The jabs Christians give each other, directly.

Bringing the Lord into our mind...in the examples I gave..is "navel gazing"?

That's an odd assertion. 

There are different types of prayers, and different forms.  

There are prayers with forms...The Our Father, The Hail Mary, the Memorare.

There are prayers without form...fasting is a form of prayer...it's a prayer of the senses.

There are also aspirations..such as the ones I gave above.

An inspiration in prayer that Gabrielle Bosssis received is helpful here:  "Let one form of prayer rest another".

Our whole day - and our whole life - can become prayer.

Takes work, humility, beginning again, directiom from a good spiritual guide, and well, it takes prayer.

"Pray always" "Rejoice always".