When I hear people talk about how fathers should get up at the crack of dawn, before the whole family is awake, to read and pray...I'm tempted to feel guilty. Because I'm not a morning person and never have been. The thought of getting up even one minute before Isella does (usually 6-6:30am) is not very appealing! I never hear people talking about how holy it is to stay up late at night and pray-only that getting up early is what really spiritual people do. (I think I'm going to have to change that paradigm). With that said, when I do get up on the early shift (which believe me seems like never compared to how many times my wife does) of course I am talking with God, reciting scripture over Isella, singing, and trying to bring to find ways to praise God and through the day. Even with out getting up early to study, there are still many ways to pray, be devotional, and align your day with God. It's not always easy to read on the early shift, because Isella happens to really like books---and always want to get her hands, or mouth, on them. She is pulling herself up now which means she's falling backwards a lot, too which means hitting her head or other parts of her body on whatever furniture is behind her. So it's hard to keep your eyes on a book when you fear for your child's life every few minutes. Despite that, I managed to read a few pages from the GREEN BOOK today (with Isella close by continually grabbing for the book. I even read the verses out loud and prayed Philippians 1:9-11 over her. I couldn't resist shooting some pics of her eating the book). I loved this reflection below (in light of my last post from Thursday). If you are following along in the green book we are in the third Sunday of Lent found on page 140.
Probably our journey of forgiveness will be impossible unless we realize we can't do it alone. We are not the source of our healing. Truly the kingdom of God is within us as Jesus told us. But that Kingdom is God's presence, and we need God's help to experience that inner glory. As with any deep healing and release, the empowered mercy of God within and around us is ours to claim. We must face the facts: we are vulnerable (woundable); we have been hurt; we need to name our hurt and our deep needs as clearly and fully as we can. Little can change until we have faced where we actually are.
-From Forgiveness; THE PASSIONATE JOURNEY by Flora Slosson Wuellner
May we name our hurts and needs and experience God's love, mercy, and power (wherever it is in a movie theater or a bathroom)! May we experience God's kingdom. May we be a people who eat God's word and live it out! May we be transformed!
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