Howdy, Welcome to my new blog segment,
"Backporch Babbling".
I plan to make use of my backporch a lot this summer.
It's a good place to enjoy some quiet. It's peaceful out here.
Today, there was a warm, soft rain. The Good Lord took care of
my little garden for me and I'm thankful.
I JUST wish my dog would really lie by me as I escape
out into the calm to pour out some thoughts
and quiet my mind. Robey most certainly does not lie quietly.
He really didn't even lie AT ALL. I kept commanding/demanding
that he LIE DOWN but he would only comply for mere seconds before
popping up AGAIN to begin wet, sniffy-nosing my busy hands,
bare toes, and the computer screen. SO, I tried to placate
him by resting one foot on his hairy-dog back, but that just
started multiple contortionist-type attempts to rearrange
my foot placement onto his hairy-dog belly. He FINALLY
settled only to have me ignore
him periodically as I typed, which prompted little doggie
nibbles on my toes from him when I quit giving tummy rubs.
He got sent in shortly after that.
Ah, me...I'm covered in dog hair and dog spit
but it's dark and quiet except for the sounds
of a new summer starting to bloom...
a personal symphony of crickets and bullfrogs, even.
(uh...don't blame me...the title forewarns babbling...)
ANYWAYS...
I was wondering...why do we always bow our heads to pray?
We even teach children to do it...to fold their hands and
bow their heads. I mean, I know the answer is to be reverent
and show respect to Holy God. It must symbolize how
HE is too pure and we are
too...not...and who can really look upon such Holiness.
I get it, I really do. So, I guess I ask mostly to provoke
your thoughts on the matter. So?
(Ah, and you knew it was coming...)
Here's mine...I pray lots of ways. I bow my head,
fold my hands, hit my knees BUT lots of times
I'm also praying wide-eyed as I live and breathe.
Isn't that part of what it means to pray without ceasing?
I also pray curled up in my bed in the wee morning hours.
I pray when I wake up from a bad dream. I pray when I'm
distraught and there are no words and my head
collapses into my hands.
I'm sure we all do those types of prayers...
BUT...here's my favorite...
Have you prayed raising your face up to him like
you would lift it for your father to kiss?
Do you remember how that feels?
--To raise your face for your daddy to kiss
your head or your cheek KNOWING full
well that you are loved, even treasured.
Lately when I pray,
I lift my face to bask in HIS glory which
I am eager to tell HIM I joyously accept.
I DESIRE to shorten the distance between
HIM and me...for HIM to know that
I love HIM right back...for HIM
to see clearly all the gratitude pouring from my heart.
I lift my face to receive HIS holy kiss on my soul.
Praying that way is as close as face to face with HIM
as I can get right now...here. It adds intimacy
for me as I spend time with HIM. It's a way
to say, "Here I am!" It's a way to throw
myself open before HIM and give all I've got...
nothing distanced, hidden or removed.
It's good for me. I like it.
I thought maybe you'd like to try it.
