When You Are Caught Praying

A few days ago after supper, our family was caught praying around this table--

minus the tomato plants, eggs, rhubarb, and pan of fresh milk. 

 Timmy was outdoors showing a customer his old truck that he was hoping to sell

while the rest of us were finishing supper and having family worship around the table.

In the middle of prayer time, we heard the front door open, and Timmy's voice saying, "Yep! Straight ahead over there!"

And when I opened my eyes, I saw a man in the middle of the living room suddenly hesitating in his onward trek to the powder room!

The man made the quick decision to just move on ahead to the powder room, and I made the decision to shut my eyes again.
Crystal made the decision to simply go on praying. 

She was still praying when the man went through our living room all over again. 

I wondered what he thought of catching a family praying around the table.

 

Crystal finished prayer time, and the man bought the truck. 

Around our table, you can catch us doing a lot of things--eating together as a family, playing games, talking about upcoming plans, laughing, doing school, sewing, doing crafts, and even grumping and trying to figure out how to get certain people to contribute to cleaning up the messes around here. 

(That's mostly on Mom's part, since nearly everyone else doesn't understand what is the big deal.)

But I can't really imagine anything I'd rather be caught doing around the table than praying. 

It would be the best thing to be doing when Jesus comes back--

or when you are in trouble--

or when you just need to debrief to Someone Who cares--

or when your heart is heavy as you look at what is unfolding in the world around you--

or when you are tempted to be bitter at other people.
I still wonder what that man thought when he realized that this family sitting around the table was praying!