So I'm brushing my teeth last night, and...uh-oh...there goes my new $2,000 tooth into the sink. I spent (it seems) nearly all of October into November at the dentist getting this tooth built, rebuilt, fitted, and refitted. And that's not even the punchline...my dentist of over 20 years, with whom I spent all that time building, fitting and re-re-, retired at the end of November. Left for parts unknown (but I have a foreboding that it's probably Hawaii, my personal idea of Paradise).
I heard my mouth say something other than thank you...well, other than what you're thinking, but that, too...what I heard, though, was "whatever." And I went to bed and to sleep.
I decided that may well be my new one-word-fits-all prayer, so I tried it this morning. I'm thinking of my $2,000 tooth and the hassle I'm going to have to go through getting it fixed to my idea of proper, and I'm saying, "Whatever."
And I learn (again) that the trouble with God is: He listens...and isn't shy about giving directions. Like, I pray my first whatever, and I'm feeling less than wonderful when I'm all but blinded by the light of realization...that one word only works when I mean it. And I can only mean it when I can honest and true substitute 'Thy will, not mine, be done.'
When I think about it, I see that is also true of thank you, but thank you carries a sense of grace with it, doesn't it? When first we pray thank you, we have a sense of hope which builds the more we rely on it. Whatever, though, seems fairly cynical...it's kinda like, "Who gives a flip?"
I do have to give whatever props, though...it got me into bed and asleep without any of the drama-trauma that my ego Lucy loves and does so well.
I returned to praying thank you this morning...love and laughter to follow.
Thank you.
I heard my mouth say something other than thank you...well, other than what you're thinking, but that, too...what I heard, though, was "whatever." And I went to bed and to sleep.
I decided that may well be my new one-word-fits-all prayer, so I tried it this morning. I'm thinking of my $2,000 tooth and the hassle I'm going to have to go through getting it fixed to my idea of proper, and I'm saying, "Whatever."
And I learn (again) that the trouble with God is: He listens...and isn't shy about giving directions. Like, I pray my first whatever, and I'm feeling less than wonderful when I'm all but blinded by the light of realization...that one word only works when I mean it. And I can only mean it when I can honest and true substitute 'Thy will, not mine, be done.'
When I think about it, I see that is also true of thank you, but thank you carries a sense of grace with it, doesn't it? When first we pray thank you, we have a sense of hope which builds the more we rely on it. Whatever, though, seems fairly cynical...it's kinda like, "Who gives a flip?"
I do have to give whatever props, though...it got me into bed and asleep without any of the drama-trauma that my ego Lucy loves and does so well.
I returned to praying thank you this morning...love and laughter to follow.
Thank you.
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