On prayer

I can still remember and I shall always will, the times when our second daughter, D, was taken ill with a life-threatening infection at 13 days. We spent the following three months mostly in a children's hospital, she in an incubator at first, then in a tall iron bed, me crunched at her feet, C spending the night with us on a chair.

With God's grace Virgin Mary's and St.Irene's intercession, she is growing into a lovely, giggling, helpful, joy spreading young lady. So, I am very sensitive to moms with babies who suffer one way or another. I try t always leave a comment, encouraging the mum, showing her that people care. But what I have remembered in the past year through my journey back, or, no, this is not a 'back' thing, it is all new and real to me, is the power and need of prayer.

I have compiled a list of people for whom I say a prayer every day, and I plan to post it with links on my sidebar for us to pray together and commit myself to visiting them regularly.

Praying is more than sending good vibes a person's way. Apart from the potential benefit of sending good thoughts to people, and making you feel a somewhat better person by showing some loving kindness, I can now say that prayer is so very powerful, because our lives are not ours, but God's and God is so good to tolerate us despite of our constant shortcomings, and actually not only tolerate us, but actively love us and bless us everyday, that we MUST pray, as prayer is the most active action we can take to change, to heal, to come to terms with life.

May I bring forth today for prayer, encouragement and healing, the case of Harper. I reached her mom's blog, Kelly's Corner through the My Charming Kids blog, and I urge you all, prayer warriors more experienced and virtuous than me, to join her family in prayer:


"Allmighty God, You have blessed Kelly's womb with a much anticipated and loved baby, a manifestation of Your never ending miracle of the gift of Life. You who have blessed Sarah and Hanna. You who have sent Your only Son to us sinners, You, dear God, who with Your Son's hand have healed the daughter of Jairus, You, God of kindness and mercy, we beg of thee to heal little Harper, and bless her family with her presence, as a testimony of Your never ending love. Through the prayers of Your servants and saints, the Holy Unmercenaries, Zenaida and Philonella, Cosmas and Damian, Cyrus and John, Pantaleon and Tryphon, and our holy mother, St. Irene Chrysovalantou, please bless her family amply, for the glory of your name, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen".