God said to the Israelites "Choose life, that you and your Descendants may live." Basically, the book I wrote three years ago is all about choosing life. I found that too many people sat around saying there was nothing to do. I originally wrote it for seniors, however, I seem to get a number of responses from younger folks who say I inspired them, or I gave them ideas they would never have thought of. The book is called Get Out of Heaven's Waiting Room. The books are $15 plus shipping. From now until the end of the year I am selling them and I will pay the shipping charges. If you know someone who needs a positive outlook on life, or needs some hints on things they might do, the would make a great Christmas Gift. The book is a series of short essays and at the end of each on is a list of Things to Do. I am enclosing a page from the book to give you an idea of what it is like.
Random acts of Prayer
"The deepest wishes of the heart find expression in secret prayer." Geo. E. Rees
We've all been shocked by random acts of violence and wondered if there was any way we could help those violent people so disturbed that they must resort to this method of gaining attention. Random acts of kindness have been offered as an alternative solution and have restored our faith in human behavior.
The Ukrainian people have an old custom of painting eggs for a specific person. As they paint, they pray for that person. I took a class in creating these eggs one year during the Lenten season and I found it very soul[-soothing to pray for each special person as I worked on their egg. This led me to the idea that if I could pray for people purposely , why couldn't I pray for people randomly?
What a concept! as Mikey says in the cereal ad , "Try it, you'll like it." My first random act was when I saw a Greyhound Bus zooming along the freeway. I asked God to get the bus to it's destination safely. I also asked that each person on the bus find a purpose and joy in his life. What a freeing moment. Those people will never know I prayed for them, but God was surely acting in their lives as well as mine.
Since that time, I find I most often pray for people when I'm driving. Perhaps I do this for my own lack of patience. There is nothing that irritates me more than to have a car dart in and out of traffic, cutting people off and causing near accidents with every move.
Instead of some of my negative thoughts , I try to consider why this person is driving that way. Does he have an emergency? Is he late for a very important meeting? Does he have such sorrow in his life that he doesn't care what happens to him or to others? Or is he just thoughtless? I ask God to be with him. To protect him and those he so carelessly endangers.
The choices of people to pray for is endless: children playing in their yards or riding school buses, customers standing in the line at the market, women in beauty parlors. Add to the list those you see each day.
I find that most often I ask for peace and joy for people. As you read this I also pray that you may find comfort in this idea. It is really exciting so I hope you try it. Go ahe3ad. Try a few random acts of prayer today.
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Ideas
, l. As you stand in the line at the grocery store, say a silent prayer for the person standing in front of you. If the person looks like he is in pain, be sure to include that. If it's a harried mother , give her peace and patience.
2. When you stop for a red light , pray for the person you can see in a car near you.
3. Pray for the first person you see at a mall who looks angry or sad.
4. Find special ways to say a random prayer for someone each day.
If you think you know someone who needs a few positive thoughts, you can
order my book by sending a check for $15.00 to:\
Joyce Ackley
805 N.E. 130th Ct.
Vancouver, WA 98684
Until next time,
Be kind to one another
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