"I'll Talk To Ya Later!"

Those who know me know that I refer to my mom as the  "Methodist Nun" to her face.  I gave her this nickname.  For those who do not know me, this is a term of endearment for both my mom and nuns.   The calling to live a life devoted to living the faith is a great thing.  My mom is dedicated to the Methodist church as her expression of the faith.

Now it is okay to belong to another faith, but her family as long as she can influence it is going to be Methodist.   It began in my childhood.  As a young child, we were taught that if something was happening at OUR church, we were there.  In my teenage years, there was never an option of attending another church--"You can't do everything you own church offers so you surely don't have time to go elsewhere."  The Baptist church across the street in Minden was so tempting--they had a bowling alley and more girls--what a teenage guy wants!  Nope, I was a Methodist.  That was my identity.

Prayer was also a part of our life.  You did not dare take a bite of food before the prayer.  Everyday life was filled with talk of prayer.  Devotional books were read.  The Bible was read.  It was not unusual for me to hear the words, "Maybe you should just spend some time in prayer about that."  Now I have to admit that most of the time this was heard when I was testing the boundaries of life.

So this Thanksgiving I spent some time with my dad and the "Methodist nun".  Dad begins to laugh as we say the prayer for breakfast one day.  Then he shares this incident.  "I guess you know the  "nun" has come up with a new way of ending prayers now.  The other day she is saying the prayer at our meal and instead of saying  "Amen", she says  "I'll talk to ya later!"  We  all chuckled--even the nun.

If you call mom, most of her conversations on the phone end with "I'll talk to ya later!"   It just seems better than saying "goodbye".  The conversation is not over, it will be continued.  Admittedly sometimes when mom is giving me a story, I will tell her in advance to give me the "Reader''s Digest" version.  

What a natural way to be in relationship with God.  At the end of the conversation with God--which is what prayer should be--there is the knowledge that "we will talk later!!"    Maybe this understanding of prayer will encourage you in the continuing conversation with God.  You talk and listen as if you were talking to great friends or family on the phone.  

If you find yourself in need of someone to pray for you, find someone who has such a relationship.  I tell college kids that if they have a grandma praying for them, give it up.  You stand no chance against the prayers of a grandma.  If you do not have a grandma praying for you, borrow one. 

May your prayer life be filled with people who have such a natural relationship in talking to God they end their prayers with  "I'll talk to ya later!"