TODAY’S LAUGH: 
I confessed to someone recently that sometimes (okay, often) my prayers are short and to the point, like “HELP!” This person (who is evidently a Perfect Person, which I never suspected until that very moment) said, “Humpf! That’s doesn’t seem like proper prayer to me!”
And then I heard Steve Martin in my head saying, “Well, EXCUUUUUSE me!” And then – OOPS! – I heard myself say it to her. (“Lord, deliver me from sarcasm” is also my frequent prayer, right after I hear the thunder.)
But honestly, if God hearing or answering my prayers depends on me being a perfect pray-er, then I’m in a HEAP o’ trouble! How about you?
TODAY’S ENCOURAGEMENT: If your child hollers “HELP!” what do you do? If your child says, “I’m hungry,” don’t 
you provide food? If your child is hurt, don’t you offer comfort?
If your child is lost and afraid, don’t you help the prodigal find the way back home?
Do our children express their needs “properly”? Rarely.
I figure if we measly, imperfect humans understand and meet the needs of our children (however awkwardly those needs are expressed), it’s logical to expect a perfect, almighty Heavenly Parent to do that – and more!
More than once, my prayers have been short. “I need you, Lord!” or even “Yikes!” God seems to know what I need because more than once – every time in fact – God has answered beyond my wildest expectations. (Has that happened to you?)
Prayer isn’t so much about the awkward and imperfect one doing the praying; it’s about the One who is listening.
May you be heard today.
THE BIRTHDAY BOOK GIVEAWAY CONTINUES: In honor of my birthday (and YOU for continuing to make my life a party) AND because God DOES hear
and answer prayer, I’m offering a free copy of Six Prayers God Always Answers (Results May Vary) by Mark Herringshaw and my friend Jennifer Schuchmann. (Check out Jennifer’s website and her blog. )
Enter every day if you’d like via the CONTACT MARY link with “SIX PRAYERS” in the subject line.
Deadline for entering is Monday June 16, 2008 at 8 pm CDT. Winner will be posted on next Tuesday’s Blah Blah Blog. (One entry per day per verified email address, please, and US mailing addresses only. Thanks.)
LAST WEEK’S WINNER of Jane Rubietta’s Come Closer: NANCY MULVEY! CONGRATULATIONS!
HAPPY FATHER’S DAY on Sunday to all you faithful fathers out there! (And to DaHusband: Thank you for showing up every day for the last 24 years to be “DaPapa”! We love and appreciate you!)
Kathy says: “Thanks for the prayer insights. That makes me feel like I do have a prayer life on those days when all I seem to do is ask God for “HELP”.”
Years ago, trembling with that overpowering morning sickness, I prayed for twins. I wanted children, but this pukey stuff wouldn’t go away. Next day, realizing what I had done (already caring for my firstborn 6 month old), I prayed for strength. God does hear those prayers. For years most of my prayers consisted of, “HELP.” Our God is faithful.
Yup, that’s how I usually pray, too. But that’s how you can pray when you know Him personally. He, of course, knows us and the whole scenario behind our “Help!”, and “Lord…”, even if we *did* have the time to eloquently lay out our burdens before Him!
There are times in my life I can not seem to mutter any more words besides, “help.” God knows my heart I figure, and usually it is all jumbled up; so I need him to straighten me out. Praise God we have a loving God that responds to our prayers no matter how long or short. And amen…”its about the One who is listening!”
Have a wonderful week. My baby is already in Ely and I am beginning to get ancy/excited to leave at the end of the month! Need some cooler weather.
And Iris says: God answers prayers. You know – sometimes I just utter a “Yikes” and sometimes I can formulate “I don’t know how to pray about this, but You know my heart”….Yes, God hears our prayers – and sometimes we just have to be patient for Him to answer them.
From Phyllis: What a catchy book title. “God works in strange and wondrous ways.” How true, BUT I could not find it in the Bible in those exact words. The closest I could find is Romans 11:33 “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! Psalm 145:17 “The LORD is righteous in all His ways, gracious in all His works” and Psalm 75:1 “We give thanks to You, O God, we give thanks! For Your wondrous works declare that Your name is near.”