I Don't Want "Your Thoughts"!!!
That's right, I don't. I'd rather have your prayers. Let me explain.
I am sick and tired of hearing people saying "my thoughts are with you." I hear people in authority often say this after some tragedy. "Our thoughts are with the family...." Oh boy, that'll help. Do you think that by thinking anything that you can change the outcome of a situation? Craziness, I say.
How about this: "Our PRAYERS are with the family..." You know, God might be able to do something in the situation. It certainly seems it would be slightly more plausible than trying to "think" something to change.
I've had people say to me during my recent surgery "you'll be in my thoughts." Thanks, but no thanks. I'd rather be in your prayers. Then maybe the ONE who can make a difference will! Thanks!
36 comments:
Thinking of you.
(with fingers in ears loudly humming off key) I can't hear you, I can't hear you.
Keith stole my line, so I'll have to "think" of another.
I thought you might.
Brett,
Haven't you ever read Peale's "The Power of Positive Thinking"?!? Of course our thoughts make a difference! I think...
Contemplating you!
Jeff, I think not.
Chris, to paraphrase Pink Floyd: "We don't need no contemplation"
I'll raise your Pink Floyd and Raise you. "How can you have any pudding, if you don't eat your meat?"
They are just telling you the truth... they probably will NOT pray but they might think about you and maybe even gossip about you... but, if you are lucky it will be to someone who might pray for you! Hey, you never know where their thoughts might end up. Just a thought.
(P.S. I don't believe in luck but I thought it fit since this isn't really a spiritual response to your post.)
Well said, and thought out Brett -- prayer is that mysterious exercise that has been talked about, preached about, and yes, thought about -- then, if there is any time left, one might actually do it!
I'm having a roast tonight. Can you feel the love tonight?
They thought they would offend people by saying "our prayers are with you," just like how "Merry Christmas" offends some people. But if they thought what you know in your thoughts, then I know that they might think differently about how they treat your thoughts... I think I thought that thought out thoroughly, but the arbitrary alliteration's assailing me.
Thanks for your thoughts, so to speak.
Personally, if I say to people, as I occasionally do, that I am holding them in my thoughts and prayers, I am saying two different but important things.
By saying that am holding them in prayer, I am telling them that I am being intentional about bringing them with me into the healing and transforming presence of God whenever I enter that presence through the doorway of prayer. I agree with you that that is, by far, the more "effective" course of action.
But when I offer to people my thoughts, I am saying that I care about them enough to allow them to occupy a significant portion of my daily intellectual processes (i.e., my thoughts). Granted, my thoughts are not necessarily prayers (since prayers are thoughts turned specifically God-ward) and, therefore, my thoughts are not "powerful and effective." But my thoughts are some of the most personal things that I have. Therefore, to tell people that I am keeping them in my thoughts is an expression of intimacy and relationship. I don't see how that can be a bad thing.
Think about it this way: Before we can pray for people, we first have to think about praying for them. Don't we?
So, I think I'll just keep offering to you my thoughts and prayers. If you don't want the thoughts, you can exchange them for some new guitar strings!
Unless, of course, you INSIST that I stop thinking about you, in which case I will end this comment immedi
(sudden cut to black screen, like the final episode of "The Sopranos")
Because I am a lover of the Soprano's, I found the end to be totally empty and room for a sequel.
Be careful with that response, Brett. Did you know that Rene Descartes never actually died? One day someone asked his opinion on something, and he said, "I think not." POOF! He ceased to exist.
wow.., my head hurts!
Smoke screen, smoke screen, so the truth cannot be seen!
No smoke screens here.
Just a conviction that the truth is not always as limited or formulaic as we sometimes try to make it.
Eric...I'll def take the guitar strings!
And to misquote a soon-to-be-famous heretic, "People don't care about truth, they just want to lose weight."!!!!
Understood, brother.
But please give to me your prayers AND thoughts.
I like being part of both!
Eric...I'll think about it!
OK...I thought about it. The issue isn't keeping you in my thoughts if that leads to prayer. So I WILL keep you in my thoughts AND prayers. But in this all-too-PC world, I'm sick of hearing "you're in my thoughts." Your thoughts are worthless to me unless they lead to prayer. That's my point, and I'm sticking to it.
What time do you all get up to start mindless chatter? For crying in a bucket!
I pray and think, in case you wonder! (the latter is in question most of the time...)
I love it when you get all warm and fuzzy.
Worthlessly thinking of you,
Rico
Rico...no offense intended...you can see my earlier posts about that.
Barb: I get up early in the morning because I'm a Christian.
None taken, B.
Continued prayers for your healing...and for your continued enjoyment of Shadrach's unspeakable acts!
Well there you go... you finally got more comments about something spiritual like prayer than your posts about things like pooping! Congrats! Does this mean your readership's spirituality is finally being elevated to new heights? Hmmmm.......
; )
Jan, I doubt it. But with your post, it certainly does help!!!!
Hmmm...let me think about that.
Keith, I'll be praying for you.
Just thought you would want to know, I prayed for you today.
I thinking about what to write.
That was totally sweet what Greg said to you........wow!
He always was the favorite brother... sniff...
Don't worry, Chris. You'll always be the favorite amiable!
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