Thanks to so many of you who have written me privately of your prayers for my brother and our family as we struggle to deal with the unreality of this reality. I do not exaggerate when I say that this has been a most terrifying time.I covet and cherish your prayers - each and every one - and the gentle sensitivity and kindness you have exhibited in your notes to me. This is most especially so from my "worthy adversaries" - those who disagree with every single one of the things in which I believe and cherish. I am humbled by your generosity of spirit.
I am also deeply grateful to whomever it was who sent this book to me. It arrived from Borders Books, all gift wrapped and complete with gift card, which was blank.
If you did not mean to send it anonymously, please let me know who you are so that I might personally express my deep gratitude to you.
If you did sent it anonymously, I thank you and bless you. I have it packed to read this weekend. I hope to be able to send a copy to my sister-in-law.
I am also deeply grateful to Margaret for this prayer. I say it every day.
A Prayer for those living with Alzheimer's
Heavenly Father/Mother, gracious God, who created all things from wondrous chaos; strengthen your servant John; hear the prayers he cannot pray; listen to the songs he no longer sings; comfort him with your word that he cannot read; know the faith he cannot express; cheer him by visitors he does not recognize; encourage him by children he has forgotten; let him feel the love of the companion he can no longer call by name; give him your peace in that mysterious place where he has gone away from us; give him courage in his desert of forgetfulness and total dependency; abide with him until that glorious moment when you will call him by name and take him into your eternal presence where he will know you, his memory will be restored and he can again sing your praises, will walk again with dignity, talk again with clarity, and will know all things even as they are known.
Amen.
17 comments:
Oh my! What a gorgeous prayer.
John, his wife, and you remain on my list for daily prayer, dear Elizabeth. May God bless you all and keep you in peace.
Dear Elizabeth - You and your family are in my prayers. Having lived through this with my family I know how challenging the future will be at times.
Amen, dear Elizabeth, and prayers for this is indeed a trying time!
Thank you for your continued prayers. I can't tell you how much they mean to me.
And, I did find the person who sent me the book. Thank you, Lis. Your generosity touched me deeply.
Elizabeth, my ongoing prayerful support is with you.
Peace, my friend.
You and your brother have been in my thoughts for the last ten days.
Elizabeth --how wonderful that someone sent you this gift of a book.
And, see, I knew you would morph it!
You continue in my prayers.
Oh, Elizabeth! I was in Texas with my ailing father for about a month and did not see all your posts. I am so very sorry for this diagnosis. You and he are in my prayers.
You and your family have been in my prayers non-stop. I am glad that you feel loved and supported... and that someone sent you that book.
God bless you and be with you all in these days.
After my mother was diagnosed with AD, a former parishioner sent me: Walking One Another Home: Moments of Grace and Possibility in the Midst of Alzheimer's, Rita Bresnahan. She looks at her journey with her mother as a pilgrimage. I haven't read the whole thing -- still absorbing where this voyage will take my family but it looks gentle.
Prayers continue and per Grandmère's note, I am glad to know your brother's name so I can put him in our book of prayers.
dear, dear, Elizabeth
i'd suggest that all those notes, prayers, messages of support and even the book are all reflections of the gracious and important role you've grown into in your online ministry.
lives are touches
hearts are comforted
minds are stimulated.... even changed
prayers are said as we uphold each other
and there, right in the middle of this medium is our passionate, articulate, so very humanly beautiful sister Elizabeth. the grace, generosity and strength of this informal on-line community never fails to bless and give me hope for the future of the larger Church. i.e. Margaret's generosity in sharing that beautiful prayer
love and prayers continue here for John, Mary, Ms. C. and your dear self
David@Montreal
I can understand all of your angst in this situation. We are told that Alzheimer is hereditary, and I'm more than sure all this is on your mind.
What happened elsewhere happened to me early on, on the new net it was new back then, but the hurt and devastation still feels the same.
I seem to strattle the line with friends, ... it has got to be the LIBRA in me,...lol..otherwise I have no explanation.
You remain in my prayers. Meanwhile, continue to remember that bit of advice I got regarding my friend MJ--the parts of John that this disease takes from you and that you have to let go of, God will already have them in his care.
I was thinking...he's a younger brother to you, right? If that's the case, I know another piece of this has got to be that Big Sis probably used to protect little brother, and one of the problems of this disease is, "Ain't none of us protected from THIS." Tough going, this stuff is.
I was so moved by the prayer, and add mine to those who have already prayed it for you. It is so beautiful. I showed it to a friend who does some work for the Alzheimers Society in the UK and she'd really like to pass it on to them. Would the author be happy for this do you think? And if so would they like it to be attributed? It would be so wonderful if it brought comfort to as many people as possible.
Be assured you and your family will continue in my prayers.
What a lovely prayer!
Ostrich, I got the prayer from Margaret who doesn't remember where she got it from. So, just list it as 'anonymous' and everyone will know that it is a woman.
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