Friday Five

On the Rev Gal Pals blog this week, Sally asks the Friday Five questions:

Prayer is a joy to some of us, and a chore to others, waiting likewise can be filled with anticipation or anxiety....

So how do you wait and pray?

1. How do you pray best, alone or with others?
Both - in silence I like especially like feeling the rich weight of quiet with others. I've enjoyed the peace of a Quaker meeting alot at different points in my life. Recently I've been struck by the beautiful silence of a few homebound parishioners following receiving Holy Communion. One older gentleman often has tears running down his face and and talks about feeling closer to his deceased wife when we share bread and wine together.
On my own, I was particularly good at praying in the car while driving the highways of Los Angeles. Often feeling/receiving an experience of the touch of God (literally) through the windshield.

2. Do you enjoy the discipline of waiting, is it a time of anticipation or anxiety?
NOT a patient person, but in general I enjoy anticipation of an event. In earlier days probably spent more time in unmet expectations than I do now (after a good dose of therapy). If waiting can be spent productively or constructively living into the future I'm really enjoying it.

3. Is there a time when you have waited upon God for a specific promise?
Hmmm ... Moving through the length and width of a denominational ordination promise was probably the the time for me. Although feeling supported by God through it and with some pretty amazing co-discerners (lots of time with one group listening) made the promise worth going through some of the difficulties.

4. Do you prefer stillness or action?
Again - Both! To be able to sit in quiet (at a 7 day centering prayer retreat) for hours each day meant the joy of walking in the mountains with wind rushing through silver birch trees was that more savored. In worship - to be able to move in procession AND sit peacefully for prayers feels just right.

5. If ( and this is slightly tongue in cheek) you were promised one gift spiritual or otherwise what would you choose to recieve?
Just ONE!?!?! I am always amazed at the power of touch in laying on of hands but never can be sure of "effectiveness" of the healing; so to be able to KNOW that laying on of hands would be curative - especially for people with chronic, debillitating illness - is something I'd like to "receive". But not for people to go on living forever, laying on of hands for a peaceful passage through death would be as important and valuable.