January 11, 2023
“I’m Ready to Start Ironing Again”: A Prayer
O Lord, I’m ready to start ironing again after months
away from the board, not able to
stand long enough,
walk back and forth to closet,
maintain oxygen level at needed level;
but now,
ready,
strengthening
faster than thought,
able at last to
stand,
walk,
maintain,
and so,
press,
iron,
smooth;
the joy of it (no, really, not kidding);
the peace of it (I’m serious);
the satisfaction of it (ah, a
perfect collar – crisp, stiff,
wrinkle-free);
getting a
shirt just right
(taking my time),
crease just right
(thank you, steam),
cuff just right,
(starch, starch again);
time all alone,
no phone,
no TV drone,
no computer tone;
just you and me, Lord,
talking (to you, to others pictured, to myself);
thinking (about you, about others pictured, about myself);
writing (in my head, sermons and stuff);
planning (actually making plans);
praying (for nation, others, self);
how I’ve missed ironing,
can’t wait to set up board,
plug in the Rowena,
lay out a shirt;
zone out,
zoom in,
zest on,
picking up life again,
feeling normal again,
doing what once did,
just get up and do,
without thought,
no ponderous pondering,
no ironing out anything in order to iron anything.
O Lord, that’s the tough thing (at least for me) about having
cancer,
chronic illness,
crippling disease
(and just getting older);
the tough thing is
can’t do
what once did
but still want to do,
can’t just get up and go
like once did
but still want to go,
can’t even plan
what once planned
but still want to plan;
the tough thing is
those “can’ts”,
harder and harder
to convince self
that can,
harder and harder
to want to do,
harder and harder
to even try
because of
all the effort required,
all the equipment needed,
all the exertion demanded; and
yes, yes, yes,
I know, I know, I know,
way it is; but
no, no, no,
hate it,
ready to get rid of the equipment;
ready to have Dopey days again (what a certain
eighteen-year-old has called Fridays for
eighteen years);
ready to be pastor I want to be again;
ready to be me again;
ready to iron again.
And Lord, this is my prayer for all who are ready, ready to
keep trying,
keep going,
keep doing;
ready
to live
as best we can;
and yes,
some things no,
never again
(the sadness of it);
but yes,
other things yes,
(the joy of it);
and my prayer is
that the Spirit would
convince us that
we can still do much;
move us to want with our whole heart to do
what we want with our whole heart
(Christmas Eve comes to mind);
grant us the courage to try to do
what we’re afraid we can’t;
my prayer is
that the Spirit would
push us to
grow as strong as we can,
encourage us to find encouragement in discouragement,
grace us with a hope that carries us
day after day;
my prayer is
that in the power of the Spirit
we would remain
spirited,
passionate,
determined.
And we pray, O Lord, for those we pray for week in and
week out, because week in and week out they
need our prayers,
need to know they are not alone,
need to know they are not forgotten:
the ill, the suffering and hurting, the dying, the grieving,
the war-torn and the hungry, the homeless, the refugees.
We commend them to your grace and mercy;
we ask that you heal and comfort them;
we pray that your people will
feed and house and grant them a safe haven in the
compassion you command of us.
O Lord, I’ve set aside a day to set up the ironing board;
I’ve made a date for this Friday with a certain someone
to have a Dopey day;
I’ve decided
to roll the Rollator into the corner and
wheel the wheelchair into a closet and
turn the oxygen down as I
ramp up the exercise;
and I’m
going to be there every Sunday,
get on the road once more,
get going again.
Some things
no,
other things
yes,
absolutely yes
in your strength
which becomes our strength;
and I pray
that we all of us,
as best we can,
live that yes,
say yes to life,
yes even to
ironing
(well, okay, maybe not ironing)
Amen.