It's Been A While

It's been a while since I've written. I got caught up in the Face Book frenzy, and just neglected writing on my blog. 

So what have I been doing, spiritually? Well, I have gotten into my prayer routine by using the app on my phone that lets me know when each prayer time is by beeping (?) at me. That's a good thing, because then I really have no excuse for forgetting a prayer time. I don't particularly jump right up and rush up the stairs to pray as soon as the "beep" sounds. (Instead of the "beep" I could have Adhan recited! The app has a recording!) But it does keep me aware of the need to say my prayers. And I'm glad that I am comfortable now with prayer time and it doesn't feel like an intrusion into my life.

When I first adopted Islam as my way of life, praying five times a day seemed rather difficult to adjust to. Prayers seem to come at odd times and I was often quite late in saying my prayers, or having to say two prayers at the same time because I had missed a prayer time. That still occurs occasionally with Maghrib and 'Isha because they now are just a little over an hour apart, but it doesn't happen with the others nearly as often. I think that's because I am now accustomed to the times for prayer and almost instinctively plan for them in my day. When I start Arabic class this summer, however, Thur will be late always on class days since it occurs just a bit after class will start. So I may be combining Thur and 'Asr at one time on class days. I don't like doing that, but maybe I can find a prayer spot when we have a class break. And I may be able to pray with AH, since he's the teacher and religious. I can always ask him what he does.

The alarm has just gone off for Maghrib, so I will be off to pray in a few minutes. I actually look forward to praying because it forces me to slow down and think about and worship God. It has a calming effect on me, and I'd feel strange now if I didn't pray five times a day. Morning prayer, Fajr, which is only two rakahs, actually ends up to be longer than all the other prayer sessions, because I say "The Dawn" after Fajr, then make duaa for all my intentions. I always pray for APK's mother who has breast cancer that has spread. And I pray for the safety of APK and her family, as well as for ALD and her family, from the extremists that are constantly bombing places in Pakistan, particularly in the city where APK lives. I include Chris McNally in my requests for protection by armies of angels at this time, to keep him safe from harm in Afghanistan. I pray for protection for Jackie and Cassie, and then I focus on Sabrina, Clint, my brother and sister and my nieces and nephews, as I ask God to guide them to know and worship him. All these fervent prayers tend to take a bit of time. Hannah is usually in the prayer room with me (and has to be moved often from the prayer rug), while Ernie lays across one of the stairs as he waits for me.

So that pretty much describes my prayer life. I have been reading the Holy Qur'an nearly daily. I try to do at least one Sura a day, now that I'm up to Sura 17 or 18, and they are considerably shorter than the earlier ones. 

I haven't been on Face Book for two days (or is it three?), but I just needed a break from it. I was playing too many games, and I need to get away from them. The language "words" are piled up in my mailbox, and I hadn't paid bills or hung up my new clothes. I'm still waiting for the girls to help me move my old, broken television--it's been at least 2 weeks now since it broke, and 10 days since the new one arrived. 

This morning I was awakened by a phone call from Cassie. She and Jackie were in a slight panic because they wanted to miss their bus and go home to check to make sure they had turned off the hair straightener, and they needed me to take them to school. So I forced myself out of bed, took Ernie out quickly, and rushed over to get them. So Fajr was a bit late this morning. (So much for "regular" prayer time!)

I didn't get to Islam 101 last night because I wasn't feeling great, and tonight I missed the meeting with the refugees at Trinity because I was feeling odd. So I got some dinner and have been reading a Sister Fidelma story until I decided I'd better pay bills and then thought I'd blog. Tomorrow is Friday and Juma'a; I'm looking forward to that. I hope to go to Northwest Vista and sign up for their "senior" program and the Arabic class, as well as pick up my prescriptions. With any luck, I WILL go to Women's Qur'an Study on Saturday afternoon. InshAllah!