Pray whenever we want to

Another slow week in the blogging world, which means another busy week in the REAL world. Sometimes when something remotely interesting happens or Jayda says something funny, I think to myself, OH, I should write about that, or take pictures of that for my blog. Then my other self interupts and says, OH, I should just sit back and enjoy this moment, rather than remove myself from it, to write about it. I read something once that talked about how we've become so infatuated with blogging, facebook, twitter, texting and so on, that all we do is tell people about what's going on, rather than just live in the moment of what is going on. So true! I try to find a balance, and some nights I have to just shut the computer off, walk away and truely devote my attention to other things. Whether it's just a TV show, or folding laundry...I have to remind myself that multitasking is not required every moment of my day.

The rest of this blog post may offend some of you and I appologize for that in advance. I just ask that you read with an open mind, and the realization that not everyone thinks alike, believes the same thing, or has the same opinions, and that is OK. We do not always have to agree.

I just feel bombarded sometimes by everyone elses opinions and viewpoints, that I find it necessary to take a moment to figure out my own thoughts. We seem so quick to jump on bandwagons of other's belief's, just because we know or like the person who is influencing our thoughts.

For example, take the whole Obama and the National Day of Prayer incident. Which actually has little to do with Obama, and he really isn't doing anything different than previous President's. But he is reigning over the country during this technology crisis, where everything he does ends up as a group to join on facebook.  Did you know that Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush each hosted special events for the day only once during their administrations, President Bill Clinton did not hold any such events during his time in office, George W. Bush held events on the National Day of Prayer in each year of his presidency, and President Barack Obama did not hold a formal event for the NDOP on May 7, 2009.

While I think hosting a formal event and awknowledging the Day was a great thing, for some reason I don't think any differently of the man for not having the event. Since when do Christians or any religion of people, need to be told to pray? Since when do we care if the rest of the world joins us? We praise God daily, hourly, and as often as we'd like to, because we believe he is our creator. Why do we feel the need to judge this one person, when it was actually the works of many others to remove the NDOP. And while we're being honest, until this controversy was in the media, I had never heard of the National Day of Prayer..had you?

The following is quoted from Judge Crabb:
It bears emphasizing that a conclusion that the establishment clause prohibits the government from endorsing a religious exercise is not a judgment on the value of prayer or the millions of Americans who  believe in its power. No one can doubt the important role that prayer plays in the spiritual life of a believer. In the best of times, people may pray as a way of expressing joy and thanks; during times of grief, many find that prayer provides comfort. Other may pray to give praise, seek forgiveness, ask for guidance or find the truth. "And perhaps it is not too much to say that since the beginning of the history of humans many people have devoutly believed that "more things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of." However, recognizing the importance of prayer to many people does not mean that the government may enact a statue in support of it, any more than the government may encourage citizens to fast during the month of Ramadan, attend a synagogue, purify themselves in a sweat lodge or practice rune magic. In fact, it is because the nature of prayer is so personal and can have such a powerful effect on a community that the government may not use its authority to try to influence an individual's decision whether and when to pray.

So I guess, I've almost forgotten the point I set out to make after typing all of that. And Lord knows those within the government need more than one day of prayer to receive his word. I just think for me personally, this event occuring does not effect me. I do not care what Obama did, or didn't do. I do not care what the government did or didn't do. I will not join the group on facebook, protesting Obama, mainly because I'm scared of viruses and also  because I'm sick to death of the gazillions of groups created on facebook, as if joining that group really means anything in the big picture.

While the President is our country's leader and the things he enacts can have an effect on our daily lives or the way the country operates. His role in our lives is minimal. God is our leader. We may pray for unity across the world, and work as his diciples to spread His word, and none of this has anything to do with our government or our President.

I must go now, facebook misses me. HA