Today would have been the 60th birthday of my partner's father. He passed away almost 9 years ago. There was a mass held in his honor this morning at his family's church. I took the opportunity to go to mass with his mother and sister. Even though I had never met his father, it is very evident that my partner is much like him in many ways - so it is almost like I do know him in some strange, small way. Not only that, it was important to me to show my love and support to a man and a family who loves me so very much. As my partner and I were discussing the mass this morning before I left, he was questioning how, by going to mass, his mother feels more of a connection to his father and how she has increased her fellowship within the church since his passing. It was a valid question, but it was also a simple answer: COPING.
Everyone experiences grief and pain, and everyone deals with their grief and pain in their own way. It's called COPING. Each person has their own specific coping mechanisms to process and deal with their past and their present, in hopes that it may heal their future. Solace, even if only for a moment, is found in countless ways - some good and some bad. Many, like my partner's mother, find solace in The Lord and in prayer. They cope by connecting deeper with The Spirit and exercising their faith. After all, The Lord asks us to ( 1 Peter 5:7 - NIV).
But so often people ask, "Why pray to someone you can't even see; to someone/something that is not tangible; to someone who won't answer back?" On paper, all of these points have merit. However, and I speak for all Christians, we have faith: faith that our Lord hears us, faith that our Lord will respond to our prayers in His own time and in His own way to the good of His plan for our lives, faith that our Lord keeps His promises, faith that He has brought our loved ones' souls to Him in Heaven and that one day, he will join our souls with them again someday.
PRAYER IS POWERFUL. PRAYER WORKS. Try it sometime, regardless if you are Christian or not. Seriously. Ask The Lord for some guidance in your life. If you are expecting an immediate answer, don't hold your breath. He will show you His answer in His own way and at a time that will best suit you and the loved ones around you. His answers may come in weird ways. His answers may not be the answers you wanted to get. But, regardless, they are answers and they are for our own good.
Growing up in the church, as I'm sure many of you have as well, we were taught a very special song from a very young age. It is called, "What A Friend We Have In Jesus". It is one of those songs I will remember for the rest of my life and how true it is! Sometimes, when I'm in a rut, it just pops into my head. Funny how the brain works, right? No matter where I am in this life or what my problem is or even in times to rejoice, I always have a friend who I can go to. For me, for many and for my partner's mother, that is an awesome feeling and a feeling we can always take comfort in. What a special way to cope.
ANCHOR DEEP; PRAY HARD. Those were wise words that were spoken to me in my sophomore year in high school during my religion class by Rev. John Moldenhauer. Those words have never left my mind in ten years. They will continue to make up my foundation and I hope that you may strengthen yours with those words as well.
Until next time kittens...
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