Suck it up, Cupcake!

Fr. K had been so
busy. With one priest gone for the weekend and another on vacation, he’d
picked up extra duties. Said extra masses, attended extra church
functions and was tired. He felt like he hadn’t stopped all week. As Fr.
K spoke on the phone with his older priest friend and related all he’d
done the previous week his friend told him “suck it up, cupcake!”

The whole church laughed as he said that.

Then Fr. K said his friend asked him,
“did you pray?”

Fr. K replied, “Of course I prayed. I said morning, noon and evening prayers, I said my prayers at mass…”

His friend interrupted him and said,

“I didn’t ask if you said your prayers.

I asked if you prayed.”

Fr.
K told those of in church, “I realize I didn’t remember if I prayed.
I’d said my prayers, but I’m not sure I took the time to pray.”

It happens to all of us. We get so busy we forget to pray. We say our prayers…but we don’t pray. We don’t put ourselves quietly in the presence of God. Sometimes, praying means quietly sitting and listening. Without talking.

Fr. K went on to say how most of us would agree that we are too busy these days. The point he was making was this…

If we are too busy to pray,
too busy to spend time in the Lord’s house,

too busy to spend quiet time in the Word and in prayer,
then we are TOO busy.

I
go through phases. Oh, I always find time for attending church, but my
quiet time seems cyclical. I have really good days, weeks and even
months. But I always seem to hit a bump. Something that throws me off
track.

I’ve
been in a one of those slump where I can’t seem to stay focused. I get
up, make my coffee, start to have my quiet time and BAM! Something else
gets in the way…like e-mail. Or some card I need to write. Or some
piece of mail I didn’t deal with the previous afternoon.

Or anything else that I decide to do rather than sit quietly and meditate or pray or read my Bible or all three.

I’ve been working on making this more of a habit. Forcing myself to stay focused. Some days are better than others.

I’ve tried various methods. Here is one I have found that is working, at least for now. If:Equip is an easy way to have some focused time in God’s word and the short videos jump start the thought process for me.

Check it out and let me know what you think. Or share you favorite quiet time/Bible study methods with me in the comments.

Have a great day!

Blessings,

5 Comments

Janet Martin on August 31, 2015 at 7:29 pm

This spoke to me bam, right where I am in the middle of making apple-sauce. thank-you. I'm glad I paused for a break and found your link at Jumping Tandem.

Mary Bonner on August 31, 2015 at 7:39 pm

Hi Janet! If my words spoke to you, it was Him and not me 🙂 Thank you for taking the time to let me know, because I almost didn't hit publish! Humbled that you stopped over from Deidra's place.
Reply

Kathy H on September 1, 2015 at 1:19 pm

I drive with The Lord; my radio is set to worship so I listen to one song and then silence the radio and eithee talk to Him or just listen in my silence. Good blog Mary