Learning How to Pray

My sweet mother has been in the hospital since last Wednesday.  She’s never been the one to take the easy path, and thus, she perseveres as woman of strength– a warrior, soldier, and champion.   I’m so proud of her.

500 hundred miles from home has been challenging despite the fact that I am at my so-called peak– I’m in perfect health (I haven’t given up on bear cycle!); I just watched a dear friend get married; I practiced my expertise (shopping) in one of my favorite cities, and I even took my Sunday nap.  Still yet, my mind constantly wanders back to my mom and how I’d trade just about anything to be down right bored next to her in that poorly decorated hospital room with depressing soap operas.

Updates from Springfield are scattered– at 5:30 a.m. my mom sent me this message: “Overnight alert. My arm just blew up. Literally. Humor helps.”  Is that humor? I beg to say it’s not.  Describing her inflated arm as a blow up bat, she detailed how the arm with the IV expanded and raised itself off of her side.  We’ll reevaluate the humor in a few years, but now I’ll maintain a heart of thankfulness that Nurse Joe was within earshot and could remove the IV.

My mom has fought this infection several times and come out victorious, so I didn’t mention her hospitalization to many.  An IV, few hours, and some hospital food would send her on her way by Thursday morning.  I misjudged.  The scattered updates from this past week have been somewhat bipolar in nature.  One is encouraging and my heart is full of praise.  The next is nothing but scary, and I catch myself dropping whatever I’m doing to pray.  So, here’s what I’ve learned: Trust in the Lord with the big and the small, because really, who are we to determine what is big and what is small in light of eternity?  All matters should be matters of utter dependence and prayer.

In my car alone, with my Common Grounds coffee in hand and confident ambition for a productive afternoon, is when said lesson started to unfold in my heart.  My family practically pays rent at the hospital and has its fair share of tearful moments of frustration and pain, and yet, my family has stood with its chin up with a triumphant fortitude.  With a backward glance I say with confidence that was only the Lord’s masterful craftsmanship that can claim victory.  Such victories, however, should never dismiss my desperate need– at all times– for his strength in the present.   It was there in my car, I realized my tendency to compartmentalize my need for the Lord, and it was there I stayed for a while.

All matters beckon submission through prayer.  Whereas we cannot even articulate exactly what eternity means, the One we pray to sees it all, makes sense of it all, and holds it all.

Now THAT brings peace.

My mom is doing better; she’s recovering, and she’s currently “planning her escape.”  But that in no way should decrease my need for the Lord– I treasure those “I need You” moments.  If we really saw our condition as mere humans meandering across the earth, we’d face plant constantly before the Almighty God.

Tomorrow is Face Plant Practice day.  Let’s Celebrate. FPP.

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