The night air was muggy for March. I had stepped outside as a break from working on our income taxes. Two hours after supper I was still at it, running TurboTax to find any errors before preparing to e-file. As I walked into the side yard and looked up to the sky, a New Testament quotation popped into my head.

?Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, to God the things that are God's.?

It was as if I were hearing the words of Jesus for the first time. Or listening for the first time.

Render to Caesar ? God does not begrudge me the time I spend being a responsible citizen. Or a responsible wife, daughter or businesswoman. Render to God ? But I ought not let worldly duties crowd out time for God.

This is a problem I have wrestled with most of my life. In fact, my husband often says I was aptly named. Like the biblical Martha -- a true multitasker -- I am often busy about many things and seldom pause to be still, to pray -- or to sit, as did Martha's sister Mary, at the feet of Our Lord and just listen. Mary was the one who seemed to have the closer personal relationship with Jesus, who made time for joy as well as for duty.

I recently went on a spiritual retreat with one intent being to address my Martha-Mary issue, or at least begin to address it. And the priest in charge brought up the issue without my asking. Seems I'm not the only 21st century woman with this problem.

It's not that Martha was doing anything wrong, he said. It's that she forgot the purpose of what she was doing ? caring for others, as God wants and expects us to do.

That made sense, and it relieved a bit of the guilt I carry around for being more of a listmaker than a listener. And the entire retreat ? three days without the distractions of cell phone and computer ? was a welcome exercise in listening.

I listened in the words of Scripture read in the prayer conferences. I listened in the sweet breeze of morning and the stillness of evening. I listened in my heart.

And when I was restless and could no longer be still, I picked up pen and paper to attempt writing my own prayers, simple reflections rooted in my own experiences.

I started a prayer for editors and writers -- May we never underestimate the power at our command in the skillful use of words. May we use them wisely, to heal and not to wound ?

And a prayer for managers -- You have entrusted to me the growth and development of workers. Remind me to treat them with love and respect?.

What I finished was a morning prayer, a new way to start my day. I've said it, in some form or another, every day since. When I step outside and walk to the road in front of our house to retrieve the newspaper, I stop along the way, breathe deeply, and invite God into my day.

Prayer at Dawn

Good Morning, Lord!

I feel the kiss of your breath in the stirring breeze. I feel the warmth of your smile in the golden sky. I hear your laughter in the chatter of the birds. Thank you for these and all the blessings of the natural world. I offer this day to you and ask you to walk alongside me. Remind me to live my Martha life with a Mary sensibility. Allow me to reflect your breath, your smile and your laughter To all you put in our path today.

Amen.