Friday, October 16, 2009

Who Will Pray For Mommy?

Although we do not always succeed, we really try to be "Glass Half Full" kind of people.  We are keenly aware that while our lot may not be exactly what we hoped for, we can look in any direction around us and find scores of people having a rougher time.  This tends to effect the way we pray.


Every night, before JP leaves for work, we gather as a family in prayer.  We give the usual thanks, and try really hard to find something different to be thankful for, and then we start asking for blessings.  But we've been very poor about asking for blessings of anything other than health and safety for ourselves.  We pray for our friends and family members having health issues, who are experiencing unemployment or underemployment, who are going through devastating divorces.  We pray for our leaders to have wisdom and the will to act upon what is right.  We pray with a heart of mixed sorrow and gratitude for those fighting in wars.  We pray for rain.  We pray that Daddy will be safe at work and that he will have the energy to do the things required of him during the night.  We pray that the children will rest and awaken healthy in the morning.  Mommy is usually left out of the request for blessings.  I wonder why that is?  Do we all think Mommy is doing ok and she doesn't need any blessings?   I sort of think that so long as mommy is still doing the dishes, the laundry, and making the meals, that we all think that mommy is just fine.  Its not true.  Mommy needs at least as much prayer as anybody else in the family does.  Mommy is not the pillar of strength that she would have to be to go through life without her family's prayers.


But the problem goes even a little deeper. 


As a family,  we haven't been praying for our needs to be met.  And its showing. Sure, we have a home to live in, food to eat, clothing to wear, and a car to drive.  JP has good employment, excellent insurance, and is currently happy with leadership at work.  But what about our emotional health?  What about our Spiritual Health?  Why aren't we praying for more kindness, more patience, more gentleness?  Why aren't we praying for things more specific than Health and Safety?  (which, we have been blessed with, so if the proof is there that you will be blessed with what you ask for, then we have indeed been blessed with health and safety.)


 There is a possibility sitting on the horizon that would make a tremendous impact on my ability to cope with Sunday responsibilities.  It won't change the fact that night work is what JP does, but it will change Sundays...dramatically.  Its out there, its being discussed and I've sort of crossed my fingers and thought to myself, well, that would be nice, but so far the thing I've been best at accepting is disappointment, so I'm not going to get my hopes up.  And then twice in the last 24 hours I've been reminded by someone else or an invasive thought that my Father in Heaven WANTS to bless me, but that I must ASK for the blessing.  So I've been on my knees asking, even begging for this one seemingly inconsequential change that would take away 12 tons of stress for mommy.  Maybe nobody else cares if this change occurs, but Mommy cares, and mommy needs it, so who will pray for mommy to receive just this one little blessing? I think its time for a talk with the family.  Mommy needs blessings too, and I'm asking for this one.

5 comments:

Kristina P. said...

I hope that your prayers are answered.

rachel said...

I have noticed in my own life and talking to other women, that right now the adversary is trying to kick mommy's butts...if he can take us down, everyone's on the ground. I think this is a very powerful reminder. Perhaps everyone does look at mom as the pillar of strength and we are so concerned with everyone other than ourselves that it seems almost prideful to ask.
I find myself hesitating after I've prayed for the rest of my family. What do I need? What do I want? Dare I say it out loud?
I think you've had an epiphany here and I think you are on a GOOD path. I needed to hear this :) I wish you the best!

Brittney said...

Big step Lisa, Big step.

You do deserve it and it might really be just for you, even if you are afraid to believe it. You have just been added to my prayer list.

AW Cake! said...

Good for you, friend. I think all moms need blessings - sometimes more so than some of the other family members. Good luck

tiburon said...

Good for you for recognizing and taking action.

I wish I was better at this!