a house of prayer

What I see from where I sit: a living room with green walls and white trim. Four plastic lawn chairs placed haphazardly in the space. One chair by the front window for the dog, one to my left with Meggie-playing-music, one to her left with Heather.  Behind them, a patio chair from Europe and in front of me its pair. Hardware lay around two small boxes, mouths open as if they’d just upchucked. To my right: a shop vac, another box with assorted kid’s ministry supplies, and yet another box with leftover school supplies. Behind me: a doggie bed, a backpack and a folded up card table. A printer sits across the way beside our unplugged TV. Heather is using a large box as a coffee table and spider plants atop the mantle sport wild hairstyles in keeping with the state of the house.

These past few nights have been front-porch-nights. Meeting neighbors, chatting as a family, the dog lying content on the cold concrete.

Several rooms need various repairs. New carpet, fresh paint, a replaced medicine cabinet (drug paraphernalia was found atop the existing cabinet).

We are far from settled and there is still much to do to make this place our home. I imagine there will always be work to do, but one thing will always remain more important: simply loving God, talking to him, reading His Word, seeking His reign in our lives.  So, tonight I was happy to resume our evening family prayer ritual.

In the shadow of Your wings
I will sing Your praises, O Lord.

The Lord is my light, my salvation;
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the refuge of my life;
of whom shall I be afraid?

In the shadow of Your wings
I will sing Your praises, O Lord.

One thing I ask of the Lord,
one thing I seek;
to dwell in the presence of my God,
to gaze on Your holy place.

In the shadow of Your wings
I will sing Your praises, O Lord.

I believe I shall see the goodness
of the Lord in the land of the living.
O wait for the Lord!
Have courage and wait,
wait for the Lord.

In the shadow of Your wings
I will sing Your praises, O Lord.

Our home can crumble around us but nothing will remove the foundation of our God. Let this be a house of prayer.