What else were you gonna do?

Taking those moments God gives us

Why did I schedule my dental cleaning during Thanksgiving week? Work’s stacked up because it has to be done in four days instead of five; there’s house cleaning and shopping and and and and…

Must have been something to do with insurance something something end of the year.

Anyway, there I am in the chair, looking up into the lights, feeling the thingys polish, poke, spray and scrape. And I started to pray.

Not about the cleaning. Dental stuff is easy for me. I started recollecting people for whom I had promised to pray. I let my heart cry out to God for them (my mouth being occupied, after all).

Really, what else would have been good use of the time? Fretting? Rehashing grievances in my head?

On the way out, I thanked the tech for giving me a good time in prayer. She was polite and clearly thought me weird, but my gratitude was genuine. And I really did say, “What else was I gonna do?”

Later, I got a message from one of the people I’d prayed for, who was dealing with a difficult situation. The prayer had been answered — the worry had been relieved in a way specific to the prayer I’d sent up from the dentist’s chair.

I share this to encourage you — take advantage of those “What else am I gonna do?” moments. Oh, they’re coming with the holiday:

Waiting in an interminable supermarket line.

Stuck in traffic.

Sitting in an airport.

Waiting for a kitchen timer to ding.

Staring out the window at 5:00 looking for the “We’ll be there at 4:00!” guests.

Pray. Open your mouth (if it isn’t full of dental tools) and certainly your heart and spend some quality time in prayer, especially if it is an opportunity to catch up on neglected prayers…

Prayer requests from others that have not received the attention you intended when you said, “I’ll pray for you.”

Thanking God for all of his gifts in your life.

Praising God for his greatness and goodness.

Confessing sin and receiving grace.

Lifting up churches, communities, nations and peoples needing God’s help.

There’s always something to take up in prayer. And always God given moments to get after it.

Most merciful Father, we humbly thank you for all your gifts so freely bestowed upon us: for life and health and safety, for strength to work and leisure to rest, for all that is beautiful in creation and in human life; but above all we thank you for our spiritual mercies in Christ Jesus our Lord; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

I wish you a happy and gentle Thanksgiving, with plenty of moments to give thanks.