Thursday, April 03, 2008

Tears of Joy and Sorrow

One friend gave birth to a little girl yesterday morning. Precious little baby of only six pounds and a few ounces. Her parents are in love with her already, as they should be. I look forward to meeting the itty bitty one.

Another friend, someone I knew way back in Connecticut, will soon be burying her 20+ year old son who was struck down and killed by a drunk driver on Tuesday night.

As one friend went into labor to deliver a child, another went into labor to mourn one. Tears of joy and sorrow. New life and tragic death.

Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.

Grant your peace, I pray, to K and A as they begin to walk the path of parenthood, of love and sorrow, of challenge and rejoicing, of sleeplessness and joyfulness. May they learn to love one another and this child in ways they have never imagined. And on the difficult days, may they fall into each other's arms and into Yours and find rest.

Grant an extra measure of Your comforting presence to R and T on the death of their son. Theirs is an anguish that is unimaginable - except for those who have gone through it. O God of all comfort, You know what it is to give up your Only Son; please show Yourself to them in unprecedented ways during these, the darkest days of their lives. Please carry them through these weeks and months and years of grief in your everlasting and omnipotent arms. They need you now more than ever.

Again, I beseech you, Merciful Savior, have mercy on them.
Indeed, have mercy on us all.
For the sake and the glory of Your Most Holy Name ~
Amen and amen.

5 comments:

Amy said...

Gail,

You are so gracious and grace-filled! I feel very blessed to have you as a blogging friend. Glad to hear you're doing yoga. I'm getting ready to do some in a few minutes, as it centers me. I love your little notes and mints, too!

These prayers for your fiends are beautiful and have the Spirit all through them.

Thanks be to God!

jmgb said...

my heart echos.

Shelby said...

May God Bless you richly today. Hugs.

Bailey said...

How sad to read. I was near the CA freeway shootings it's scary. I'm sorry for the loss of your friend. Tragic.

I hope God blesses you with strength and love to support them. One of my sister's is going to have a new baby soon. It's a lot to anticpate.

Have a good day as good as you can with news like that.

Ella said...

Dear Gail,

Love for a new life, and the sorrow of the ending of one cut short. I'm truly sorry for you, your friend and their family.

There is no greater pain or loss I think as I witnessed then the loss of a child.No one can make sense of the senseless.

Light and darkness, rain and sun, shadows and light...life is a mystery in so many unexplainable ways.

In friendship,

Ella