A Very Full Saturday - Blessings and Sharing Burdens

I fell asleep last night holding my prayer rope;

I was so upset that I grabbed it,

thinking of my Ottawa priest and spiritual father of 7 years before I moved,

as he gave it to me well over a decade ago, 

and without thinking I thought of it as my 'Daddy Rope' which 

means a lot of things.

 1. God is my Abba Father and I needed Him

like a lost little cub scared and needing her Father 

2. Association with my first spiritual father who really was as 

close to me as a Father who one deeply trusts

3. I was exhausted and at my most basic level of things...

At the end of everything, the only thing I must remember in life is that God is love,

God is my Father and Jesus Christ His Son is my Saviour

(... and life lived seeking

Christ, striving to repentant and open my heart to hold more of Christ and less of me ... )

but all I could think of then was God as Abba Father which literally means 'Daddy'...

And so it is... 

I woke up and was amazed and comforted to find that I was still holding on to the prayer rope.

I can't at all claim to be skilled at prayer or using the prayer rope for prayer.

(I find beaded ones most helpful actually if I am trying to pray with one) but this 

prayer rope is one that I feel like I am holding my Father's hand

and when I had broke my foot I held it for sleep for nights on end

as I was in so much pain and also emotional pain... 

***

It was really hard for me to see my friend and hear how much pain she had gone

through.  It went right to my heart and wrenched it in two. 

***

Mr Husband and I visited her tonight and I was relieved

to see her in ICU more comfortable and at peace

after a very difficult few days prior.

She is still quite unwell and in pain.

She specifically asks for prayers for better night's sleep

as her curable (thank God) illness is keeping her awake at night.

I know that God is with my dear friend's who Saint's name in Greek is Photini.

Thank you for praying for her!

***

Mr Husband and I had a good day today.

Slept in slightly, had groceries delivered, lunch and playing the

game Dominion (my Husband crushed me in a huge victory!),

I had a nap in the afternoon and we went to vespers and the diner

for dinner before seeing our friend in Hospital. 

It is wonderful seeing Church Family surround Photini with prayer,

love and visits.  I am so grateful for this. 

***

I am also thankful for simple things, 

like a good hot pot of black tea with milk,

the Russian chocolate (such pretty wrapping!) I and Mr Husband enjoyed,

a delicious brownie with dried cherries and a home that is 

warm and inviting. 

***

I am also slowly enjoying Monk's Hood a Brother Cadfael book

and am so thankful for Mr Husband taking me out to the diner for dinner!

***

Also, our unbloggable still seems to have a good resolution

and that part of our life is much happier.

I can't tell you how wonderful that is.

We are still working on the rebuilding of things in our life

after the stress of that unbloggable.

We are so thankful for that.

***

Thanks to everyone who is praying for my friend Photini.

I really appreciate it and she does too.

***

So many people are struggling with illness or suffering in some way or another.

May God help us and have mercy on us!

May our Father God carry us to His Son our Lord Jesus Christ

and to His Pascha, His Glorious Resurrection!