Praying for Japan

I'm not very good at praying - I'm erratic, I forget and often I just don't do it!

But I have been gripped by the disaster that has happened in Japan and I have a desire to help, to serve, to do something. But I can't do anything to help - I can't go out and help, I can't support any mourning relatives because I don't know anybody from Japan, I can't even give money because there is no fund to give to. What can I do?

I can pray.

So I am making a commitment to pray for Japan this week starting today (Monday 14th March) through to Sunday for 30 minutes each day. That is a big commitment for me - to some 30 minutes will be the norm, to me this will be a lot more than I do most (every?) day.

So if you feel the same way as me why not pray for Japan this week - I know God loves Japan.

Overwhelmed?

Last night as I went to bed feeling overwhelmed by life - water leaks, broken boiler, pressure of work, personal challenges and issues - as I lay in bed I just felt like running away, life was just too much.

I woke up the next morning to find out thousands of people had actually been overwhelmed by a massive earthquake and an enormous tsunami in Japan. Later that day seeing the news coming in from Japan gave me a large dose of perspective.

I'm not saying that my troubles are not difficult, in the context of my life they can be significant but with a bit of perspective from life, family and friends they are shown for what they are - the normal stuff of life.

So like all of us I get overwhelmed, most of the time its because I procrastinate and things just build up or stuff just happens which I don't expect. But most of the problem is inside me - worrying, not talking things through, not remembering what I said, not being honest and open about my fears and feelings - not so much my circumstances then than my inner world.

So I pray for those in Japan, knowing that the reality they face is truly overwhelming and my issues are just part of life and my journey.