Prayer warrior or mooch?

I've had an impediment in my prayer life these past -- well, my entire life.

I have a hard time praying for certain things. While I love God, I have always had this problem involving Him in the "little things" of life by praying.

Somewhere in my Christian walk, when I was growing up in a more conservative denomination, I was taught that prayer had to follow a formula similar to what Jesus laid out for us in The Lord's Prayer. I don't remember exactly how it goes, but I fo remember that we were told that before we asked for things we needed to thank God for Who He is and worship Him for what He has done.

Now, don't get me wrong, I love to praise my God. I love to reflect on His goodness and worship Him. The problem I have run into with this formula is that I would feel like a moocher if I didn't follow the formula exactly. By having these perceived expectations, this liturgical norm in place, I realize that I eliminate the conversational, abba father dialogue God so desperately wants to have with me.

I always felt that I was just bugging God if I didn't have the right adoration up front. But the truth is, David didn't follow that formula... And he was a man after God's heart! I'm too quick to look at daddy God as a rich old man who is stingy with His money... That I have to schmooze Him to make Him warm up to my request. That's simply not my God!

It's going to take some retraining, but I know that I need to embrace that kind of close relationship with the daddy whose storehouse is never empty, who loves to give gifts to His children.