Praying For Those

[Guest nvzbl]

a friend of mine said that when someone was raising her, they would be driving and when they seen someone in a wheelchair or someone handicapped they would stop and say prayers. i think the thought is sweet and compassionate. however, what would make someone think that someone in a wheelchair would need the extra prayers?? just because someone is in a wheelchair doesnt make them in need of prayeres. they could be happier than someone not in a wheelchair. i dont know. just a thought..

[mcts]

we always stopped to pray whenever an emergency vehicle went by. we never did the wheelchair thing, but it's nice. They would need extra prayers because they have extra burdens to bear in life. not that they can't do the same things that non-wheelchair bound people can, it's just harder.

[MithLuin]

I was taught to do that when I heard a siren. Who knows, maybe the person in the ambulance is fine and not in particular need of prayers...but I just don't know. It is good to pray anyway.

I think there is no harm in praying for someone, just so long as we don't assume we are better off than they are. After all, God judges our hearts, and maybe it is we who should be asking them for prayers . You are right, the person in the wheelchair may have a beautiful relationship with God and be lightyears beyond us, spiritually. But, nothing wrong with offering a prayer on their behalf, either.

[Guest nvzbl]

i guess that makes me feel blessed. but it just reminds me to pray for everyone. (which i always do) but praying when an emergency vehicle goes by is a (new) good idea to me too.

Edited January 14, 2009 by nvzbl

[CatherineM]

I was in a wheelchair for 8 years. When you are disabled, it is often difficult to know at what point you have accepted your disability with grace, and when you have just given up the hope of getting better. I thought I had come to acceptance, when I had in fact given up hope of ever getting better. I no longer prayed for help. One morning, I woke up not only with the hope that I could get better, but with the absolute certainty that I would get better. I began working that day on recovery, rather than just existence. I had stopped praying for it, so I am convinced that my healing was in answer to someone else's prayer. God healed my soul so that I could find the courage to heal my body.

I'm not saying that I deserved more prayers than anyone else, or that I needed them more. What I'm trying to say is that we can't pray for everyone anymore than we can financially support every charity that asks us for money. We have to decide which charities, which groups to support. We do the same with our prayers. Your friend sees something in the disabled that makes her feel better to pray for. You can never tell when she may pray for the right person at the right time.

[Guest nvzbl]

that makes sense to me too. thnx.

[dairygirl4u2c]

i want to stress what i think she just said. ie, i don't see as the handicap necessarily needing more praryers than a person who has other ailments.
i mean, we can all say it's fine and dandy that they do need more than a nonhandicap or at least different cause of their situation, and that we can and should pray for all. but this is ignoring the fact that we in fact do pray more or more specially for those in handicap sitautions than others, often others who deserve more.
cause, it's totally plausible and i'd guess in fact true, that certain nonwheel chaired folks need more prayers, like certain sinners etc. yet, besides vague "pray for us sinners" tyype prayers, i don't think people take other people needing hte prayer, as seriously. or people who are slow learners needing prayer etc.
it's mostly just a social norm, why we pray for them more, i'd guess with the foundation in the fact it's so visible. tehse aren't very good reasons though.

Edited January 14, 2009 by dairygirl4u2c

[puellapaschalis]

When cycling to work this morning I saw an ambulance and crossed myself, which is what I normally do. You can't stop cycling here: that's suicide, which is a sin.

[Saint Therese]

I totally agree. I would even go so far as to say the same thing about "sinners".

[cmotherofpirl]

We were taught to pray everytime you passed a church, saw a funeral, or heard the sirens go off.

[MissyP89]

1) I say a prayer whenever an ambulance passes with its lights on.

2) Considering I've been handicapped my entire life, and been stopped by complete strangers in public places who have offered to pray for me, I find the experience extremely embarrassing. I have always felt like it would be extremely rude to refuse, so I endure it. While we (speaking of disabled people generally) certainly appreciate the sentiment, we have a hard enough time blending in. Having people single us out in public, earning curious looks from others around, only makes it worse.

I hope that doesn't sound snobby or calloused; I don't want to come off that way. It's just a very different perspective when you're actually living it. My handicap does not define me. I'd rather people see me as, well, a person, and not something poor and pathetic.

[cmotherofpirl]

[quote name='MissyP89' post='1755858' date='Jan 19 2009, 07:38 PM']1) I say a prayer whenever an ambulance passes with its lights on.

2) Considering I've been handicapped my entire life, and been stopped by complete strangers in public places who have offered to pray for me, I find the experience extremely embarrassing. I have always felt like it would be extremely rude to refuse, so I endure it. While we (speaking of disabled people generally) certainly appreciate the sentiment, we have a hard enough time blending in. Having people single us out in public, earning curious looks from others around, only makes it worse.

I hope that doesn't sound snobby or calloused; I don't want to come off that way. It's just a very different perspective when you're actually living it. My handicap does not define me. I'd rather people see me as, well, a person, and not something poor and pathetic.[/quote]
You could always offer to pray for them as well.

[Guest nvzbl]

[quote name='MissyP89' post='1755858' date='Jan 19 2009, 06:38 PM']1) I say a prayer whenever an ambulance passes with its lights on.

2) Considering I've been handicapped my entire life, and been stopped by complete strangers in public places who have offered to pray for me, I find the experience extremely embarrassing. I have always felt like it would be extremely rude to refuse, so I endure it. While we (speaking of disabled people generally) certainly appreciate the sentiment, we have a hard enough time blending in. Having people single us out in public, earning curious looks from others around, only makes it worse.

I hope that doesn't sound snobby or calloused; I don't want to come off that way. It's just a very different perspective when you're actually living it. My handicap does not define me. I'd rather people see me as, well, a person, and not something poor and pathetic.[/quote]


i dont want to take away from anything you said bcuz i agree with it. but i think everyone is conscience about people looking at them. i know i am. and i am not physically handicapped to say the least. but sometimes i stand out. and i get alot of attention. i dont necessarily like being looked at as peculiar either. but i wonder if it something everyone struggles with.

i try to look at everyone as a unique person. sometimes i give smiles to some people more than others tho. =]

Edited January 20, 2009 by nvzbl

[Guest nvzbl]

[quote name='cmotherofpirl' post='1755799' date='Jan 19 2009, 05:55 PM']We were taught to pray everytime you passed a church, saw a funeral, or heard the sirens go off.[/quote]

thnx!

Edited January 20, 2009 by nvzbl