Turning to PRAYER... no where else.

Maria requested a family picture that they might use for Christmas, so I was gifted with this special shot in front of the mosiac of Our Lady of Guadalupe that graces the front of their home in Texas.  She has recovered from her hard time the days before of losing her pregnancy, but you can see a pale sadness and depth of pain underneath it all... maybe because of our time together throughout... whether in front of Jesus at mass or the tabernacle, or just at home sharing her and my similar experiences with our children... here and in heaven.  There were special times to share, and times to hug, and cry too...  The not knowing why part is so hard, and the prayers of both of our hearts and spirits for the expanded family, and the love of life... make it so hard to understand why it has to be this way.  But I can speak from experience in saying that the losses make for a close family, that truly loves each other, and appreciates the siblings they have, and look to heaven to be united with those that were saddly lost along the way.  For my kids...Christopher, Thomas, Joseph, William, Robert and Mary, pray for us.  For Maria... Alida/Hector and Patrick/Magdalene pray for us.

"Jesus rejoices because the Father reveals the great things of heaven to the childlike, that is, to those who, like Jesus, receive everything from the Father. If 'the baby shall play by the cobra's den, and the child lay his hand on the adder's lair,' what will come of our lives if we dare to be childlike?  The little child in Mary's womb guides us."  from morning prayer explaining the readings for the day... see http://www.magnificat.com/ 

What does this say today?  That we need to be trusting and unaware of the danger that lurks in the cobra's den... playing there and the Lord will protect us from any harm..."There shall be no harm or ruin on all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be filled with knowledge of the Lord, as water covers the sea."  Isaiah 11: 1-10.  Maria's sisters told me that it was right and good that I was with her at the time of her loss - which has happened with her last two pregnancies now.  "Mom, you can be there for her, and help her from the perspective of one who has been through it personally.  And you would want to be with her if it hadn't worked out this way!"  Is that true?  It is so hard, and I feel so helpless and almost angry that she has to face this, when I pleaded and prayed without ceasing for this to never happen to my girls, and that their wish for family would be blessed.   How can I expect for this to not be part of their story too?  It was a Cross which became the Tree of Life for me, so why not for my girls?  Life becomes so much more valuable when we have our foot over into heaven with the value we place on all life from conception on.  Maria debated whether she should name this one for a few minutes, but then we only had to look at the wisdom of our amazing Church - life is respected and valued from conception to Natural Death.  Little Patrick/Magdalene was here for only 8 weeks but the conception happened and so it was a life, and continues on in heaven to await and pray for it's mother, father, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, greatgrandparents... the family that will embrace it with love and gratitude someday in heaven!

Jesus, how we need you and cling to you, and your wisdom and love for us no matter how small!  As Horton said... " a person is a person no matter how small."  We are grateful for the days we had with our little family, and the powerful ways that they look to you for all that gives them LIFE and LOVE!  We place all in your hands, and rely on you for all that gives us Truth, and show us the Way,and the Life. When we are weak is when you come to us... as we falter and stumble and hurt and cry out to you... "Jesus, we need you and life is so hard to understand from our perspective, but from the difficulties we endure comes the power and reality of eternal LIFE through the Cross!   Jesus, we trust in  you."  Amen and Halleluia

Bless-bless, Barb

"On that day, a shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse,  and from his roots a bud shall blossom.  The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him: A Spirit of counsel and of strength,  A Spirit of knowledge and of fear of the Lord, and his delight shall be the fear of the Lord.... Justice shall be a band around his waist, and faithfulness a belt upon his hips..."  Isaiah 11: 1-10

"When we look into our hearts, do we find that our basic question is: 'What can I give to God?'  There is only one answer - God's answer: 'Nothing beloved!  Only receive with glad hearts what I give, and that is myself.  The greatest gift you can give me is the trust that lives by this truth.'  It is, of course, what Jesus is saying when He tells us we must have the heart of a child in regard to God.   I wonder whether we take seriously enough, we grown men and women, the stress that Jesus puts on being a child in order to recieve what God has to give?  It means God can come fully only only to the little ones.  ... I think that when Jesus takes the child in his arms, sets him in front of himself, pointing to him a model, it is to himself that he is pointing.  His inmost heart was always that of a child and that is why he could live with such freedom, courage and self-squandering." 

Sr Ruth Burrows

Lord, help us to nurture and respect the child within ourselves.  Amen and Halleluia