God, come close. Come quickly! Open your ears—it’s my voice you’re hearing! Treat my prayer as sweet incense rising; my raised hands are my evening prayers. (Psalm 141:1, 2 MSG)

The Northwest mountains need more snow coverage and with snowfall rising and rain coming it seems as if the winter’s level of playability just crashed.
Rough terrain and dirt patched areas with rivers and holes mark out our usual powder runs.
This visual reminds me of our prayer lives. A good line of questioning is: “How is the prayer coverage in my life?
Are my rough ways starting to show? Is life getting a bit muddy? Is worry rising like a spring river?”
Then I prayed Jerm. 32:16

Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak. (Colossians 4:2-4 ESV)

Steadfast
Watchful
With Thanksgiving

Regulars at our daily table in the Rattray home, are the ever constant prayer and thanks.

The middle of the above list is watchful.

Sometimes we have to be watchful in order to be thankful.

Now, back to that snow fall shortage.
Instead of complaining about the lack, I disciplined my thoughts and words in the better direction of thanks.  Thank you Lord for some snow enough to cover a few runs.  Lord thank you for the skier that assisted Jacy on her snowboard.  She was so kind to tow her up the hill so she didn’t have to unstrap and I didn’t have to walk back up the run.
Thank you Lord for only enough money to fill the gas tank.  This lack and a strong desire for potato burritos (by the boys) called for inventive cooking! So thank you for the crispy chipotle potato/bean/onion/cheese burritos this mama could prepare for the mountain.  Take that Taco Bell!

Thank you Lord for the opportunities we do have for work, play, learning, and love.  Thank you Lord for running out of bread and having to make it from scratch.  Thank you for how fresh bread made all the children crowd the kitchen and try the last bit of red currant jam in cupboard (of which one of the boys declared their new favorite).  Thank you Lord there was honey and peanut butter when the jam ran out.  Thank you for Bohan our dog, and his winsome patient nature waiting for the scraps.  Thank you for dishes to wash and faces to kiss.  Thank you Lord for a husband who chats with me while I wash dishes and he puts them away. Thank you thank you thank you.

…now it’s your turn.  How did your shortage inspire you to create something new or different possibly even better? How did the less, show you the more you already had?

Refocus your thoughts and words by  reshaping them into thankful prayers today.