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Prayer and the Working Mom

How do working mom's find time to pray when their days are nonstop due to work and other activities? They have so much to do: work, kids activities and homework, errands, cooking, laundry, managing the house, social visits... The list is endless. We have no private or personal time.We finally manage to get 5-6 hours of sleep, only to wake and start the same process over again in a new day.

I, too, have always been a working mom with little to no personal time. Even during your bath, kids are at the door calling out, "Mom!" There really was no time for prayer until I laid my head on my pillow at night. Then, I would pray until I fell asleep. I could definitely pray Our Father but sometimes fell asleep before my Hail Mary.

Until... I learned new ways to pray:

1st: I attended a talk by someone who returned from Medjugorje with a new zest for prayer. The speaker stated that she could not find enough time in her day to pray the rosary daily, which is a request of Our Blessed Mother. She stated that she felt that praying the Rosary was important but that it did not have to be prayed in one sitting and that she prayed while driving instead of talking on her phone or listening to the radio. My drive to work each day was approximately 20 minutes. That gave me plenty of time to pray on the way to and the way from work. I no longer used my radio in my car. I spent that time praying.

2nd: There are many types of prayer. Formal prayer, recitation of prayers given to us, should play a part in our daily lives but it is not the only form of prayer. I feel that other forms are just as important:

Short bursts of prayer: Wake up and say, "Good morning Jesus, I love you." Waiting for the copies at work to print, "Thank you Jesus for this day, for my job, for my children, etc." When facing something that is frustrating or challenging, "Help me Jesus, I place my trust in thee." Sitting in a doctor's office, "Heal us Jesus." Continuous burst of prayers keeps your line of communication open with Jesus.

Prayer through song: This is my favorite form of prayer: singing praise to Jesus through song. Singing in the shower, at work with soft background music playing, driving in your car, waiting for an appointment, etc.

Silent Prayer: Prayers of your heart; thinking of Jesus throughout your day, doing kind things for others, appreciating your blessings, doing charitable work or donating to those in need, etc. These actions show your love for Jesus because you are imitating Jesus through these actions as well as keeping the commandment to love your neighbor as you love yourself.

Unconscious Prayer: These are prayers that you are not consciously prayed. They are prayers that are answered because Jesus knows your needs and desires better than you do. Keeping communication open with Jesus allows for these prayers. Welcoming Him into you life acknowledges these prayers.

Start today praying in new ways. Welcome Jesus into every part of your day and into every part of your life.

Jesus, I place my trust in thee!

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