now i lay me down to sleep

Although the title of this post is a line from a child's prayer
that even athiets surely know - here I will draw upon my
own ideas about the subject of Prayer.

Prayer is a good thing - and I always appreciate it when someone
offers to Pray for me. 

But I like it if they first ask me if I mind if they pray for me.

And I always say - what exactly are you going to pray for.
 
Because I want to make sure that they pray for what I want too.


The Logistics of Prayer

1.   When to Pray

~ to start the day

~mealtime

~bedtime

~during a serious discussion - before or after or both

~in prison - especially prisons of our own making

~in a foxhole - real or symbolically speaking

~in church

~in a tight spot

~in a crowded room

~in isolation

~in loneliness - whether for real or among others

~driving in a car

~almost any activity can be a good time to pray : ]

~on a basketball court right before a crucial layup

~on the sideline of a football field : [

~before a White House staff meeting

~during surgery

~while telling a joke before a packed audience

~before a nationally televised debate

~before making a major decision about anything

I could go on and on.


2.  Perferred Prayer Positions

~head slightly bowed to show deference to the Creator

~eyes can be closed to shut out distractions - although I rarely do

~my favorite prayer position is on my knees by my bed - I know
God likes us to humble ourselves and if we don't He will do it
for us folks

~folded hands  - optional

~always with a respectful attitude

Here the most important thing is:   just do it


3.    What to Pray

The most basic thing you can say about Prayer is
that it is 'talking to God.'

And the great thing about God is that because He
is Smart (see my post on that) He has the capability
of being able to understand and hear every prayer -
kind of like how Santa Claus can deliver toys to
every child around the World in one night.

About exactly Who to Pray to:

I always just Pray to God - but for some
reason I say at the end of my Prayer in
Jesus' name - that way No One feels left
out.

Since this is my Blog I will just tell my own
thoughts on the Content of Prayer:


~most days I pray when I go to bed and
if I am very tired I just say this:

Thank you (to God) for everything He has done
for me that day and everything He has given me
that day - what you call a bare bones prayer

~lately I have been asking God to keep safe a certain
person that is important to me : ]

I'm almost always very tired these days what with
the Move and right after the Holidays -but when I
used to pray more at night it would include:

~telling God I'm sorry that I have offended Him in
any way - and for me this is Legion

~also I tell him I am sorry about offending Others -
also Legion

~this is a good time to ask for Guidance if I have a
special problem I am trying to work out - I find that
God is always willing to Direct my Life

~prayers for Others

~and really anything else that I have on my mind

about complaining to God - I  do that during the day
as it occurs - again Legion - but not during this nightly
session as I try to keep this Positive


An Important Thing About Prayer That Has
Worked For Me:

but first one thing I left out and that is if someone
asks me to pray for them I do it right then so I don't
forget or have to write it down - and if I want to
pray for a Very Special Reason like a family member
I make a point to do that on my knees

Now earlier in my Life I did a lot more specific
Praying - like at set times.

In the Bible the Apostle Paul says something that I
used to wonder and obsess about:

and that is -   Pray  Without   Ceasing

I always thought - How do you do that unless you
are a monk?


Then one day it came to me - Paul was talking about
the Relationship with God.  If you have a Personal
Relationship with God - and that has to be developed
and nurtured over a period of time - then you can learn
to have a constant connection with God which becomes
a form of Prayer. 

And when you have developed this type of Relationship
with Him - then everything you do - you do it with Him.
Until it becomes sometimes a conscious - or sometimes
an unconscious thing - sort of working together with God
to make your Life better but always recognizing and
realizing that ultimately and thankfully:

 God Is In Charge.

Forming this type of Personal Relationship with God is
a Good thing - but never be under the illusion that it
will necessarily make your life Easier - but let me tell
you folks - there is no doubt that it will make your
Life Better.


And that is my take on Prayer.
~~~

I don't usually introduce topics - but coming up on
stidh - this afternoon - I am going to present a review
of the documentary Religulous.


ya won't want to miss that one folks 





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