Healing over time, with much prayer and trust

My  thoughts are traveling back in time to around the birth of my 4th daughter, Susan, and time spent with a good friend at the sudden end of her marriage, after the birth of her 5th daughter!  The time spent sharing the shock, tears, prayers and the wounded looks in her eyes and those of her daughters.  Over the years we have stayed close and shared much, as our girls are a lot of them the same age, and then our sons came later and at the same age too!   Your kids really bond you to some people, and my friend and I are like sisters because of sharing our journies... tied together by our kids.   We have shared the ups and the downs, and our first question to each other when we haven't seen each other for a number of months is whether there are any new grandchildren coming to pray for and look forward to.  Some of her daughters have really struggled with the divorce over the years, and there have been tears and prayers for some choices and struggles shared.  With time, and prayer, and coming together as a family to love and support - there has been a healing for them that is giving me great JOY this day!  There was quite a miraculous happening a few days ago for their family - her daughter gave birth to a son!  That certainly is wonderful of itself, but just 4 hours before that my friends dad died on hospice, and the new grandson was named after him!  A beautiful picture of the path of LIFE from beginning to end... we all face death as part of our lives, and with the help of hospice it can hopefully be as peaceful and pain free as possible!  There are plants and trees planted to have something growing and living to remind us of our loved ones, that we pray are at the feet of Jesus in Heaven - but to have a beautiful new healthy grandson born just hours after you leave this world and given your name... it could not be more wonderful!  To add to all this is the healing that flows like a river over them... as now the dad of the girls and one of the daughters that lives close to him on the other side of the country are coming together to celebrate the life of grandpa and hold the new grandson/nephew!    The words of gratitude towards her ex-husband and the daughter towards her dad and step mom as well as mom - "I have 3 of the most wonderful parents"...just brought tears to my eyes, at the beautiful healing that has taken place over the years.  I think it is safe to say that many prayers were said by this man for his daughter and her family and the Lord answered his prayers in such a stunningly glorious way at his death!  I am sure that he is looking down from Heaven at the side of Jesus and the tears of JOY he is shedding are part of that river of healing that is washing clean and nourishing this family!  Such a powerful witness of Trust,Faith, and the power of prayer!

 I can't remember a year without apples anywhere!  This is it!  I do have my sister in law checking for me at the golf course today.  There might be a big job of applesauce to do before we head to Kansas City on Friday.  I won't have these helpers though.  It would just be Pat and I as even Ruth and Paul leave for Washington DC tonight. 
Today in the Gospel is Jesus at prayer all night on the mountain, then calling his 12 apostles, and then surrounded by them and a great crowd who - "came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; even those tormented by unclean spirits were cured.  Everyone in the crowd sought to touch him because power came forth from him and healed them all."  Luke 6:12-19  Those restless nights of prayer are part of LIFE and the healing that takes place in us and for those we love! 
Jesus, we are so filled with the sense of YOU touching us and healing us in our lives as we seek to touch YOU!  We are filled with YOU through all we are blessed with in all your amazing Church has to offer us each day.  Your Word comes to LIFE in us and leads us to the Truth, your Sacraments give us all we need..."You were buried with HIM in Baptism in which you were also raised with him through faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead."  Colossians 2 - the first reading at mass today!  We are fed at your table your Body and Blood, we are freed from the burdens of sin as we lay them at your feet in the confessional...  There is also the constant prayer that lifts our thoughts and hearts to YOU throughout the day as we say the rosary and remember all that you have done for us in the mysteries of meditation.  There is so much at work in our lives bringing to share with you that prayer on the mountain, that time sitting on the hillside and listening to your Word of Truth, showing us the Way, and filling us with your LIFE eternal, and then for us to know that your healing loving touch is upon us healing us both inside and out!  We are so unworthy and yet we yearn to be close to you always!  May we die to self so that we may take up our Most Cherished Cross and follow after YOU.  Jesus, we trust in YOU.  Amen and Hallelujah

Bless-bless, Barb

Psalm 145 - A Hallel Psalm from mass today

"The Lord is gracious and merciful,

slow to anger and of great kindness.

The Lord is good to all

and compassionate towards all his works.

 

Let all your works give you thanks, O Lord,

and let your faithful ones bless you.

Let them discourse of the glory of your Kingdom

and speak of your might."

Recognizing Christ, the LIGHT of the world, from our time in Rochester fighting for John's life in early 2010!

Casting Crowns singing - Who am I?

This says it all - Oh Glorious Day by Casting Crowns!