Trying too hard

Last week I sent off passports for renewal and I was quite nervous because of all the warnings about how carefully they need to be checked. I was trying so hard not to make a mistake, that the following is both embarrassing and a wee bit funny.

Mine came back owing £3 as I had the wrong amount, my youngest daughter came back owing the full amount as I sent an unsigned cheque, and my eldest daughter's came back as we didn't even put the cheque in the envelope.

( Need I bother to add that my husbands' was correctly done by him, and he has received his new passport and is trying very hard not to look smug.)

Sometimes when we try too hard we get it all wrong. Reminds me of praying, the times I try really hard to follow what I think is good practise, can leave me cold yet the times I just go ahead and pray openly and honestly are the times I connect.

Prayer is a conversation with God, it doesn't need rehearsed or clever words or special formats, it is just us turning up and giving God our time and the things that lie on our hearts, and then listening for his response.

So with apologies to Her majesty's passport office for wasting their time and money, I will make amends and we will all sigh with relief that that is it for another ten years.

"And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.  Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

 “This, then, is how you should pray:

“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come,
your will be done,
    on earth as it is in heaven.
 Give us today our daily bread.
 And forgive us our debts,
    as we also have forgiven our debtors.
 And lead us not into temptation,[a]
    but deliver us from the evil one.[b]’"

Matthew 6 vs 7-15