Thank you for referring the website Prayers On My Pillow to Richard (and indirectly to me). Richard sent your note on to me. Tonight was the first opportunity I've had this week to take a look. Prayers On My Pillow is an interesting project (addressing the relationship of a mother of adolescent girls with those same girls and claiming the improvement of communication between them through prayers written by the mother). As the mother of two healthy young women myself, I find this somewhat suspect. My daughters had difficulty with the greeting - or its lack - "Good morning" at the ages the author is talking about. I somewhat doubt my daughters would have appreciated my prayers. Nevertheless, that is not nearly as much of problem as the issue of the author's (Celia Straus) faith in prayer "as magic." I include quotes from the website of an interview with Celia.
ANSWER: The prayers are nondenominational. They are based on the basic three part concept that acknowledges the existence of an Absolute Being (God), the reality and perspective of life of the girl who is praying and the strength of the girl’s inner self. The prayers are not guilt- based. The word is never used. They present universal truths and values that the girl can trust and rely on such as fearless faith in God, love, self- reliance, self-empowerment and ethical behavior.
QUESTION: How spiritual are you, and what do you personally believe about the power of prayer?
ANSWER: I consider myself spiritual, but not particularly religious. I’m Christian, brought up Episcopalian, and my husband is Jewish. Like most interfaith couples who marry and have children, we dealt with our religious differences by pretty much avoiding the topic entirely. However, I do believe in an Infinite Being whom I call God, an afterlife, and the power of prayer. Prayer works magic because it taps into our own spiritual energy that is as real and as powerful as gravity and that exists in all of us whether we acknowledge it or not.
eg: Help me fill my loving cup
From deep inside myself.
Help me answer all my prayers
With words from my own heart
5. FEARLESS FAITH
Please, God, help me mend myself:
The little pieces chipped away
Please, God help me heal myself
The wounds I’ve taken in my fight
Please, God help me keep myself
Protected from being pulled apart
I've come to the time in my life where I have increasingly less patience with wishy-washy conceptions of the Christian faith and of Christ and of God. However attractive the website may be it remains nothing more than glitzy trappings lacking real substance. Therefore I cannot in good conscience recommend it on my Christian "Connections" pages.
Peace!
Charlene
To be continued....