Prayers

Jun 23, 2014

Prayer For A Happy Death.......

Life is full of twists, turns and surprises.  Dealing with death, and grief, is a part of life that you may get used to, but the pain never lessens, as far as I know.  Whether death comes suddenly or after a long decline, you will learn that it is really just the last doorway we all pass through on this earth.  After that it is a mystery, and people of faith have a comfort that people without faith simply do not.  People without faith are truly bereft, having nothing to hold on to after that. 

Dealing with death is just another skill we are forced to learn along the way, unless you die very young.   Everyone has their own way of dealing with it, but I did find a prayer that I thought fit.  I found this one  here.  I thought it covered everything, and the second stanza especially has helped me when seeing someone through that doorway.  

In the times when you feel completely abandoned and left behind, that is when you should know that none of us is EVER completely abandoned or left behind, because God is with us all.  No matter how scared, lonely, or broken we are, He is with us.  We are never alone, even in death.  Our loved ones who have gone before are waiting on our rebirth into that realm, and they rejoice to see us again.  They are waiting for you or your loved one just like we wait on babies to be born on earth.  This is the comfort of Christians.  I highly recommend this comfort, and I hope this prayer will help you when you most need it.  All you ever have to do is ask, and He will be there.

A Prayer For The Dying

Dear Heavenly Father, with heavy hearts we come to you.  You are Almighty Creator God; holy and full of grace and love.  Our hearts are heavy because of a life that is leaving us.  Death engulfs us Lord.  Fear is waiting to take us down.  Thank you Father, that because of Jesus, You know our fear and pain intimately.  Thank You that Jesus knows the way through this dark shadow.  Take the hand of our dear sister/brother and make Yourself known.  Guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.  Keep that which is Your own and take it into eternity to be with You.  In Jesus, death is but a shadow.  Jesus has swallowed up its sorrow and pain.  Thank you Jesus for the cross.  Thank you Jesus for the resurrection.  Lord, we are before You, confessing that You are Lord of all; the gate keeper to eternal life.  Your grace and love abound even as our sin seems ever increasing.  Take our hands, Lord, and lead us through.  We lay our fears at your feet.  Your promise is that You- and You alone- will come to take us home.  As it says in Psalms 23:4, "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; thy rod and staff, they comfort me."

Thank You for the comfort we find in Your presence.  Through the holy spirit we know Your presence is with us.  Send us Your peace, Lord, the peace that passes all understanding.  Don't let us waver and doubt.  Give us a faith that is everlasting.  We release our lives into Your hands.   As we wait and watch, we know Lord that none of us will escape this journey through death.  Teach us how to embrace it with faith.  Give us strength to hold up those who are stepping closer to seeing You face to face.  Take away the fear in the heart of our loved one who will soon see You; let them find peace in Your grace, comfort in Your love, and strength in Your mighty power over death.  Comfort us as our grief seems to over power us.

You are a good, just, righteous and loving Father.  Don't let us grow bitter in this shadow of death.  But pierce our hearts with a joy that we cannot fathom or understand.  A joy that is above all that is corrupted here on earth.  Jesus, You wept over death, and so to, we weep.  But it is a grief and a mourning that has joy on the other side.  You are conqueror of all; and so we trust You.  We trust that You will do what is right, what is loving.  Whether in death or in life, Your will is accomplished and You are sovereign.  May we know Your presence Lord.  Keep us ever aware of Your loving hand guiding us through all things.  In the name of Jesus, we pray.
Amen

Jun 20, 2014

Hurrying Up and Waiting......



It's been such a strange spring, with the weather cooler than normal and a lot of wet, damp chill.  This has made my bones ache and left me feeling like time is not passing the way it should.  I have felt vaguely discomforted and been frustrated with a mind that won't stop turning while simultaneously being physically unable to move anything forward.  Nothing has been normal for a while now.  It hasn't been bad, but it just hasn't been normal.  Everything has been holding it's breath, waiting, suspended, and it's been a strain on me.

You know how it is?  You make all these plans, and then something or another happens and you are stymied, no matter which way you turn.  I think these times might be time-outs from God, so I use them.  I ask for signs and look for clues, search for patterns and proceed cautiously.  I watch.  And then, this time, I spent a couple of days on gravel roads with dear, old friends, and scouted wild flowers for transplanting and old windmills just because.  Just because we are still alive, and we used to do these things years ago, and it's been a long time since we took the time, and time is passing so fast and things are changing so much.

It's been a strange time, and I'm just talking specifically about my own personal realm.  I am not even going to bring up the state of the world, because I think we all know we are past a certain crossroads.  The fact that now we are going to have to listen to a bunch of people who will say they didn't know we were at a crossroads is not going to improve my mood, but that's beside the point now.  Whatever the future brings is headed right for us.  But enough, enough of that.  Back to small details, so much easier and healthier to obsess over.

Walking pneumonia brought us to a rather abrupt halt for a few weeks on the house, but I took that in stride by telling myself that if I would just learn to have some patience, God could quit giving me opportunities to develop more of it.  So I took deep breaths and have learned to mud and sand, sand and mud like a pro, if I do say so myself.  It still doesn't look like much, but if you close your eyes and just feel my walls they feel perfect, and will soon look that way also.  The walking pneumonia has been vanquished and now things should start moving very quickly indeed.  I don't really want to talk about the paint colors because I think I may have varied my selections a bit, but if this year has taught me anything it is this: that the colors of my walls will never have an important role to play in anyone's life, and thank God for that.  I couldn't take that kind of pressure.

And speaking of pressure, I don't want to put anyone under any, but our Charli-girl has already taken longer than I would like to get here!  Och! See how many opportunities I make God give me??????  I choose to believe this particular opportunity is comparable to, say, the final of the class, as opposed to just another test.  But I can be a stubborn wench and only time will tell.  I continue to work on this, and I know it could be worse. ;)

I have packed my bag, eagerly awaiting my Charli's arrival.  I often say her name out loud, in a sing-song voice, as if to pull her attention back to remembering to be born, like a reminder.  I want her to know she is anticipated, and no matter how scared she (or her mother, or her father for that matter) might be of what is coming, that it will be all right.  She will be loved and cherished every day that we have her here on this earth.  The Rockette has also been saying her name out loud, so that she will recognize her name by the time she gets here.  We call her together, with all our love, so she will be comforted and summon the strength to find her way.  I imagine both of them gathering their courage, taking the plunge, and going through that doorway

I haven't felt this way since I was about 11 and still got butterflies remembering that Christmas was coming soon.  It's been a real trip and it hasn't even gotten started yet.  I've been doing what I can, besides calling her out loud in case she's forgotten, I've been brushing up on my stories of the olden times, When I Grew Up, and telling The Rock Star that he better get ready, because he is about to fall in love for good.  He's about to be......gobsmacked with it!
  1. gob·smacked
    ˈgäbˌsmakt/
    adjective
    BRITISHinformal
    1. utterly astonished; astounded.

The Beautiful Redhead and The Magic Man both just had birthdays, which they celebrated amongst haunted wineries and Redwood trees.  I shot her a text the morning she turned 22 and only cried a little when I told her it was time for her to be the Queen of Her Own Life.  Watching her spread her wings and fly has been both gratifying and terrifying.  It brings to mind this song, which her grandmother also loved, and she comes from a long line of strong women who always Dance when they get the chance.  I got her more jewelry, because I can never not buy her jewelry, and because frankly, I never knew a daughter more delightful or more cherished.

It's so much fun when your kids get older and make their own lives.  We have been so blessed by these two new members who seem to fit so well.  For this reason, everyone should have children.  LOTS of them, because without them, what would you do?  And what difference would it make?  Huh?  At some point in your life  you will start to think about your accomplishments, you will take stock and I hope you are proud of your life when that happens to you.  I am.  I finally feel like an adult, and I am equal to the task.

What tomorrow holds remains a mystery, as always.  I am just patiently (the voice inside my head just snorted--I swear) waiting and taking time to mark how fast time is whirling now.  This is my life, and I love it so very much.  Can't wait to see what happens tomorrow!  :D