When you pray...

I am so pleased that we have a God that hears us. I am also pleased that we have a God that answers us. Many of us have no problem praying when we are in times of need, chaos or danger. How many of us have prayed something to the effect of, "If you will just get me through this, I will..."

I have learned over time that God, the Father, is not in the bartering business. He is going to see us through a plethora of things in our lifetime. Our lifestyle of prayer should be one that no matter what, we will serve him and communicate with him. I am convinced that He has heard every one of my prayers. I am also convinced that He has answered every single one of them. Many times I get an answer to a prayer that wasn't the one I wanted. And even ones that I didn't seem to get an answer to, is an answer in itself.

Sometimes answers come immediately, other times it may be years before the answer arrives. One such prayer for me was simply, "Lord, I miss my kids and their families. If it be your will, I would love it if they lived closer to us." That was several years ago. Last fall our youngest son and his family moved to the Springs. God even moved the Army to get him here!! Now, within the month, our daughter & her family are moving here! Her husband is being transferred to the Colorado district of the company that he works for. Some would say that both of these moves were going to happen anyway. But I know that God has answered the prayers of a Mother who spends time on her knees. Is it completely answered? No...our middle child and his family still live in Houston, with no evidence of a move to this region of the world. However, God knows their needs, wants and desires, too. Maybe someday, but for now, I trust that they are where they need and/or want to be. I do not feel that God as let me down in anyway. I enjoy the visits and phone calls that we do have. Learning to be content in the here and now, and trusting God with the future is all I have to do. The rest is His responsibility.

Prayer is having conversations with God. Prayer is not one sided, but rather an open dialog with the Almighty. Something that I cherish, no matter the outcome of those conversations!

This collage created with Smilebox

Dana's Family: Spring 2010

Free scrapbooking design created with Smilebox

Chess Piece People by Cara Lynne Vanderkolk

I believe that each and every person has a uniqueness that makes them stand out in this great big world. No one is inferior to another. You are who you are and that is a good thing. So what if you aren't able to speak in front of huge crowds or direct the affairs of a mega-corporation. What lies in each person marks their contribution to all of humanity. That is how each person serves and encourages those that do cross their path.

I compare people and their giftings to that of a chess game:

There are those that are like the Royal Couple, highly visible and have qualities of a leader. the King has charisma, but not a lot of power. They are usually the idea people and/or the money people. The power really lies with the Queen. She is the mover and the shaker, she gets things done. She has it all; brains, power, leadership and charisma. People who are the liken to a Queen are those who people look to for leadership and direction.

Bishops have the ability to wield power, get around and to maneuver themselves easily out of sticky situations. They, however, usually need to have a strong leader over them so that they can be truly effective. Those who have the personality of a Bishop are the type that make the C.E.O.'s of this world look impressive. They are great managers.

Knights have the ability to jump from one place (dark space) to another (light space) and still get the job done. Those who are Knights seem to be able to not let their environment dictate their success. They are like the deal makers and sales oriented type of people.

Rooks are the assistants of the world. They tend to protect the powerful Queens. These are the ones who rally around and fortify those who need help to maintain power.

Pawns are the ones that move slowly. Some, not all, move out a little faster (2 squares) in the beginning...but, return to the one step at a time movement. There are a few that can persevere to the top and be changed into a Queen (really any piece except a King) but time & dedication are always the factors of their success. They never become Kings because they never want complete power, they like having leadership over them. People who have the attributes of a Pawn are the steady Eddies of this world. They tend to advance inside a niche, and rarely venture outside it. However, with exceptional leadership they can adapt to other roles with encouragement.

While some chess pieces have what seems to be more ability, power and worth, in reality not one can do it alone. All the pieces are needed. We all fit in somewhere and have a role to play in the game of life. SO - never, ever consider yourself inferior - you are important and have plenty of purpose!!!

Ordinary -vs- Extraordinary

Many of us try to find great and lofty ways to bring glory to God. We often feel very frustrated and somehow stuck in the ordinary things of life. We need to understand that God is very pleased with that we may see as ordinary. Every day is a gift - it is the miracle that He gives us. We call it ordinary, even boring, but it is anything but! It is what we do with each new day and what we allow God to bring out from within us into that day that makes it extraordinary! Whether it be changing diapers and rocking cradles, business lunches, teaching high school math, cyber trading or mentoring at youth camp - when we start our day by giving God permission to have His way and to lead us throughout the rest of it, the ordinary the becomes extraordinary when viewed through the eternal perspective. We may not ever really know the difference we have made in the live we touch, BUT GOD DOES, and eventually so will the ones we touch.