The Kurdish refugee from Iran whom I visited today fingered his wife's prayer beads the whole time I was there.
She went to hospital today.
She has a blood disorder and was bleeding from nose and mouth for the past few days.
He doesn't know where the hospital is.
He can't speak the language to call and ask about her.
He can't go there himself because he has small children at home.
I don't speak his language. I don't have to.
I could see that he was worried.
He was worried and did the only thing he knew to do.
___
"A String and a Prayer" recounts the history and symbolism of prayer b
eads, teaches basic techniques for stringing beads and a host of other objects into prayer beads, and offers a variety of prayers and rituals to use those beads on a daily basis. By Eleanor Wiley, Maggie Oman Shannon
Some of the ideas with prayer beads suggest there is power IN the beads. I pray to a powerful God. Using beads might help me, the fickle prayer, focus or remind me of who or what I'd like to pray for consistently.
Thinking about using beads myself to aid in my prayers:
How can I make enough variety in my string of beads . . . not just patterns that are pretty and orderly . . . . but something that kinda represents the chaos or the changes in life . . . .
I'd like to make a string in which each bead represents a loved one, a country where I've lived, things about which I care. It wouldn't mean anything to anyone else, but it would serve in much the same way as my photos in the back of my Bible, only more tactile.
She went to hospital today.
She has a blood disorder and was bleeding from nose and mouth for the past few days.
He doesn't know where the hospital is.
He can't speak the language to call and ask about her.
He can't go there himself because he has small children at home.
I don't speak his language. I don't have to.
I could see that he was worried.
He was worried and did the only thing he knew to do.
___
"A String and a Prayer" recounts the history and symbolism of prayer b
eads, teaches basic techniques for stringing beads and a host of other objects into prayer beads, and offers a variety of prayers and rituals to use those beads on a daily basis. By Eleanor Wiley, Maggie Oman ShannonSome of the ideas with prayer beads suggest there is power IN the beads. I pray to a powerful God. Using beads might help me, the fickle prayer, focus or remind me of who or what I'd like to pray for consistently.
Thinking about using beads myself to aid in my prayers:
How can I make enough variety in my string of beads . . . not just patterns that are pretty and orderly . . . . but something that kinda represents the chaos or the changes in life . . . .
I'd like to make a string in which each bead represents a loved one, a country where I've lived, things about which I care. It wouldn't mean anything to anyone else, but it would serve in much the same way as my photos in the back of my Bible, only more tactile.
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