No Words

Some days, when I approach the throne of grace in prayer, I feel a little like Ralphie in A Christmas Story, dumbfounded that he is actually, finally sitting on Santa's lap. He knows what he wants to ask Santa for (Red Rider BB Gun!), but suddenly, he has no words.

No words.

I don't ever want to treat God like Santa, with a long list of wishes to be granted. I do know, however, that my heavenly Father wants to hear from me and that He has only good things in store for me. He wants me to pour out my cares and worries and big dreams before Him. But there are days when I have a hard time articulating what is in my heart.

I can't help but laugh when I think of the story my sister, Jenny, shared with me. She was in a catechism class filled with students, and the Pastor was leading the prayer. And then he bounced that prayer around the room for others to add in, and when that open ended prayer came to my sister, she said with all honesty
"Sorry, Pastor. I've got nothin' !"

Yep. I've got nothin'. But the truth is, I have so much that I can't even begin to put it into words.

Moments like this:

And this:

First day of school moments.

Sons making long road trips...in cars...that they will be driving...moments!

Where do I start?

Is God honored by my really creative prayers? Seriously? The creator of the universe is going to give me a better grade because I came up with a new way to combine consonants and vowels that has not been thought of since the beginning of time?

I don't think so.

It is times like these that I go to the prayers that I have memorized and tucked away for just such occasions.

And when even those prayers are hard to grasp, I go here:

My Pastor in Indiana gave me this sweet book of prayers when we became members of the congregation. It is filled with prayers for just about any occasion, along with four weeks of morning and evening prayers. I find myself increasingly turning to this little book as my prayer prompter. And invariably, the daily prayer will speak to me in a fresh way.

Like today.

"Keep me humbly dependent on You for every good and perfect gift, for You are my Father, and I am your child."

Words.

For when I have no words.

I couldn't have said it better myself.