Joyful Prayers at Camp But Not at Home

 As Lent has gone on, I've considered and evaluated my prayer - essentially checking to see if I was praying "enough". Here, we've arrived at Holy Week, and I've come to the conclusion that my prayer life is to somber. Here. On the holiest of weeks, and I am concerned that I pray too seriously.

There are five types of prayer, adoration, expiation, love, petition, and thanksgiving.

And I petition frequently, asking for help, blessings, or protection for myself or another.
I'm pretty thankful, I make lists of things I'm thankful for at the end of each prayer-journal. But I find myself not adoring and not loving the Lord that way God deserves. I'm not joyful, I don't glorify, I don't look around and just feel overwhelmed by God. I don't pray with love and adoration on a day-to-day basis during the off-camp season. But at camp I find myself praying in a more adoring, loving way. Probably because I'm less surrounded by worldly things or concerns.

My prayer life at camp is more joyful. I journal in the early mornings, attend Mass, sing joyfully, and pray the rosary as I fall asleep, because camp puts me so at ease in my spiritual life that my prayers aren't because I need to pray, but because I want to. And that's the joy that I miss in my daily prayers out here.

The Lenten season is a time to reflect and pray, and to see what we can do better as Christians. What can I do better? I can find my joy.

Tota Tua,

LeAnn

P.S. Confused about the upcoming week and what's expected of you? Check out my Holy Week guides.