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When you pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites, for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Most assuredly, I tell you, they have received their reward. Matthew 6:5 WEB

It was a long, hot day in the South and I was working on a house for an elderly lady when she invited me in to have lunch with her. As we sat down at the table, she said a blessing over the food before we ate. I try to always say a blessing over my food too, but this one was quite different.

When her eyes closed, her voice changed and she began to speak in a King James era dialect. I felt that we were on the Mount of Transfiguration as she became a completely different person right in front of me, uttering long beautiful words that I barely understood. Even her southern accent seemed to take on an old English tone.

After several minutes, her prayer ended and she became herself again. It was scary. I felt like I had just seen something from the movie "The Exorcist" and clenched my steak knife a little tighter for the rest of the meal. Really, she was just a southern belle that had learned religion by rote.

Do not make God scratch His head and say 'Well he looks like Dion, but he sounds like Shakespeare? Dion is that you?' God would understand, but He has not heard that dialect in a while.

Be yourself. Hypocrite means actor, someone impersonating someone else. God made you to be who you are. When you speak to Him, be your everyday self and do not be ashamed to pray because you do not have the fancy words that you have heard others use. It just may be that they are faking it.

You are who He made you to be and He loves you. When you pretend to be 'holier than thou' you are buying into a lie that you are not good enough, that God could not love the 'real' you, when nothing could be further from the truth. God has loved you for your entire life, through the ups and the downs. He understands, and He still loves you.

God knows who we are inside, sees us run to the bathroom and watches us in traffic, so don't think that you will flatter Him with some pretty words. God is the Awesome, Omnipresent, Unchangeable, Loving, Merciful, and Patient, Creator of the Universe and He made you. So be yourself, especially in prayer. The real thing is rare and beautiful.

Prayer: Father, I thank You for loving me just as I am. You made me and I am now here before You in prayer. It's me Lord. I just want You to know that I am thinking of You today and that I want more of You in my life, in the name of Jesus Christ I pray.

Note: Good morning! The highlighted group of the week is: Keep It Simple Crafts! This group is about the joy of creating beautiful, yet simple, projects for your home, as gifts or just for fun! Crafts that can be created with little-to-no skill are encouraged here. Please check out the group from the groups list and join the fun!