true love

Philip Yancey quoted a woman named Judy Morford in his book on prayer (that I've mentioned before!). She's a mom and had some interesting things to say that we can relate to. Here's her short excerpt:

"My own prayer life has been through many changes over the years. As a young mother, I had a five-year-old, a three-year-old, and a one-year-old, and I found the only time I could really pray was literally in the middle of the night. If I woke up then, I would pray. As the kids grew older, I began to get up at 4:30 in the morning to pray. I still don't have ideal conditions for regular prayer. As a mother of three teenagers and working full time, I sometimes get too tired to pray. But most days I'm able to work in some time for quiet prayer.

Because of my changing schedule over the years, I've asked myself, Just what does God expect of me in my prayer life? The answer I come up with is he wants a love relationship. He doesn't want a hired servant; he wants a bride. A true love will always find a way. It may not always be the same way, or the prescribed way, but it will be a way that reflects love. That's what God wants from me."

In my nine short months of being a mom, the thing that has surprised me the most is the constant change. As soon as I feel like we are getting into a routine, Lewis moves on to a new stage and everything shifts. It sounds like this is going to continue until he and any future siblings are out on their own. Judy's perspective reflects that graciousness that many of you have mentioned before. It's much more desirable to pray when true love is the goal, and not mere duty. It's kind of like laundry and dishes. :)