Chandler's Prayer and the Quest for the Cutest Blog on the Block

Today I visited a blog that caught my eye and ignited my inspiration. I've seen several cute blogs in the last several weeks since I've started perusing, but this one must've been more up my alley than the others, because I finally decided to take action. I used to know how to do things on computers, but then I got stuck with an old one for several years and I just gave up, realizing that I'd never be able to keep up with a 98 Windows or whatever it was. Then my lovely brother David took technological pity on me and gave us his "old" computer which is light years beyond anything I had any experience with. Couple that with the beautiful flat screen monitor Matt got for his birthday...and the speaker system he bought soon after, and we have got ourselves...uh...more than we know how to handle.

So I finally decided to learn how to make my blog cute. I had taken note that most of the blogs I admired were from The Cutest Blog on the Block and I had assumed that this was an exclusive, expensive, or at least confusing club to take part in. Half an hour later (all right, it was closer to an hour...and yes, I had a girlfriend helping, er, cheerleading me on) I had finally figured this thang out. And I'm now the proud possessor of a Cute Blog. *wide smile*

When my darling Matthew got home from work, I told him of my wonderful accomplishment. To which he sweetly replied, "honey, I'm so sorry, but I just don't care very much about your blog. What am I gonna do--come home and read it every day?"

I told him he didn't have to care about the blog, just the feeling of accomplishment. He decided he could do that, and I proceeded to tell him all about it. Poor guy. I can't imagine what it must be like to work SO HARD all day making physical labor miracles happen and then to get home to your wife who puffs up her chest and says "I made my blog cute today! Ta da!"

Ah well. I read one of the wonderful Proverbs31Woman devotionals that tells us that basically, there is no one else who is here to compete for my job as Elizabeth Christine Floyd. I am the only one He made for this place on Earth. I don't need to feel jealous, competitive, or like I need to do anyone else's job. I am me. Ta da!



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Same post, new story

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Today at naptime, Chandler (age 5) was praying as normal, and suddenly realized he'd forgotten to pray for the homeless people. We try to start praying for people without homes more regularly when the cold weather hits, and this year he's very serious about it. Well, today he put a new twist on it:

Chandler: "...and Lord, I pray for the homeless people. I pray for them because they might only have one pair of underwear..."

(my ears prick up)

"...and if they only have one pair, then they'd have to wear the same ones all the time and they'd get really dirty..."

(I feel like I should say something...but what? "we don't pray about underwear"?)

"...and Lord, it's just not fun to wear dirty underwear. So I also pray that they would find a home. Thank you for all the blessings You give us, Amen."

I pause mentally, trying to process a prayer about homeless people underwear, and while I'm working through this, I smile encouragingly at Chandler and tell him that was a nice prayer.

As he drifts off towards sleep, I continue to think.

There was nothing really wrong with Chandler's innocent (if unorthodox) little prayer. I've been trying to explain to the kids how God cares even about the details of our lives. I want them to know that God is caring and intimate, that He is interested in the practical, immediate, and sometimes odd little things that are important to us. And He wants us to feel we can approach Him with these things. He wants to be a real part of our lives.

Does God care that I have enough diapers to make it until Friday when we get another paycheck? I believe He does--and even though it may not feel as spiritual as praying for the starving children in Africa, it builds my faith when the diapers really do last or when my mom unexpectedly stops by with a new pack without knowing I might need some.

Does God care about people who don't always have a fresh change of clothes or a place of their own to shower? I believe He does-- and I decided that it was sweet of Chandler to pray for their "underwear needs". What a very real problem that could be, and who else is gonna pray for it? Maybe no one other than a practical 5 year old boy who believes that God cares enough to listen.