Heart thread - 3/6/2008

KJ's sister and family (copied from OCICBW):

From KJ
Karen, my sister finally "failed" a couple of tests! Yea!

Although her type of tumor (and it is now established that there is more than one) is apparently aggressive and fast growing in nature, the additional blood and bone tests have indicated the cancer has not spread to the systems that were screened in these recent tests.

Chemotherapy begins on Thursday, and she seems ready, much more at peace than those of us around her, which I attribute to prayers from far and wide.

Thank you for continued prayers. My heart ached on Monday when I asked my 15 year old nephew how he was doing in the midst of it all, and saw his deer in the headlights look when he replied, "Fine."

For Freedom Bound who has to put up with outspoken and bigoted assholes and could use some extra graces and wrote at MP's: "can I ask for prayer type stuff please?"


Other thoughts of prayer
Let us remember the Body of Christ in the dioceses of San Joaquin, Fort Worth, Pittsburgh, and anywhere else where the leadership works toward schism.

Today I am led to think of those who will go to bed hungry in a world that has enough food for all, those who die of starvation or malnourishment, and our hardened hearts and weakened wills that fail to rectify this.

And those who will this day be shamed, whether in public or private, and a little bit more of the image of God in them will be forgotten or obscured and their ability to love themselves will be diminished.

Those who live in terror, their minds assaulted with fear, confusion, and desperation; their bodies debilitated by the excess of adrenalin pumped throughout their systems--whether the threats they face are immediate, physical, and mortal or chronic, perceived, and unnamed.

For the healing of the earth: its air, its water, its soil, its balance.

For the humility, honesty, and grace for people of differing views, differing needs, and differing faiths to meet together and seek each other's common humanity, that dialogue and healing may ensue.

I give thanks for God's gracious gift of medicines and for the process of ridding my body of infection. (Feeling better today; thanks for all your prayers and thoughts.)



Blessed are you,
Creator and giver of peace.
Peace be upon us;
peace be upon this place;
peace be upon us this day.
The deep, deep peace of God,
which the world cannot give,
be upon us
and remain with us always.
--David Adam

--the BB