This Week from Mitch

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

This year, one of my Lenten practices has been to take some time each morning -- as soon as my Denise and the kids leave for school -- to pray. I start with a prayer for Denise and then I pray for both of my children. Following this I pray for you. I pray for our prayer list and follow it with prayers that people ask for during the week. This morning I prayed for a member of our parish taking a certification exam, for another who is retiring from a military job and looking toward their future, and still yet for another who is struggling with addiction. These prayers have been good. They have, I hope, been good for those for whom I am praying. They have, I know, been good for me. The routine of talking to God at a set time has been special.

My daily weekday routine has not changed in six years. Each morning I wake up at 6:30 a.m. I make coffee for Denise and me. I make breakfast for our family. Between 7:20 and 7:30, Denise and the kids leave for school. It has been the same each day since we have moved to Columbia. This Lent I have simply added a step to the routine. I say goodbye to my family and after two minutes of quiet, I begin to pray. The routine of taking a set time and communing with God has been a blessing. It's a set time of quiet, a time of thought, a time of centering, and a time of dialogue with my creator. This has been a special time for me and I think part of the reason for this has been the routine.

Where is there absolute consistency in your life? What times in your day are repeated day in and day out? Could you add a moment of prayer to these times? Could you do this every time? Creating a healthy prayer life anew is something anyone can do. It's a matter of simply starting. My prayer life starts each day by 7:32 a.m. It works for me. I wonder if there is a time that might work for you? If there is, I encourage you to take it. 

In Christ,

Mitch+