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 ...is the
month in which we celebrate Valentine’s, the special holiday for
love...and, the season of Lent begins in the church, which focuses on
self-reflection and spiritual growth. So, you might consider:
Praying Your Fingers
In nearly every culture, simple rosaries (strings of beads or other
symbols) are used in prayer. This included the Christian church for most
of its history, until the Protestant church split from the Roman Catholic
church, and gave up some of its more embodied spiritual practices. This
suggestion comes from one of our U.C. Canada brothers, Don Propeck:
When you pray, you can use your fingers as a kind of “rosary”:
1. Your thumb is nearest you. So begin your prayers by praying for those
closest to you. They are the easiest to remember. To pray for our loved
ones is, as C. S. Lewis once said, a “sweet duty.”
2. The next finger is the pointing finger. Pray for those who teach,
instruct and heal. This includes teachers, doctors, and ministers. They
need support and wisdom in pointing others in the right direction. Keep
them in your prayers.
3. The next finger is the tallest finger. It reminds us of our leaders.
Pray for the head of government, leaders in business and industry, and
administrators. These people shape our nation and world and guide public
opinion. They need God’s guidance to bring justice, peace and respect for
the environment, to our hurting world.
4. The fourth finger is our ring finger. Surprising to many is the fact
that this is our weakest finger, as any piano teacher will testify. It
should remind us to pray for those who are weak, in trouble or in pain,
especially those who are victims of social injustice.
5. And lastly comes our little finger; the smallest finger of all which is
where we should place ourselves in relation to God and others. As the
Bible says, “The least shall be the greatest among you.” Your pinkie
should remind you to pray for yourself. By the time you have prayed for
the other four groups, your own needs will be put into proper perspective
and you will be able to pray for yourself more effectively.
Dave Towers suggests assembling (and perhaps sharing with others) this
useful, daily survival kit. Items Needed:
* Toothpick: to remind you to pick out the good qualities in others.
(Matt. 7:1)
* Rubber Band: to remind you to be flexible. Things might not always go
the way you want, but it will work out. (Romans 8:28)
* Band-Aid: to remind you to heal hurt feelings, yours or someone else’s.
(Col. 3:12—14)
* Pencil: to remind you to list your blessings everyday. (Ephesians 1: 3)
* Eraser: to remind you that everyone makes mistakes, and it’s okay.
(Genesis 50:15—21)
* Chewing gum: to remind you to stick with it, and you can accomplish
anything. (Phil. 4:13)
* Mint: to remind you that you are worth a mint. (John 3:16-17)
* Candy kiss: to remind you that everyone needs a kiss or a hug everyday.
(John 4:7)
* Teabag: to remind you to relax daily and go over your list of blessings.
(1 Thes. 5:18)
(Source for both ideas is RUMORS, 9/07)
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