Prayer Notebook and The Rem Dog

Last year I started writing prayer requests into a small notebook. Whenever a friend, family member, or fellow parishioner had a need—usually health related—I would enter his or her name in my notebook and pray for them each morning. Within months, the list of people became quite large. I think that’s because most of the people on the list are in my age range, and I’m at the stage of life where EVERYBODY has health issues.

My little prayer notebook is a wonderful way to help me remember who needs prayer, and just having it prompts me to pray on a daily basis. I recommend a prayer notebook for anyone who wants to pray for others but can never remember who exactly needs prayer.

Recently, I heard that Jerry Remy has cancer again. If you don’t know him, he’s the former all-star second baseman for the Red Sox, who has been broadcasting Boston baseball games on TV for the past 30 years. My first impulse was to write his name in my prayer notebook. But then I said to myself, “No, wait a minute. My notebook is already getting full with just the people I know, plus friends of friends. If I start praying for every celebrity or public figure with a health problem, I’ll have to pray 24 hours a day.”

So, I made a conscious decision NOT to put Jerry Remy’s name in my prayer notebook. Then a couple of weeks later, God decided to show me that He has a terrific sense of humor. I was in Kansas City on a business trip. It just so happened the Red Sox were in town to play the Royals. (OK, it didn’t “just so happen,” since I booked the business trip three months earlier knowing the Red Sox would be there. As it turned out, I was able to attend one of the games. They lost, but it was a great experience.)

Also, it just so happened the Red Sox were staying in the same hotel I was staying in. (This was indeed a “just so happened” situation, since I had no idea where they would be staying.) As I walked through the hotel lobby one day, who was sitting there, having a conversation with two other people? None other than Jerry Remy.

Now, as a big Red Sox fan, who vividly remembers the “Rem Dog” from his playing days in the 1970s, I could’ve left him alone, since he probably gets pestered by fans all the time. Or I could’ve been a jerk and bothered him. I, of course, chose the latter. I walked over to where he was sitting, and as soon as there was a brief lull in his conversation, I blurted out, “Jerry! We’re praying for you! Don’t worry, you’ll beat it again this time!”

He smiled and waved, and then, as I walked away, I said to myself, “‘We’re praying for you’? Did I really say that? Oh man, I specifically decided NOT to pray for him, and then I say THAT? Wow!” At that point, I looked up toward Heaven and said to God, “You are too funny, Lord. I see what you did there. You put Jerry Remy in my path to show me how foolish I was to leave him off my prayer list just because ‘I don’t have time for everybody’.” Well, I get the message, Lord. I’ll put him on my list.”

I went upstairs to my room, wrote Jerry Remy’s name in my prayer notebook, had another good laugh at the way God works, and then offered up a prayer for healing for the “Rem Dog.” 

As I mentioned earlier, a prayer notebook is a great way to organize your prayers. But if you decide to use one, watch out, God might surprise you. And in the process give you a good laugh.