MAWPH (mold, awe & wonder, prayer, help)

We are alive. We are not sick. Now I am feeling like I overactive with my concern over the seriousness of the mold. I am reassured by people that my worry was/is justified. After Sunday, we'll get to cleaning things up.

About that "In Awe and Wonder" post: I was alluding to 'thoughts'. I was thinking that day that I like the fact that there are things that scientists will never be able to explain or prove. I like the idea that there are some things in this world in which no evidence exists to explain it's existence. Some of you added "memories, beauty, truth, love." I totally agree that these fall into the same pool of whatever you want to call it. I have, at times, thought a lot about these things. I could write now about truth, or love, but that is a journey I'm too tired to start on.

Right now my thoughts are on prayer for two reasons: 1 - I am reading a book about prayer and 2 - today's devotional by Oswald is about prayer. Here is a thought I really had to chew on: "Do not have as your motive the desire to be known as a praying man." Ooops. Already failed that one. Seriously, have you ever, like me, wanted to be know as a "prayer warrior" or a "deep prayer"? I shared recently with some of our C&C adults that in church I struggle with my motives for praying in services. I want to be real and authentic, which in itself is fine, but therein lies the problem - I care more about being known as a guy that has real and authentic prayers than the actual content of my prayers. Thanks Oswald for that kick in the groin. Oh yeah, the scripture he basis this on is Matthew 6:6 - you know- the scripture about praying in secret versus praying out in the street corner for all to hear/see. So I guess I deserved that kick.

Oswald touches on the whole "praying in earnest" thing. You know what I mean? The kind of prayers that, well, let's say you go to a Christian group meeting of some kind, you schedule in some prayer time, and then that person begins to pray. First it's soft tones about this and that, but then the momentum, volume, and feeling begin to pick up. Before you know it, there is intense pleading for deliverance of some kind, like the world is going to end. Now I don't intend to knock praying intensely for a legitimate concern, but I think sometimes people start praying like this cause they think it's the only way to get God's attention and dare I say other people's attention. I get uncomfortable in these situations. Oswald reminds us that God doesn't hear us because we are in earnest, "but only on the ground of Redemption." Amen. His son, having atoned for our sin, has allowed God to hear our prayers.

He said more stuff on prayer. There is so much more to think through about prayer. It is really the thrust of my thinking these days just because I am reading about it and because it has something to do with knowing God. Ok, maybe a lot to do with knowing God. One of the most valuable books I have read about life and prayer is Henri Nouwen's Practicing the Presence of God. I think that is what it is called. Or something very close. A good read.

I'm going to bed. Sunday's are early mornings are early for me.

Oh yeah, do any of you remember reading a book that contained a bunch of metaphors for the Kingdom of Heaven? We are dealing with this subject in a sermon series and I need to find it. It may be Velvet Elvisby Rob Bell but I have lent that book out. Or it may be a Donald Miller book. Help! Goodnight.