Heart thread - 11/23/2009

Let us begin with some thanksgiving.

David@Montreal writes:

Mam just called to tell me that Frank [David's cousin] just called to report he is doing much better!
He's been into the hospital three times in the last ten days for day surgeries, but he's finally clear of both the pneumonia and c-difficile.
He specifically asked Mam to pass along his love and thanks to 'the Giants' 'please tell them ( and Mam says this is where my very butch cousin got real teary) tell them, they make all the difference in the world.'
Carol also came on the phone and wants you to know, you have no idea the difference you've made. Said she never felt alone or abandoned, no matter how scary or wild it's been at times.
Frank's doctor's are still shaking their heads, amazed that he's doing so very well with only a 9/10 genetic match. And that's when he tells them about the Giants, and Mam says he remembers most of you by name.
Not out of the woods yet, I'd ask your continued prayers for both Frank and Carol, but tonight there much to give thanks for. Full-voiced Hymns of Praise please!

Aping Shakespeare's Henry at Agincourt, I said Non nobis and Te Deum. Let us give thanks. And keep praying for Frank and Carol and all who love them.

Psalm 115 Non nobis, Domine
Not to us, O LORD, not to us,
but to your Name give glory; *
because of your love and because of your faithfulness.

Let us also keep David in our prayers:

the job hunt.... well if I'm not 'too experienced', I've got 'too many decades in management for anything less', or the experience is 'too diverse' as they skip over the unsalaried decade of fulltime AIDS service. and then there's the elephant in the room- my being sixty-one years old.
i have no doubt a true answer is in the making, but your prayers would be appeciated.
i keep applying, something's got to happen.

love always-always Love

David

From "the big, brave Mimi who could" we hear this:

The cataract surgery is over, and all went well. As I was waiting in pre-op to be sedated, I began to fret and get anxious. I gave myself a good talking to, saying (to myself), "You've been through this surgery before, and you can do it again." I answered myself, and said, "Yes, I can!" At that moment a picture of "The Little Engine That Could" popped into my head, and I began to say over and over (to myself), "I--think--I--can, I--think--I--can". I calmed down immediately and stayed calm until I was sedated and wheeled into the operating room. The surgeon kept up a running commentary about what he was doing, and I stayed calm throughout the procedure and found the experience fascinating and completely different from the surgery on my left eye. I'd guess that the doctor did the commentary through the first surgery, but I was too freaked out to notice.

Thanks be to God, the medical staff, and to all of you who prayed and sent love and good thoughts my way. I had my little miracle with "The Little Engine That Could". I read the story to my children and my grandchildren. One of my grandsons liked to hear the story over and over. I'd go up to three times and then say, "Enough! Another day."

We continue to remember Gary in his time of sorrow and to pray for the repose of our sister, Roseann.

From Gary at Facebook [via Mimi]:

Funeral Services for Roseann will be held at St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Conway, AR, at 1 p.m. on Wednesday. Her ashes will be interred in a Hellman's Mayonnaise jar (per her request) in the St. Peter's Columbarium followed by a "Farewell" party in the Parish Hall. All are welcome to attend. Roseann's... life was guided by the scripture from Matthew 25:40: "I tell you this, Anything you did for one of my brothers, however humble, you did for Me." She loved this song and it will be played at the funeral.

"Into the Mystic" by Van Morrison, Moondance

For Eileen and her husband and the healing of memories.

+Rowan (Bishop of Play, not Cantuar)'s best friend Samantha has gotten her golden tail from Jesus. Let us pray for Rowan and Lindy and Lindy's mom and all who miss Samantha.

Joy to Chris and Lily and blessings on their marriage.

For the LGBT community of Uganda in mortal danger. For all who speak up on their behalf.

For continued healing for Dan and for Mother Sandra.

For the mission and ministry of the Episcopal Church of Our Saviour in the South Valley of Albuquerque. For the handful who are the heart of this new venture and the vast web of those who uphold us in prayer. For me, that I may listen to the Spirit and follow where I ought.

Lisa has asked our prayers for missioners en route to the Diocese of Lui in the Sudan and for the people of Lui.

For universal health care in United States of America and for every step that leads us toward it.

For nations torn by war or civil strife.

For those this night whose hearts cry out for love and find no answering cry.

A Prayer for Deliverance

O God, your glory blazes with the light of love and justice, your righteousness and your mercy flow together as one mighty stream: May we who beseech deliverance from violence, oppression, and degradation be purged within of their roots--of fear, envy, powerlessness, anger, resentment, the lust for revenge and the desire to hurt--and of the blindness and willfulness which beset our best intentions; that we may not act with violence, neither oppress nor degrade any of your creatures, but may strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being; for Jesus' sake. Amen.

--the BB