“God bless you and your whole family.” That's what the Korean owner of the dry cleaning business we frequent in town tells me often. I relish it when he does this. I do not take it as a glib “Have a nice day” statement. I take it as an official blessing on my family, my dogs and all inanimate objects in my possession. (Believe me, my car really needs it!)

The owner is a deeply religious man. He has a scripture verse over the front counter of his store, and he often has a Korean church service playing on the radio. I know it's church because I recognize the familiar contemporary choruses even though the words are in another language. His blessings are heartfelt and sincere, and perhaps grow out of his own cultural tradition, but I am always moved by this. Sometimes his blessing hits me at a time when I am least expecting it and almost brings me to tears.

Actually I'm out to get all the blessings and prayers I can muster because my mother, who used to pray regularly for me (and 417 others) has been a hard act to follow. (We know the number because after she died, we counted all the pictures and notes stuck to the corkboard in her closet where she spent hours praying every day.) When she passed away I could feel something leave me.

I don't know about you, but I think we need to take prayer and blessing more seriously. I need it and others need it from me. What is a blessing anyway? Is it magical or mystical? No. I believe it is simply calling on God on behalf of others and asking him to bring them what they need.

Even recently I received an email blessing from one of our devotional readers: “May the Lord bless you and your family with unexpected blessings this year. May anticipated difficulties fail to materialize.” I especially like that second part. I take that to be: “May the things you're afraid might happen, not happen.” Or what I think he's really saying is: “May you get over your fears, and may reality prove them to be unfounded.” Blitzen and I need that blessing, especially.*

How about it? Think of someone you can bless today, and then go out and actually do it with a specific blessing like this. Bless them as an official act. Jesus once told his disciples "As you enter the house, give it your greeting. If the house is worthy, give it your blessing of peace. But if it is not worthy, take back your blessing of peace” (Matt 10:12-13 NASB).

That sounds pretty official to me.