syncronicity

 Yes, I will post the first Chapter of "Carry On! Living with Uncertainty" soon.  In the meantime, here is the post on prayer that I mentioned previously on this blog.

SYNCRONICITY:  the coincidental occurrence of events and especially psychic events (as similar thoughts in widely separated persons or a mental image of an unexpected event before it happens) that seem related but are not explained by conventional mechanisms of causality —used especially in the psychology of C. G. Jung.

Here we go...

Why do a group of birds gather to the same tree all at once, and then fly away at the same time?  Why isn't there anyone at the checkout counter at the store when I walk by while shopping, yet when I go to check out there are three or more people moving towards the line at the same time?  How do trends begin in the first place?  Why does one thing all-of-the-sudden appeal to lots of people all at once?  And, how does something that was wildly popular go out of style?  I'm thinking about the idea of syncronicity; particularly in relation to prayer.

How is it that I am conscious of a particular prayer being answered in one moment, and desperate for insight in another moment?  I want to believe that prayers are always being answered whether or not I am aware.  Yes, there is always something supernatural going on around me - that much I know.  Nevertheless, how much of a prayer's life is manifested in my consciousness?

Do prayers flow with syncronicity?

Are my prayers living only in my own energy field?  How can my prayer be a part of someone else's energy field without their permission?  Who or what carries a prayer between individuals' energy fields?  Millions of people and millions of energy fields - is there some kind of time or distance barrier?  Even though God is in a dimension of timelessness, our prayers' lives are part of a dimension of time.  Is there a stream of delivery for our prayers that only connects to certain relationships?  Do we step in and out of waves of other people's prayer energy without feeling them?

What I know is that we somehow answer each other's prayers.  I've had patients at the hospital tell me that I was an answer to their prayer.  I stopped in their room; I listened to their story; I accompanied them through an emotion; I was an answer to their prayer without knowing what their prayer was.  I did not hear their prayer before I stepped into their room.  Or, did I?

Did I hear something without knowing it?  Did I step through an energy field with the life of their prayer in it?  (Syncronicity?) 

I have heard some people say that they remember to say a prayer at night but often forget to say a prayer in the busy-ness of their morning.  They go about their day without thinking to pray.  Somehow this is possible for them.  I don't remember what it was like to not need help every morning.  I am supposing someone can take prayer for granted if they don't need help.

Every morning, especially for the past 14 and 1/2 years, I have needed to pray,  Even when I have questioned whether or not my prayer had a life, I somehow found myself reaching for something.  I needed, and still need, strength beyond my own.  In my experience, I have found that chronic illness requires chronic prayer.

I can't think of when I last "forgot to pray".  It's true:  I have decided to quit praying before.  But, like the main character in one of my favorite books, A Prayer for the Dying (by Stewart O'Nan), I find myself praying again.  Here is an excerpt from that book which is written in second person - incredibly unique:

"You know you won't sleep.
Why don't you pray?
You already have.
Who would have thought you'd turn bitter?  Of all people.
And so you roll over and whisper another prayer into your pillow.  Not because you're too proud to admit you're wrong.  Not because you're afraid.  Because you can't change who you are."

Me, too.  I pray because it is part of who I am.  I am experimenting with trying to feel the life of prayers - energy fields of people who might be praying.  I am trying to perceive possible answers to prayers that may not be consciously perceived.  Something happens and I think to myself, "Hey, that is an answer to prayer."  But, what about all of the things that happen in relation to the life of a prayer and I am not consciously aware of them?  Does it seem like answers to prayers move in and out of our lives like the group of birds that all land in the tree together and fly away at the same time?  Syncronicity...

My manuscript is about living with a chronic illness and the depression that often comes along with pain. I think the stories can apply to many different kinds of situations in life such as experiences with heavy duty grief, dashed expectations of various proportions, living with a disability or caring for someone with a disability, issues with anxiety, or just about any kind of physical, mental, emotional, social, or spiritual challenge. It's called, "Carry On! Living with Uncertainty".

I am posting the Table of Contents and the introduction. The chapters are split up into sections and I am thinking of posting a section at a time; otherwise I don't know if people will actually stay tuned in.

Please pass this along to anyone you think might benefit from it. My motivation is all about the possibility of helping someone find a bit of relief from the difficulties they are experiencing. If someone can feel like they are not alone in some of what they are going through and they feel like they can hold on a bit longer, then my purpose will be met.

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B7jPs-wKTuOuTnpfT3Z1N3VaeXM/edit?usp=sharing

Yes, I decided to create a new blog! (Shout out to Candace Hill - "Hey!")

What is in store for this new blog, you ask?

Hopefully a weekly post on all kinds of topics. Plus, excerpts from my manuscript - I won't call it a book since it hasn't been published. Plus, quotes and possibly pictures (if I get super savvy about how to do fancy shmancy stuff). AND...whatever else finds itself on here.

For starters, I will put the introduction to my manuscript on here with the Table of Contents so you can see what's coming in future posts.

Then, I will put a post I wrote about prayer that may be kind of "out there" for some people, but it won't be the first time someone has told me I am "out there", if indeed that is what they think when they read it. I hesitate to put it on here only because it is not in the same style as my manuscript and I would prefer that readers don't say to themselves, "I am not going to read her manuscript if it is full of these crazy ideas." My hesitation is overcome by the truth that I am crazy and I pretty much embrace my craziness, and also by my enjoyment of various and assorted ideas that generate new thoughts.

Finally, welcome to my blog. I hope you enjoy it. I read a book quite a while ago written by a woman who had a near death (or actual death) experience and she said that she learned it is important to: GIVE THANKS, REJOICE, and PRAY.

I believe that is wise counsel. So, thanks for coming here; I hope you enjoy yourself; and let's pray for a greater awareness of God's Spirit in and around us.

Carry On!