faithful shall be found blameless. And so it was that they would have the king sign an ordinance that would put Daniel in the lions' den on account of worshiping God.

Here's where it gets really good:

"When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously."

- Daniel 6:10 (esv)

This is why I admire Daniel and this is where I was challenged this week. It wasn't impossible circumstances or improbable odds, it wasn't a helpless situation or even a sure death sentence that brought him to his knees, but it was habit, it was routine, it was an everyday, disciplined, procedure and proclamation of dependance on the Lord God Almighty that brought his face to the floor in prayer. I started to think about how I react in situations of intense anxiety. I started thinking about how I respond in the face of hardship, or how I respond when the odds seem stacked against me, of how I respond when I feel like I'm about to be eaten by a den of lions. I realized I should respond in the same way that I should respond to any situation. I realized that in every situation, in every single circumstance in every moment of rejoicing, in every season of affliction, my response shouldn't so much be a response as it should be a habit, to get down on my knees, pray and give thanks to my God.

I love that being on his knees in prayer was something that Daniel did often and consistently and I was so challenged to make that a part of my habit... and it radically changed the way that I approach the Father in prayer. There's something about realizing that you are speaking to a completely Holy God that changes your perspective when you pray. There is something about recognizing that you are coming before Him who created all things, holds all things together and has your very breath in His hands that alters the words that you choose to utter in his presence. But at the same time there's this realization that the Holy Spirit of the Holy God is in you and when you can understand that you can understand that this Father is not some far off God who is sitting in heaven saying that you have it all wrong and your prayers are worthless and that your pain is not worthy of His ear. You realize in humility that He is a compassionate God who, in you, can feel the things that you are feeling, who knows and is familiar with the circumstances that surround you, who understands the pain or hardship that you're going through unlike anyone else, because he is the one who paid the price for it. That's when you realize that you are petitioning to the Holy God who is the Holy Compassionate.

Oh, to grasp even in the slightest that we should have a "face to the floor", "depart from me, for I am a man of unclean lips", humility in approaching God while at the same time knowing that He who dwells in us intercedes for us and is more familiar with what we're going through than even we are.

All this to say, in your darkest days, let it be said of you that when your knees hit the floor it's not for the first time. Let it be said that it was in all your days that you were on your knees praying.

"Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known." -Jeremiah 33:3 (esv)

On talking smack.

It's funny how I've been seeing more and more often as I've been reading, that it's the things that I skim over that I end up coming back to and gleaning greatly from. This last week as I was reading Proverbs when I came across the following verse. It was the inspiration to this blog. My conviction was the purpose to its posting.

"A fool gives full vent to his spirit,

but a wise man quickly holds it back."

Proverbs 29:11

I'm not typically the kind to give "full vent" to my spirit. For the most part I'm pretty passive aggressive and have a tendency to hold in feelings until I have time to ponder their source. It's especially important to me that I should not bring up any bitterness within me to others because I know at the root of pretty much all of my begrudging is typically pride and selfishness.

With that said, here are my thoughts on this proverb that stemmed from examining myself. I was pretty fired up upon reviewing my notes today.

It's easy to want to vent to others and complain about other people or situations. I think we talk because we think it will make us feel better, which it does, but at the cost of humility, at the cost of our integrity, and at the cost of our character. Complaining and venting is typically our way of declaring how others have wronged us. More than that though, I think it's our way of defending ourselves, our side, and most of all our pride. I think it's our way of showing how we've been hurt, how we're the victim and how the other party is the culprit. The other party is a total killjoy, completely undeserving of holding a good name in the community. In complaining and venting we take the chance to defend our side and more than that we take the chance to defend our RIGHT to feel the way we do. It's our way of justifying to others why we are right and why the offender is in the wrong.

So, what is the solution? We should say nothing if it is to profit nothing. If you want to complain about something, complain of your own inadequacies. Complain of your own sin. Complain that you're undeserving of the grace of God. If you want to defend something, defend the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Spend your words on the glory of Him who bled on the cross for your sake or spend them on nothing at all. Idle speech embitters. Rash words are like the jabbing of a sword but the tongue of the wise brings healing. We are all sinners. We are all equally unworthy of salvation. Thank God for the grace by which we have been forgiven and in which we can now forgive others.

"Good sense makes one slow to anger,

and it's his glory to overlook an offense."

Proverbs 19:11

My Little Pony on the Move

I read a very funny article today concerning a woman dressed in black who has been hanging My Little Pony toys around Quebec City. I LOLLED and then thought that it was the most clever thing I'd ever heard of. Let's just say if this starts happening around the valley you can totally blame me.

Nothing spreads joy like seeing My Little Pony hang from the telephone line in front of your office window. I imagine my soul would be filled with glittery feelings every time I looked out at such a sight.

All You Can Eat Buffets

I say, "Asian Buffet" and you think, "impulsive decision filled with regret once you take a nice long trip to 'go powder your nose.'"

Let's make a hierarchy of dining buffets and rate them according to how often you should never eat there.

Asian Buffet: "Bucket-o-nasty"

Asian buffets all have the same smell. You walk in the door and you're greeted by that musky, gross smell, but kind of get over it because you're overwhelmed by all the oriental decor... and the fish pond located near the hostess table.

Every Asian buffet is exactly the same.

Fact: There is a massive box of whole sale cabbage rotting in the back of every kitchen.

Fact: The chef chopping the beef for your favorite broccoli and beef concoction is smoking a cigarette and has not tapped off the half inch of ash dangling off the end of the butt.

Official Rating: Somewhere between eating heat lamp sushi and pouring orange chicken into your pockets for later.

American Buffet: "Take all twelve of your kids here after church"

Think Golden Corral. Think Hometown Buffet. This is the classic American experience. Hit up all the stations. Grab your salad. Pile on the chocolate pudding. Don't forget to get three too many buttery rolls. Get stuck in line waiting for more pepperoni pizza. Kids are running around and parents don't care. This is their time to relax. I loved places like this growing up... until I saw a kid literally lick the soft serve ice cream nossel clean... then I wanted to die... and go home.

Official Rating: One star... out of about 514 stars. It's only acceptable to go here if you have twelve kids, want to relax and don't care about the cleanliness or quality of food.

Italian Buffet: "I don't exist because I'm better than China... and America"

I've never heard of an Italian all you can eat buffet. If I had, I like to imagine I'd be greeted by an attractive gentleman who has an incredibly enticing accent. Also, he is a mama's boy. Also he knows how to cook. Also, he lives in the Italian countryside. The food at this place is so delicious they literally have to wheel you out of the restaurant in a wheel barrow. You've had your fair share of red wine and homemade ravioli and you're being carried out by the man of your dreams. (If you're a guy, you can just replace my "attractive gentleman" with a nice Italian girl who is strong enough to carry you out to your car.... but she probably has a unibrow... sorry.)

Official Rating: Too good to be true... so it's not.

Conversations With My Mom

I love chatting with my mom online. We have fun conversations and she is pretty much one of the funniest people I know. Here's what we talk about. Sometimes a fish just has to die.

Oh my heart.

Very rarely will I give you insight to what I write for myself. Tonight you get a glimpse.

"I wholeheartedly believe God has given me the gift of faith. I believe in BIG things for his glory. By FAITH I know God will bring GREAT things to me for his glory. By FAITH I trust that he will do MARVELOUS works through my life for his glory. But I am still human. I know doubt. I am all too familiar with fear. I understand insecurity. But I KNOW the power of God. So when I read that his power made the earth, that his wisdom established the world, that his understanding stretched out the heavens, that the utterance of his voice creates a tumult of waters in the heavens, that he makes mists rise from the ends of the earth, that he makes lighting for the rain and that he brings forth the wind from his storehouses, I am reminded of how great my God is (Jer. 10:12-14). His power is greater than my fears. His power is greater than my doubts. His power is greater than my insecurities. His power is what conquers death, so his power is enough for me and that's the only thing I need to know. That's what I put my faith in. I put my faith in his power. Not what I gain from him, not what he has to offer me, not what potential he has for me, not what I have to offer him, but I put my faith in his power which holds victory over death."

"Oh heart of mine,

Cry out to God today.

Be strong in his hope.

Find joy in his glory.

Draw near to him.

For he is good.

For he is holy.

For he is love.

For he is enough.

Oh soul of mine,

Seek out your father this night.

Find truth in his word.

Draw near to him.

For he is good.

For he is holy.

For he is love.

For he is enough.

Because he has called you

and you are his forever."

Passing Out and Blood Types.

In high school I loved my biology and anatomy classes pretty much more than any student should love a class. Does that mean I actually studied hard and did all the homework the night before? No. But I loved the classes because we got to dissect things. I remember in my biology class the group I was put into for the fetal pig dissection was a of the queasier persuasion. I dissected that pig all by myself, and I was happy about that.

Dissecting things isn't an issue for me. Passing out is.

You know how grocery stores have little blood pressure machines? Well, occasionally my family would take turns learning our blood pressures at Walmart. (Also, I remember the pharmacy was near the aquarium section. I don't like that.) Anyway, if there is one thing that makes me uncomfortable to the point of losing consciousness it's getting my blood pressure taken. To me, the feeling of getting my blood pressure taken is the equivalent of having a very strong, angry, harry and agressive mythical being try to strangle me through my arm... and it works. I would say 98% of the time, if I am not lying down, I will pass out when my blood pressure is taken.

Which brings me to the point of this post. Earlier this year I was persuaded to give blood in return for frozen yogurt and a free meal... and also saving a couple lives. I pretty much only agreed for the free yogurt. Going into it I knew that the odds were against me. I knew I was going to pass out, but by golly I was going to give it my best.

I was taken to a back room to have my iron tested. The finger prick, sure, I was nervous, but I was going to be okay. Then it happened... and it was not bad. In fact, my iron levels were more than exceptional. That was the height of my experience. It all went downhill from there. My pulse was being taken when the kind woman informed me that my blood pressure would be next. I looked over at the haunting machine that would soon be clutching my arm with all it's might. I thought, "that thing is LITERALLY going to kill me!" Then I hit the ground, shaking violently.

Needless to say I didn't give blood that day. I did get frozen yogurt though... and a migrane.
I did not get a card that identified my blood type.

I did want to know my blood type though, so I went online and bought a testing kit from amazon for like ten bucks! Big win.
I took the test on Wednesday, and had my finger pricked while I was lying on the floor (just for safe measure).

The results? I'm awesome. I have B+ blood which pretty much means nothing.