27 Feb 07 Spinning Plates & Prayer Impulses
Ever see the people that spin a few dozen plates, all at the same time, on dowel rods? We watch in fascination wondering if they will be able to keep it all together.
Ever felt like this variety act was an accurate representation of your life? How many plates are you currently spinning?
We’re not in the business of impressing each other by how many plates are spinning. We are in the business of impressing each other with the need to follow through on prayer impulses.
You’ve had them, right? That moment when you know it’s the right time to pray. Of course, I’m not suggesting there is a wrong time to pray. There are those moments, however, when you absolutely know in your heart that "what we should do right now is pray."
Sometimes that impulse comes when you’ve heard some troubling news. Sometimes that impulse comes when you’ve heard some exciting news. Sometimes that impulse comes when you’re worried, or frightened. The hope is that impulse comes when a time of temptation or trial comes.
We all have quite a few plates spinning right now. That we have so many plates spinning is not a reason to ignore but to carry through with these prayer impulses. Put the book down, turn the TV off, shutdown the computer, do what you have to do and give in to this impulse to talk to God.
And, if a plate should happen to quit spinning?
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You could not have written a more appropriate blog for where I find myself at this point in time! As for a plate that should happen to stop spinning … there are some plates that never should have been spinning. They usually come in the form of other’s expectations or unrealistic expectations I have of myself. Sometimes I think God knocks a plate off the spindle. I just try to keep the focus on the ones that are spinning and, to the best I can determine, should be spinning. Good blog, bro.
Good points, Randy, and good comments, Greg. I’ve got room for a couple more plates if you want to send them my way.
The power to say, "NO" is something that has not seemingly been in my possession. I am a task oriented fixer of problems–a legend in my own mind sometimes. I think that I have a pride problem when it comes to this. I can help in any situation.
Let me now come out of this dream world. I am like Greg on this one. I need to hear it right now. I recently had a high blood pressure reading and it has awakened me to the fact that I need to slow down and stop many plates from spinning. It has really helped me too. I have adjusted my diet and am really trying to adjust my way of thinking about things. Life is too short to continue letting it go by like a blur. More and more I realize that I am not invincible. I need a deeper life in prayer to God. Thanks for the reminder.
After I commented on this I realize that those are a lot of random thoughts put together, but I’m leaving it this way. God bless you all!!
Yes, I feel like a contestant on "Geritol’s Amatuer Hour." Plenty of spinning plates here along with the need for prayer. I feel you West Coast "Central" Bro.
I’ve become embarrassed at the number of plates I have spinning and find myself trying to hide them from people. Mostly because those who see them say, "You can’t do that!" Obviously, I can, but I admit it isn’t healthy. I’m beginning to think that it will get better if everything just stops for a minute. Just stops… stop….STOP!
I couldn’t agree more. And let me add that it is always a good idea to follow the impulse to pray WITH someone. Right then, right there. In the parking lot. Over the phone. Grab others who might be around and ask them to pray along with you.
What happens if you are spinning plates and seeing spinning stars at the same time?
I like the thoughts on Lectio Divina that I stumbled across today here:
http://valyermo.com/ld-art.html
“The art of lectio divina begins with cultivating the ability to listen deeply, to hear “with the ear of our hearts†as St. Benedict encourages us in the Prologue to the Rule. When we read the Scriptures we should try to imitate the prophet Elijah. We should allow ourselves to become women and men who are able to listen for the still, small voice of God (I Kings 19:12); the “faint murmuring sound†which is God’s word for us, God’s voice touching our hearts.”
I can’t listen deeply when I’m working on all the plates.
Peace.
Hi Randy! I’m ba-a-a-a-ck! I have sure missed being in touch.
As for plates, sometimes they stop spinning because God has delivered you to a better place, and we can just thank God that one plate isn’t spinning any more.
That’s about as profound as I can get this morning. My eyes are about to cross from trying to catch up on all the blogs!
Hey, Randy!Stop the plates, stop the plates, I’ve dropped by!!I really like this post on spinning plates and prayer impulses. You’ll have to read my post of last Friday that I called "Try the Always Answered Revolutionary Prayer." I generated lots of feedback on it and prayer stories, which was great because I think I got people to thinking seriously about their own prayer lives. Your post here does the same thing. I pray nearly continually throughout the day about everything I do while I’m doing it. Sometimes I stop and pray with someone, but probably not nearly enough. I say "God bless you" to a lot of people I meet and run into along the way, and to me that serves as a prayer - or do you think that it does? I know that what you’re talking about is probably something a little different and I do that, too, but mainly try to keep a prayerful attitude in all I do.As for the spinning plates . . . my life isn’t so spinning now as in the past as I have grown older and have had to slow down a lot, but this week has been spinning so this is a good post for me, too. I certainly lived my life up until about five years ago in the "spin zone," but even then I tried to live life with a prayerful attitude and when you do that it changes your life dramatically, I have to say (in re: my prayer post of last Friday).I haven’t dropped by in a while and certainly haven’t commented in a while (have I ever?!), but wanted to see how you’re doing. I will pray for you all about buying a house. We are building one right now and it is a huge decision, I know! Especially there in expensive California. I don’t know what real estate is going for, but too bad you can’t trade with the prices here. Very reasonable, actually. Cheers & Blessings to you today! Dee