Kim makes us a lovely supper, very inovative!
Even when we are miles apart she has a special palace in our hearts.
She is back out in Chilliwack for a few days.
Children are so full of questions. Their faces so full of wxpressions.
Fact to one person can be only an opinion to another.
Christianity is losing it's influence on ordinary people so those of us who have believed have to address some of their criticism
Fredrick Heiler said: "That there can be no doubt at all that prayer is the heart and center of all religion and certainly Christianity."
Well for me I like to keep things simple. Prayer is expressing our need and the need of others; knowing it is not a way to get what I want but to help me relinquish fear and worry. Prayer changes the person praying and releases me from that isolated feeling of being alone.
Genuine prayer has the power to enable me to embrace life and finding a place in whatever the outcome may be. Yes, there may be reasons beyond reason. We enter the mystery. It gives to me a holy purpose to life. Understanding suffering or healing are beyond me so I find it helpful to pray.
I am continuing to read "Amen" a modern view of prayer that is striving to be innovative. I have accepted that scripture is not the authoritative word for all time but rather a human,y constructed collection of writings by an ancient people trying to interrupt life as it happens around and within them/ When I sink to my knees and fold my hands or even in extreme anxiety touch my forehead to the floor I am relying on a firm foundation of my belief in prayer.
Acknowledging the potability of a source of all goodness brings a sense of wonder, awe, amazement and joy into my heart. It helps me to keep hopeful and to handle difficult situations better.
"Others can seek out wonder, identity, belonging and hope without tying them all neatly back into a scriptural or religious reference." from the book Amen
Yes, that is also true but for me prayer helps me face the darkness in my soul and the negative thoughts in my mind. I hope it helps me to see the goodness in others and to continually be thankful for what I hav/ Everyone needs to be reassured they are loved especially when they are at their most unlovable. Easier said than done.
As parents we always said I am doing this for your own good! We tried to do what was right.
I have had a big walk and now will sit out and read my book about Emily Carr..
3 comments:
Why should Christianity influence people? Well, maybe it should. It influence me. The Tommy Douglas version of Christianity, I suppose. The social gospel.
I wonder about prayer. Often it seems like just a message to Santa Claus asking for things. I suppose if it is the opposite of asking it might be of some use. But I'm not sure what the opposite of asking is.
Love,
Rick
To me prayer is passing the buck. Here god, deal with this. For me the truth is that people are the ones responsible for all good and all evil. Yup. Just plain old people have with in them all that is needed to be the saviors of the world. Some of us have it nurtured by our parents, maybe by use of religion, others not. If I see a need and say "I will pray for you" or I just walk on by and do nothing, to me that is the exact same thing. Sandra
Thank you for sharing your thoughts re prayer.l believe that prayer which includes elements of confession and thanksgiving as well as petitioning for the good of others and of ourselves , changes our attitudes and the way we behave. Also l believe we live in a world where all things are connected and the effects of prayer are felt and work in mysterious ways beyond my small understandings. Prayer also seems to be a very natural thing for people to do as it shows up in so many different cultures. Blessings , Jane.
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