This Little Light

In my last post, I mentioned my son's recent hospitalizations. Two weeks ago he underwent his 20th surgery in his eight years. The surgery itself went well and did what it was supposed to do. His recovery, on the other hand, is not going as smoothly. This is the first time he has suffered any post-operative complications. At first we were crushed or shocked or scared, but everything is turning out alright.

My son was born handicapped. We were told before he was born that he would be disabled. We cried a little. Very little. We poured ourselves into learning about his birth defect and we prayed. Over the past 8 1/2 years a lot of prayers have been said. Not just by us but also by family members, friends, church parishioners and by complete strangers. Over the past 90 days God has heard lots of prayers of petition for him as well as many recent prayers of thanksgiving. He has become and remained the wonderful little but that he is due to many prayers and growing up a Christian.

The Good Book tells us my son and anyone else that has any sort of affliction is here to show the love of God. To be a light.

As he passed by he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" Jesus answered, "Neither he nor his parents sinned; it is so that the works of God might be made visible through him. We have to do the works of the one who sent me while it is day. Night is coming when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world." When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva, and smeared the clay on his eyes, and said to him, "Go wash ³ in the Pool of Siloam" (which means Sent). So he went and washed, and came back able to see. His neighbors and those who had seen him earlier as a beggar said, "Isn't this the one who used to sit and beg?" Some said, "It is," but others said, "No, he just looks like him." He said, "I am."

Chapter 2 from John's Gospel

God loves to hear from us. He loves even more for us to show off his love for us. Learn not to see disabilities as a curse. Learn to use them to show-off God.

The Light of God before me.

The Light of God behind me.

The Light of God above me.

The Light of God beside me.

The Light of God within me.

From the Prayer of St. Patrick

Summer Vacation

It has been three months since I have posted to the Prayer Warrior Blog. It has not been so much due to my lack of interest but more to how summer vacation changes my daily grind. I am the Assistant Director of Religious Education at our local Catholic Church. Throughout the school year, I have a schedule that allows me many liberties and offers great flexibility. Every weekday morning I am able to see the kids off to school and three of the afternoons I am home when the kids get off the bus. I am at work for 10 hours on Sunday, but it is at church and very few of those hours are spent behind a desk. Working on Sunday and the two other days we offer faith formation programming is very close to pure joy. I consider myself very lucky.

Summertime, on the other hand, causes work to seem more like work. Other than a week of VBS and two one-week intensive Summer Faith Formation sessions we are occupied with administrative and organizational tasks. Also, many days I have to 'drag' one or both of my kids to work. My son is handicapped and has a nurse's assistant to watch over and care for him while I am at work. Sometimes she cannot make it in. My daughter is now old enough to stay home, but usually wanted to come to work with me just to get out of the house.

Our summer did have some of the typical and atypical breaks in the routine, though none of them brought with them a push to return to my blogging. Once school got out, we went to Florida for a glorious week-long family reunion with my family. It was awesome. In July my son became ill and spent a week in the hospital. I stayed with him each night. The illness postponed a surgery he was to have in July to August. A week and a half ago he had this surgery and it went well. The Dr. was pleased. The recovery has been another issue. He is OK, but he far from being the little boy we brought to the hospital. The prognosis is for a full recovery, but we have no idea how long it will take of if it will be a total recovery. We do have our faith and prayer - many prayers.

So, with all that said I am eager to get back to my regular routine and the Prayer Warrior Blog.

Lord of heaven and earth; maker of all things including today. Father, I pray for this, the first day of school. Would your mighty hand rest securly upon the administration of our schools as they seek to guide our children through this school year. May you influence and guide their decisions and actions. Mighty God, would you settle upon the teachers that have direct contact and influence on our children; allow them to teach well and boldly. Lord Jesus, protect and guide our children as they ride the buses, walk the halls and interact together. Lord of all, I pray that when we look back on this, another school year, we see your finger prints covering it. Thank you Lord for today and tomorrow and this entire year of learning, loving and life. Amen.