Mommypotamus and I were watching a cute little romantic comedy called Leap Year a while back, and it inspired me to blog. If you get a chance to watch it, do. Everyone needs a sappy love story about an obnoxious, controlling woman from time to time. But that’s not why I’m here writing.

Without setting up too much of the story, this swarthy foreign Irish guy asks the obnoxious, controlling woman a simple question – one she cannot answer:

In charismatic Christian circles (those who accept and practice the gifts of the Spirit), we’ve been guilty of criticizing the Orthodox and Catholic churches for practicing liturgy and rehearsed prayers.

From the Charismatic’s perspective, life and power are found most often in the “now” word of the Holy Spirit. And rehearsed prayers and rituals fall under the “dead and boring” category.

But it’s not the nature of being pre-recorded that makes a prayer dull, lifeless, and boring. It’s the heart, faith, and attitude of the person praying.

“Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.”

- Steve Jobs, 2005

I want you to know that whenever I discuss these things, I’m only sharing my opinion, and I realize that at any point in life, I may be missing an important piece of the puzzle.

Here’s the question that motivated today’s post: If prophecy is so important, why are none of the people I know walking in the reality of what was prophesied over them 10-15 years ago?

Today’s post is part one of my response. I think there’s more than one answer, so I’ll start with the first.

Katie and I visited Barnes & Noble bookstore so that I could spend my gift card. We stopped over at the impressive children’s book section, and fell in love with the reading stage.