Afterthought #11 - Praying Through an MRI

I’ve known a few people lately who’ve had MRIs (magnetic resonance imaging) of the head. I’m just claustrophobic enough that even thinking about my body sliding into one of those cylinder-shaped tubes makes me sweat. One friend from Philadelphia wrote to tell me about advice she’d received before her recent test:  Use that half hour to pray for all the people you like to pray for.

So, while listening to classical music, that’s just what my friend did. She started with her “best beloveds on the West coast,” picturing everyone as she thanked God for their presence in her life and asking blessings for each.  Then she worked her way east and prayed for everyone she could think of who she feels connected to.  “It was a terrific way to spend the time and a good distraction from all the banging that is part of the MRI process,” my friend reported. “It took up the whole half hour, and I even thought of a few folks on my way home that I had overlooked.”

I’ll pass this suggestion on the next time I hear of someone having an MRI. And for now, I’m praying that my friend’s report comes back negative.