Midweek Prayers: Partners Revisited

A couple of weeks ago, my prayer was to find a new prayer partner. Huzzah!  The same has been found-- we're trying it out, at any rate.

I don't know this woman as well as I've known previous prayer partners.  We're feeling things out, and getting started slowly.  I'd like prayer from you that we grow to trust and love each other, to support each other well, and to grow closer to God through our relationship.  I'm nervous-- she's new to this sort of thing (I think), and I love these partnerships of women so much that I really want her to love it, too.  (In so many ways, I often feel like a toddler proudly bringing out her toys to show a guest.  It's a blessing, and a curse.)

Oh-- and I've got a thanksgiving, too-- for a long time now, Dave and I have been praying together in the evening.  I never think of him as that designated "prayer partner," but he's certainly one of them.

Many of you are securely lodged in my regular prayers-- LG, MC, MS, W&MS, and on and on.  If there are specifics, or you want to make sure you're on the list, don't be shy about letting me know.

Gabriel

When I was 4, I was given the role of the angel Gabriel in my tiny Catholic school's Christmas pageant.  I have oddly clear memories of the shepherd-heralding angels insisting that all angels were supposed to go to the field, not to Mary.  I got confused, kept going the wrong way, and someone else got my part.

Lately I've been feeling like my place isn't quite with the other people around me, and once again, it feels hard to trust that I'm called to be somewhere else.   Adding to the confusion, I keep noticing people around me saying that our differences don't matter.  When our differences are about things that are precious to me, they do matter.  It's so hard for me to risk speaking up when I know my perspective isn't the same as my peers'.  Dismissing differences has begun to feel like brushing aside components of identity so that we all get along.  I like getting along, but I'd much rather be known and loved.  Sometimes.  When that's not too scary.

In some unbloggable ways, I can't go to the shepherds right now.  I wish I could.  The shepherds get a whole loud excited chorus of angels inviting them to celebrate.  Mary's scene is pretty unnerving.

Weekly Recess: the Prettiest Tree

The trees are pretty great right now, and Ben Sollee has me thinking about leader trees. 

Good stuff.

Wednesday Prayers: Purring, and Pots of Tea

I have a little wiggle room in my schedule this week-- which is good, because I have a Greek midterm next week.  I'll be spending time at home, drinking pots of tea and trying to remember which tense an epsilon augment gives me.  If past experience is any indicator, I'll spend most of my reading time with a cat in my lap.   I'm grateful for quiet, steady work.  That's my thanksgiving this week: for a chance to read, and learn, and pad about in jammies.

Can I give thanks with you over anything?

Weekend Flowers

Midweek Prayers: Partners in Prayer

I have a habit of thinking of my friends as "those really cool people who are willing to spend time with me." It's a dumb way of thinking of the people I shamelessly adore, because it leads me to take those special relationships for granted.  I was reminded by a dear one last week that some people don't tumble into the paths of quite so many extraordinary friends.

I've talked before about an important subset of friendship:  prayer partners.  I had them in high school, in college, and for a couple of short years after I moved to PA.  I've been missing them for a long time now.  I'm actively looking again, and if you'd like to offer a prayer on my behalf this week, it's that I find a new partner.  (Of course, you're also welcome to lift a word of thanks for my other delightful friends.  I'm certainly doing that.)

How about you?  Are you seeking something that I can lift a prayer for?