My praying friend, Amy Jo, sent me this encouragement as I prepared to go to Maui to cater/cook for Dare2Share (www.dare2share.org) and a reality show they were shooting (see here: http://www.jeanierhoades.com/stuff-i-actually-think/aloha).  It is from one of the best books of all time Practice the Presence of God: The Best Rule of Holy Life by Brother Lawrence (Nicholas Herman, c. 1605-1691).

"As a humble cook, Brother Lawrence learned an important lesson through each daily chore: The time he spent in communion with the Lord should be the same, whether he was bustling around in the kitchen with several people asking questions at the same time, or on his knees in prayer.  He learned to cultivate the deep presence of God so thoroughly in his own heart that he was able to joyfully exclaim, 'I am now doing what I will do for all eternity.  I am blessing God, praising Him, adoring Him and loving Him with all my heart.'"

That's what I was doing in Maui.  And if you're looking for me - that's my plan everyday from here to eternity.  I've got a head start on heaven!

I was made to praise You, Lord…Jeanie

Read this great book online: http://www.ccel.org/ccel/lawrence/practice.toc.html