There are certain times in a persons life, and I happen to know this for a fact; that every person in the Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindi, Taoist, Shinto or even the “believers”, “followers”….
There are times when we all feel a need to pray…to somebody or something.
The overwhelming, not quite cognizant drive to fall to your knees and do…something, ANYTHING!
Despite what we have all been led to believe by other “learned” men/women on our blue marble, there are no rules stating that said prayers have to be about thanks, grief, vanity, money or whatever….suggestions, but as far as I know, the Lord’s Prayer in the Christian Bible, is the only one with rules on how a prayer must be done.
You know… Official like….
But, the rule that is non-negotiable or maybe just expected, is that you DO have to report in every now and again; rip your insecurities out, spill your heart on the floor, yell, scream, whisper, cry, laugh, beg for a horrific end to your mother in law……while on your knees; penitent.
Broken heart, contrite spirit.
Oh, the other rule….
Don’t be lazy if you can help it.
Knees are preferred…
This happened to me a few minutes ago.
I’m in a shower at the a truck stop; dripping wet, shaving cream on my face and Heavenly Father wants to talk.
So….we talked.
No choice, really.
Let me step back…and PONTIFICATE.
We follow the Bible and its teachings for a while, right?
Then we started to really get into worshipping it and wanted everyone else on the planet to feel our joy and love; so we went on crusades and missions and wars; righteously killing millions of heretics, pagans, witches, infidels, musselmen and assorted other Moors, Catholics, Protestants, Mormons and about 82 Branch Davidians….that the government, which was based constitutionally on these same biblical Christian values, didn’t like very much.
I wonder if the kids screamed while they burned….
And the list goes on; even today.
I don’t believe we’re as civilized as we profess to be, really….
But, I digress and I apologize.
I’m having my usual pessimistic outlook on life during this joyous season and I guess the Lord noticed, because I’ve been behaving badly and been kind of an a-hole, lately.
So, like I stated earlier in this post, God drove me to my knees in this truck stop shower; somewhere in Oklahoma. Dripping wet, shaving cream on my face, naked as a Buddha and Heavenly Father decides he wants to talk to me.
Well, I suspect now, in hindsight and reflection; that’s what we’re supposed to do after we pray…reflect; so, I’m freaking reflecting!
So, in this reflection, I think he was tired of seeing me mope around, thinking crummy thoughts, not seeing good in anything; basically being a pill and an a-hole, as stated before and possibly witnessed by many, including my very own self.
Isn’t it terrible when you realize you’re being an a-hole and don’t care?
You just want to hurt and be rude and judge and hypocrite…..more stuff; until everyone else gets butthurt and turns into an a-hole too, and joins my little pity party!?
Anywhos…
As I stared into the fogged up mirror; shaving cream on my face, razor held up by my right cheek, barely able to see my big, fat pink body in the mirror, except for the little spot I had cleared with the razor free hand and was presently fixated on.
I heard a still small voice and I recognized it for who it was.
I made the “What was that face?” for effect.
Thats when an urge fell over me, I can’t explain it.
I put down the razor, spread a towel on the floor; because its still a truck stop shower, I’m not crazy…and I knelt.
And I bowed my head before I spoke to the God of us all.
I bent my head in reverance to the celestial being that allows us to exist despite being a horrendous horde of ungrateful, destructive pieces of crap that occassionally celebrate a good deed WHEN IT SHOULD BE A NORMAL UNCELEBRATED THING TO DO A GOOD DEED AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER, LIKE WE WERE SUPPOSED TO FROM THE FREAKING BEGINNING!!!!!
“Dear Heavenly Father’ I said
“I thank you for everything that you have given, have taken away and for prayers that have been and have not been answered, thy will be done.
(OK, I got the initial disclaimer stuff out of the way.
I picture God sitting on a cloud somewhere looking at his fingernails making the “Come on, come on, I don’t have all day” hand motion.
Even though I know he has forever but, hey….
I am only a man.
One of billions…..but there you go.
Well, this man (meaning me) talks to God as if though God were a man.
“I am sorry I say the same thing over and over but, I don’t mean to but, you already know this”
‘I just find it hard to get into myself and tell you things I know you already know, seems redundant and unecessary”
*sigh*
“Is it a confession you want or am I’m doing this wrong? Why am I telling you things you already know? Why am I confessing things to you when you already know them? Does it make a difference on judgement day?”
Is it for forms sake?
*smh*
[*Heres where I slip back into repetetive dribble, which the bible expressly frowns upon]
“I thank you for my wife and kids, please protect them and help them to make good decisions and be good people and do nice things”
“I thank you for my job and I thank you for being reasonably healthy”
[Hesitation here because I realize that God has heard this all before, again.]
Blah blah blah…
It just became personal.
“I don’t know what you want me to say, Lord”
[Here I look up at the ceiling, clasping my fingers tighter; I’m getting frustrated]
“What am I supposed to say, that I’m sorry, over and over?!”
How long do I have to apologize for being human!?
That I’m a piece of crap and I can’t do anything right and I’m sick and tired of everything?!
What am I supposed to say to you, when you know everything I’m saying or thinking and I still don’t hear poop from you, or at least I don’t think you’re saying anything back !?
[I stand up, turn my back to the steamy mirror, looking at another part of the ceiling; I throw my hands up but don’t say anything, I’m too old for this mess!!!]
[Moments reflection]
[I turn back to the towel on the floor, kneel back down, slowly shaking my head]
This is stupid….
“Thank you, Lord, for everything.
I’m doing a lot better than most and everythings not too bad.”
“I’m still a little nervous about thy will be done because I hate surprises but, I know, well, I HOPE that you have plans for me, regardless of what they are.”
“I’m sorry that I’ve been an a-hole lately and been kind of a pill to the Honey Biscuit and messing up her month with my OCD crap but, I try not to let my moods show too much.”
*sigh*
“The cool part about you is that you are the only one that truly knows me.
AND despite what others have witnessed and drawn their conclusions from, some well founded I must admit; you know that I am a good man, with a good heart that only wants super powers so I can save the world.”
“I know I’ve screwed up sometimes. Thank God for repentance; oh, I meant thank you”
*ironic chuckle* He knows what I meant.
Silly rabbit.
“I’m sorry, you know how I get.
” Thanks again for letting me live this long even though I’ve almost killed myself several times and oh, btw, I have no idea why you let me live this long.
To see what I’ll do next probably….
That’s just, mean.
“Thanks for letting me see the things I’ve seen, meeting the people I’ve met and letting me believe that I ain’t as bad as I tell myself that I am”
“Dear Father”
“Help make me a better man. Help me do something to make a difference. Help me to be more patient and a loving Husband and Father. Help me to be a gooder man.”
“Dear Heavenly Father”
“Help me to be more humble and long suffering.”
[This is when I realize I’m being all biblical sounding, again]
repetition….breeds scripture abuse.
[I lower my now dry forehead to my clasp hands and squeeze my fingers harder, really serious part coming up]
“Father”
“Help me be the man we know I can be, thy will be done. I trust you”
“In the name of your son, Jesus Christ…….Amen”
[I stand and turn back to the mirror which is steamy again because the shower is still going and the faucet is running full blast….]
[I wipe a clear spot on the mirror and look at myself]
I hear the still small voice again…..
“Peace, Trey.”
I talked To God today, in a truck stop shower and he answered me….
Oh, From me and God…
Be real.
