much needed prayer time

King and all the kids have gone to a family reunion for the day in Tryon, NC, which is a few hours away. After having the kids all week at the beach, he decided I needed a day off. So this whole day is mine. Whoo hooo!

It's hard to get direction as to what to get accomplished (for instance, it's noon and I'm still in my nightgown - how decadent!). There is a TON of laundry which needs to be done - bedding from 8 beds at the beach, towels, bathing suits, clothes, etc. The house is a wreck, so on and so forth. I've slowly been working through the piles of laundry and I really want to work on a sewing project which "upcycles" men's dress shirts I got from thrift stores into little girls' dresses.

However, I know I was WAY behind on some much needed prayer time. So, I switched the laundry, got everything else "at bay" and sat on the couch and just prayed. Using my rosary beads, and along with the rosary prayers, I let the Holy Spirit guide my heart and head and prayed for so many things - a different prayer for each bead. It was such a nice way to encompass prayers for so many people I care for. I prayed for safety, protection, healing, and so on for family, friends, our country, the Church, our priests/pastors... the list goes on. It was truly a joy and I really look at the time as a gift.

I struggle with so many things and I KNOW full well that prayer is the answer. Why then do I not take more time to spend in prayer? Not only would it bring me ever closer to Christ, but it would bring me such peace and deep joy. What's wrong with me that I let other things get in the way? It is similar to my struggle with exercising/eating right... why in the world do I not take the time to do what is right?

I am definitely a "work in progress" and cannot throw any stones at the Israelites for wandering around in the desert for 40 years. Heck, I'm going to be 42 soon and I'm still lost.

For today, though, I am very thankful for the quiet time I was able to spend in prayer.