In the early morning darkness, I lay my head back on the
couch, face lifted, chest wide, shoulders back. 
Open.  Prayers rise, unbidden, as
coffee cools in my cup. 

Decisions, relationships, lift like smoke, ascending from
that tense place in my chest where I hold things too tightly.  For the hardest things, my words are lacking,
stumbling stutters. 

“Please.  Help.”

I feel inarticulate, frustration rises.

//

When my four-year-old gets in a tight place in the yard –
stuck upside-down in the hammock, balanced precariously on the edge of a fall –
he cries out.

“Somebody help I! 
Somebody help I!”

Yesterday, having nicked his heal, he ran into the house at
full speed, full volume, calling, “Guys, I bleeding! Guys, I bleeding!”

I love the unspecificity of his cries, the simplicity. 

He is a boy raised in a loving crowd – someone will
answer

He doesn’t need to find the right words to wrap around the
problem in the midst of his panic and fear – help will come, regardless.

//

This is what comes to me in the midst of the frustration and
inadequacy.

Ah, I think, I am praying like a child. 

I live in the midst of a great sea of Love – Someone will
answer.

I don’t need to find the right words – Help will come,
regardless.

My cries are precious to the ear that hears them. 

Friends, the lovely Laura Boggess and I are leading a retreat day on September 26 based on Jesus’ invitation to become “as a little child.”  You can find out more about this event here.

*   *   *

Welcome to the #SmallWonder link-up.

What if we chose to deliberately look for the small moments of wonder, the small sparks of presence, of delight or sorrow, of true humanity in which we meet God? 

That’s my proposal – that we gather here each week to share one moment of Wonder from each of our days.  

You’re invited to link-up a brief post about a small moment of wonder.  Don’t worry if your post is too long, too short, or not just right – you’re welcome to come as you are.  

While you’re here, please do take a look around and encourage at least one other blogger with a comment.  

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