I'm going to make a departure from my usual posts with photos, family news, or book reviews to share my thoughts about something.
For me, it started a few years ago. When listening to the Today Show, I heard Matt Lauer (or was it Ann Curry?) saying after some tragic event that they were "sending our prayers and happy thoughts." Now, I often hear them just sending "happy thoughts."
Is this the new politically-correct version of prayer? When someone doesn't really believe in the power of prayer (and doesn't want to be hypocritical) but wants to show they care, I guess this has become the appropriate thing to say. But if someone doesn't believe in prayer, do they seriously believe that "happy thoughts" are going to telepathically come to the rescue? I don't think so. I guess that they really don't know what to say, and they feel the need to say something.
Sometimes Christians (me included) are bad about saying that they are going to pray about something and then not doing it. In that case, they may believe in the power of prayer but be too lazy or forgetful to actually do it. In that case, they might as well have sent "happy thoughts."
For those of you who have prayed for us and Terry's job situation, I sincerely thank you! I also thank you that none of you have sent me "happy thoughts." If you do ever tell me you're sending me "happy thoughts," I won't be offended. But I hope you don't mind if I send up a prayer for you to come to know the God who truly answers prayer.
