Leave Room for Prayer

I used to have Facebook – this is an old post, but I saved it as a Word document to remind myself what happens when I take on too much. I wanted to share with you how crucial it is to leave room for prayer.

Three years ago……

“As I have said many times before, I try to tell the unvarnished truth on Facebook. Although there’s nothing wrong with posting vacation photos, we all know that there are the other 51 weeks of the year where life can be rather sloppy. I want to share about one of those ‘precious moments’ and no, I don’t mean those doe-eyed kitschy figurines.

Recently, I lost my mind. The word ‘mind’ is a polite euphemism for a different word, but as my account has G –rated friends as well, let’s just say that my temper spiked a fever. I took my anger out on my husband – the same man who said vows to love me forever and always 28 years ago.

In the thick of the tongue lashing I was handing out, my husband said I was “Twisting his words.” I hotly replied with, “That’s because I’m smarter than you.”   Ohhhhh….. flag on the play. Where is the referee when you need him?

I am reminded of the Proverbs of Solomon 17:28  “Even a fool, when he holds his peace, is counted wise: and he that shuts his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.”   In other words, better to be thought a fool than to open my big fat gob and prove it true. God forgive me for being prideful.

To clarify – I am NOT smarter. I was arrogant. My beloved is a man who handles million dollar pharmaceuticals each evening while I sleep, and does not err lest he cost his company money – and his job, which provides for our huge family.

Where did all the verbal vomit come from?  Trying to spin too many plates – wife, mom, homeschool teacher, college student, homemaker. My stress grew volcanic and combined with cabin fever – thank you winter – it was only a spark that needed to light the tinder into a blaze. Two days of emotional storminess finally ebbed away and I apologized, complete with the grovel-filled greeting card. My husband forgave me, because he is not only smart, he is extraordinarily loving and loyal. He gives true meaning to the scripture,

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.”  1 Corinthians 13: 4-5 

Within this week, I was brought physically low by a bad back and a migraine. Guess whose shoulder I cried upon?  Yes… the same husband I berated for being lesser than myself, turned out to be a giant of a man when he proved himself to be more loving, more loyal as he held me as I cried and cried. I am not smarter. He is.”

Dear readers – my mistake was not just taking on too much back then, but forgetting that I wasn’t made to spin plates like that. I was made to worship and glorify God. I forgot that in order to to give kindly to others, I needed to receive from HIM. Although it’s embarrassing to share what a shrew I was to my husband, I wanted to share what it looked like when my well had run dry.

Jesus spent time alone and in prayer. “And in the morning, a great while before day, he rose and went out to a lonely place, and there he prayed.”(Mark 1:35)

It’s crucial to pray. Time spent in prayer means remembering who made us and for what purpose. It is refreshing to let God love on us, through the words of Jesus and the conviction and comfort of the Holy Spirit.

My children often spent time being cuddled and comforted in their daddy’s lap. They were always better for it. I must remember to do the same with my Heavenly Father.

Leave room for prayer, dear ones.

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