Prayering at Sunset

When Hurricane Irene battered the East Coast not too long ago, we -- like most people -- were left without power for a few days.  The day the power went, I went into full-blown panic mode thinking about having to bathe, feed and entertain Brendan without electricity.  I didn't worry much about myself.  Having grown up partly in Honduras, I know what it's like to live without the luxury of running water and electricity, but I thought it would be a real hardship for Brendan.  Thankfully, Brendan saw it as an adventure and easily found ways to pass the time without television, electronic games or DVDs.

On most evenings, Big Bren was out trying to score a generator.  The big stores, like Home Depot and Lowes had long since sold out, but he was methodically going to every hardware store and tractor supply place in the area trying to find one that somehow was miraculously still available.  Most of it, I'm sure, was him trying to "provide" for us; but I'm also sure that at least some of it was him finding a way not to be home with a restless 7 year old and no power.

On the evenings that Big Bren was gone, Brendan and I got into the habit of sitting on the deck to watch the sun go down.  It was so absolutely peaceful and beautiful, that it was only fitting that it became our meditation and prayer time.  We would sit quietly, shoulder to shoulder, for a few minutes and watch the sun make its way down.  Then, just as the sun was about to set, we would say our prayers.  In the midst of all the craziness and hardship, those few minutes every day became Bren and my favorite time together.

And, it's funny, because not once during those six days did Bren or I ever pray for the power to come back.

Now, with Hurricane Irene but a distant memory, Brendan and I still make time for, as he calls it "prayering" at sunset.  I rarely get home from work before sunset during the week, but every Sunday now, we sit on the deck, shoulder to shoulder, and watch the sun go down.  And, today, just as the sun went down, I whispered a "thank you" to God -- for my home, for the sunset, for my amazing little boy.