God in Ordinary Life & at the US Open

I've been reading Prayer: Finding the Heart's True Home by Richard Foster (it has taken me so long to read it that I have renewed it three times, and today will make four as I just got my fourth renewal email reminder!). 

One reason it has taken me so long (other than sometimes I can't get back to it for as much as a week because life keeps happening, although Richard Foster has reminded me that our work can actually be a prayer when offered to God!) is that I will read a paragraph and then want to stop and reread it a couple of times to digest it.

Read below and you'll see what I mean:

"Become aware of God's presence in the room. Perhaps you will want to picture Jesus sitting in the chair across from you, for he is indeed truly present. If frustrations or distractions arise, simply lift them up into the arms of the Father and let him care for them...

The discovery of God lies in the daily and the ordinary, not in the spectacular and the heroic.  If we cannot find God in the routines of home and shop then we will not find him at all....

Many today see their vocation as a hindrance to prayer. 'If only I had some time free from the distractions of work, then I could pray'...But prayer is not another duty to add onto an already overcommitted schedule... Our vocation is an asset to prayer because our work becomes our prayer. It is prayer in action." (Prayer: Finding the Heart's True Home pgs. 161, 171-172)

Offer your work up to God!

"Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God." (1 Cor 10:31) 

My son's (John) work this summer is as an intern to the USGA. As a Christian, his work is "as unto the Lord."  He has worked many hours of hard, physical labor and his 21-year-old body has never been pushed so hard as they set up for the US Open in Pennslyvania. Here he is (pictured above, very dark hair, smiling big and looking at the US Open 2013 winner, Justin Rose.) How excited all the interns were to meet Justin minutes after his winner's ceremony. There's something very exciting about being with one who excels in their work.

Think of our opportunity each day as Christians! We can meet with the Creator of the universe through Jesus Christ! As Foster says, picture the King of Kings sitting across from you as you read His word and talk with him, and hand to him your anxieties!

My husband, Terry, and our daughter, Mary, as we head into the US Open. Mary adores music and doesn't care greatly for sporting events. She exemplies patience to me as she attends sporting events with us without a single complaint. She was so happy, like me, to see John!

The train ride leaving the US Open was packed. On the day before this train ride, the train was standing room only and people were hot, tired, and getting irritable. Mary started quitely singing songs from The Sound of Music and soon, the  front of the train (which was all men) began to hush and listen and they all clapped as she finished!

We saw the coleader of the tournament, Billy Horschel, going into round 3 at our hotel (my hubby asked me not to ask him for a picture so as not to disturb his "game face," (a lesson in keeping my mouth shut & honoring my husband's wishes... I had to bite my tongue so hard I'm sure there was blood on my toast, especially since Billy was totally finished eating & just watching the highlights on ESPN!), as well as Sergio Garcia in the parking lot of our hotel. While it was fun to see them knowing they were in the tournament, nothing can compare with seeing your loved ones. My heart leapt inside when I saw my son, John! He was so tired (the day before the tournament opened they worked 36 hours straight to get everything ready) that when he sat with us for a short time in the grandstands on #13 (I think it was 13 or 16) he fell asleep!

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord...  

It is the Lord Christ you are serving." - Colossians 3:23-24

Walk by Faith ,