Well, thats the most important job of December, possibly of the year, complete. My six year old has posted his letter to Father Christmas (or Santa, as he insists on calling him -- grrr... I feel a blog about creeping Americanisms coming in the future....).
"Dear Santa Claus
Thankyou for the presents you gave me last year. This year I have been really good and would like these things please:
..."
For some reason, this got me thinking about my prayer. How often does my prayer life deteriorate into a Christmas list of things I'd like. Oh yes, my prayers are informed by those good Sunday school lessons of tsp (Thankyou, Sorry, Please), and the more advanced version ACTS (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) - but so often, the Please bit seems to take over and my prayer becomes little more than a shopping list, a list of wants and desires, perhaps even needs, but focused on me and on other people, whereas surely it should be truly focused on God.
Why is this? I always start out with the best of intentions... I wonder if perhaps its because I'm actually not that good at listening when I pray. Prayer is supposed to be a two way conversation, and if the old adage that "we have two ears and only one mouth, so we should listen twice as much as we speak" is true about our human conversations, why should that be any different for our conversations with God.
So that's my challenge for today, this month, this year now - to learn to shut up a little, and listen to what God has to say to me. And perhaps, just perhaps, if I do that, when I do "open my mouth" what comes out will be a little more focused on Him, and a little less of a letter to Father Christmas!
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