1. When you wake up.

2. When you realize you lost something (Saint Anthony come around, something’s lost and can’t be found).

3. When you realize how blessed you are . . .

4. When your heart hurts
5. When you are in need.
6. When you are driving .
7. When you are on an elevator.
8. When you are walking.

9. When you are waiting in line.

10. Immediately after seeing a news report or article that upset you.

    

11. Before you go to sleep.

12. After you had a disagreement or argument (Lord, Make me an instrument of Your peace . . .)

13. When you feel anxious (God grant me the serenity to accept the things I can not change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference).

14. When you feel angry.

15. When you are in pain.

16. Before you eat a meal.

17. When someone you love is upset.

18. While you are exercising.

19. When you are tucking your child into bed.

20. When you are admiring the beauty of nature.

21. When you think of our political leaders.

22. When you hear a siren. (God bless whoever is in need and those who are helping them)

23. At 3:00 in the afternoon (O Holy and Eternal God, in whom Mercy is endless and the treasury of Compassion inexhaustible, look kindly upon us and increase Your Mercy in us so that in difficult moments, we might not despair nor become despondent, but with increasing confidence, submit ourselves to Your Holy Will, which is Love and Mercy itself. Amen.)

24. At the beginning of your work day/shift.

25. When you hear of a death.

26. When you are confused or have to make a difficult decision.

27. When a relationship is in trouble or stressed.

28. When you are having trouble falling asleep (Hail Mary, full of grace . . .)

29. When you find yourself holding a grudge.

30. Right now.

Lead me Lord by the light of truth; to seek and to find the narrow way.  Be my way, by my truth, be my life my Lord and lead me Lord today.

John D. Becker

The post 30 Times It’s a Good Idea to Pray appeared first on Prayer Wine Chocolate.

She then listed the 5,000 things she had to do on a daily basis.  After that she said some sweet things and stated that she had to run to “bathe the dogs”.  Not one dog – plural dogs.  She had to go bathe more than one dog and that did not make it on her first list of things that made her feel overwhelmed.

Part of me thinks she may have written to the wrong person.

Maybe she thinks I am that cute organization blogger.  Maybe she just needs about two more days of knowing me before she realizes how unqualified I am to write a post about finding time for anything.

Or maybe . . . God just wants her to stop being so hard on herself.

God has a huge sense of humor, so it is quite possible that He thought – “Oh honey, you are not a mess . . . I’ll show you a MESS! . . .”

And here I am  Always here to provide a good laugh.  Like that time I was at a bar/restaurant and thought I was walking over to my friends but I was actually walking into a glass wall.

Since I know I am bad at time management, and organization in general, I can share advice that other people have given me.

1. Pray the Rosary – I did not say – nor has Our Lady said – “pray the Rosary well”.  I read a quote in the past year that said something like, “A distracted Rosary is better than no Rosary”.  I can’t find who said it (because I am disorganized), but I know that was the gist of it.  So, I took out the two year old and the three year old and let them play while I prayed the Rosary.  I knew I would have to stop to break up an argument, remind them they can’t run down the street, answer three hundred questions, and “watch this” fifty five times.  But, I read that quote and thought, “any Rosary is better than no Rosary”! ** Check out “Gracious Words” on Christian Bling’s Website; it is a gorgeous bracelet that is also a complete Rosary.  I LOVE it.  It would be a great reminder to pray the Rosary everyday!
2. Go to Adoration – Before I became a parent, I went to adoration on a regular basis.  I usually stayed and prayed for an hour.  After our son was born, I found that I just couldn’t do it.  I was under the impression that I had to go for at least an hour.  But, then I had the pleasure of meeting Crystalina Evert at the Wine, Wisdom and What Now? Conference in Philadelphia. (Imagine that, I went to a conference with the name wine in the title).  Anyway . . . I got talking to Crystalina, who had her youngest baby with her.  Somehow we were talking about adoration and I must have said I can’t find the hour.  Crystalina said, “It doesn’t have to be an hour! It can be 10 minutes!”  I thought – 1. She totally gets it and 2. Oh.  Yeah.  1o minutes is better than not going at all!  Then I probably said, “duh”.  Why did I need someone else to tell me this?
3. Prayer does not have to be formal – I recently went to confession and my priest told me to be careful about how much I judge myself.  He said, “people ask me how I pray – I say I read Reader’s Digest”.  He was reminding me that prayer can be in many forms.  One time I was walking up the stairs with a load of laundry and had a thought – the thought was, “how can my prayers for women considering an abortion matter.  I know I don’t love them as much as God loves them.”  I thought it was just a thought – but God answered me in a BIG way.  God knows our hearts.  He is listening.  He is with us when we are matching socks, writing lesson plans, paying our mortgage and wiping snot.  It may not sound like the Gregorian Chant to us . . . but to Our Lord, who loves us more than we can ever imagine, it’s music to his ears.
4. Remember to “bloom where you are planted: Mother Teresa said, “It is easy to love the people far away,” . .. “It is not always easy to love those close to us. It is easier to give a cup of rice to relieve hunger than to relieve the loneliness and pain of someone unloved in our own home. Bring love into your home, for this is where our love for each other must start.”
5. Stop being so hard on yourself! – Okay, so this one is from me.  Trust me, you are doing a good job.  Yes you, you – if you are reading this – you are doing a great job!  You are so wonderful!!! God LOVES you!  I have to tell you what Father Shelly said (an awesome priest that has since retired) at every Mass, “Ladies and gentlemen, my parents loved me sooo much.  But their LOVE DOESN’T COMPARE TO THE LOVE GOD HAS FOR US!  Eye has not seen, ear has not heard, what God has ready for those who love Him!” You chose to read a post titled “When There is No Time for Prayer”.  You’re doing what you can – just keep going!

Thank you so much for reading this!!  Please feel free to leave prayer intentions and I will pray for you while I clean this horrifying office!!!

Update:  Still cleaning my office; but have to share this beautiful bracelet with you again.  I don’t earn money if it is sold – I just really love it that much!  Click her to purchase: Christian Bling – once you are on the website; search for “Gracious Words”.

The post When There is No Time for Prayer appeared first on Prayer Wine Chocolate.