White knucklin' the rosary

Don't even try to tell me what prayer is for

My Genie in a bottle needs to give me some more

And when this mess is over-I don't need Him anymore

I'll put my God back on temporary ignore

If you will do what I need you to do

I'll find some time to praise you when this whole thing is through

If you get me out of this, Oh great Almighty

I promise I'll never do it again... well... maybe

White knucklin' the rosary

I know my God by what He does for me

Open only in case of emergency

White knucklin' the rosary

- White knucklin' the rosary, Tourniquet

I confess that 95% of the time, my prayer life is probably best described as shallow and one dimensional. It's not unlike typical communicatation between people. Everyone's busy being busy. Busy texting someone other than the person they went to lunch with. Too busy watching TV (or blogging) to talk to their spouse. When we need something done we're too busy to have an actual conversation so we send a quick email and then... "Ta Da" (dusting off hands) ...its now on their to do list.

Recently, I had to travel to two different remote worksites by float plane. Now I love flying in small planes. I love the feeling when the little plane accelerates and lifts off into the air. Seeing the earth speeding away below and the birds eye view of  a place that looks fairly mundane from ground level. But its not as fun in the winter as it is on cloudless blue summer day.

The first trip was fairly exciting. We travelled into Jervis inlet in the coastal mountains and the wind gusts through the mountains really tossed our little plane around. When you're in a plane your mind knows you are in the air but your body is tricked into thinking you are still on terra firma. Tricked by the seat and the floor of the plane. But when the plane drops suddenly and your body experiences weightlessness or slight g-forces in the the wrong directions. I feel suddenly uncomfortable. One drop in particular must have been about 200ft and we dropped so fast that the engine actually stalled and sputtered. Our bodies jumped violently in our seatbelts, the pilot quickly got the engine going and regained control. It took some time before my heart stopped thumping in my chest.

This set me up nicely for tmy next float plane trip the following week which was a longer flight up to a small community near Haida Gwaii. It was windy and bumpy but without incident. However, I prayed under my breath most of the way there because I was still moderately rattled by the experience the previous week.

This experience convicted me of my need to spend time in prayer with God that isn't just making lists of requests or for safety but a true conversation.

Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18