Artist: Georg Saal
Here is a very moving story from the book entitled Uncommon Prayer by The Rev. Kenneth Swanson:
A few years ago I prepared a group of young teenagers for confirmation. Near the end of our course I met with them individually to talk about developing a life of prayer. One of the girls came from an unchurched family. When I asked her if she ever prayed, she said yes, and described how she prayed every morning when she got up and every evening before she went to bed. I was very impressed both by the scope and quality of her devotion. When I asked her who taught her to pray like that, she said she learned from watching "Little House on the Prairie" on television. She took Laura as her confirmation name.
There is so much material, as it were, in our every day lives, in the world around us, that can support us in one way or another on the spiritual journey. I'm not at all suggesting that the journey needs to take the same shape described above or any other particular shape. Rather I'm observing that our life experiences are rich with material for helping our spiritual lives take the shape that is transforming and sustaining for each one of us.
Those who have ears to hear, let them hear!
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What a poignant story. Sort of makes my heart hurt for that girl that she had to learn to pray from a virtual world. But she's probably a spiritual leader in the making.
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