Prayables | what our children need to know

Published: Tue, 07/05/22

Tuesday July 5, 2022

Our human compassion binds us one to the other - not in pity or patronizingly, but as human beings who have learned how to turn our common suffering into hope for the future.
Nelson Mandela

The world is a small place. As humanity expands, there is no room for baseless hatred. Old prejudices, old belief patterns, old ways of thinking do not serve your fellow man, do not serve you, and do not serve God. May you be blessed to send out the old and welcome the new. Form new habits, welcome the stranger, and embrace a new world.

I take a moment now to relax. I take a relaxation break by being aware of Your holy presence. I allow the chair to support me, I feel the
tension leaving my body. I take a deep breath and breathe deeply. I allow Your Spirit to fill my lungs and spread through my body. I exhale slowly and completely. I clear my mind and take this moment of silence to bask in Your presence. Thank You God for allowing me this spiritual break today.

Psalm 103:7 Praise the Lord, my soul, who revealed the ways to Moses, the deeds to the people of Israel.

You're on Day 7 of sharing Psalm 103, A Psalm of David, keep going! Praise God for revelation. Look for tommorow's Psalm, and pray away in the month of July.

REFLECTIONS ON THE LATEST MASS SHOOTING
"Our children need to know why God put them here on earth."

By Susan Diamond
July 4, 2022, a mass shooter invaded my world. You probably watched it on T.V. It was 10:15 a.m. and the 4th of July parade in Highland Park, Illinois was getting underway. A local boy climbed on the roof of a store. He had an automatic weapon and fired shots into the crowd. Six people dead 30+ wounded at last count.

Highland Park is in my part of the world. I live ten minutes away. My son and my grandchildren live there. My best friend, her children, and grandchildren live there. My cousins live there. When the news broke, the texting and phone calls started. Who is there, are they safe?

Thankfully, my nearest and dearest are okay.

I cry every time I see the news about another mass shooting. School shootings, church and synagogue shootings, shopping mall shootings, 4th of July Parade shootings, and so many more I can’t even recall. And I pray. I reflect on the problem and I try to figure it out. What’s the problem? What’s the solution?

The solution would undoubtedly be a combination of different tactics. Gun control. More mental health resources. Some things I haven’t yet thought of. Maybe there is no solution.

But today I think about the bigger picture. What we are teaching our children? Yes, these shooters are children. God’s children, on loan to their parents, whose job it is to watch over them, nurture them and teach them values.

Did they learn how to play well with others? How to do well in school? How to succeed in life? It’s not enough to teach them how to do it. Our children need to know why God put them here on earth.

We need to teach purpose. Purpose doesn’t come from always focusing on their own needs and wants.

We need to teach the children about service to God and humankind. A child can’t have self-esteem – unless they accomplish things that benefit others.

The goal is to help the children be independent givers. To live generously with gratitude.

I believe that’s where faith comes in. Faith in God. Faith in self. Faith in your family. Involvement in a faith-based community. It’s what’s missing in America. Secular activities now take priority.

There’s no weekly reminder about morals and ethics if the Sabbath is spent on a baseball field or in a dance class.

I’m not saying it’s always the parent’s fault when a kid turns bad. There are a lot of good parents trying their best. It’s not about placing blame. Let God be the judge, I don’t want that particular responsibility. I’m just trying to sort it out like you are.

When another horrific scene unfolds, I’ll shed my tears, continue to pray, and thank God it wasn’t worse – it can always be worse.

I’m not an activist. Though I admire those who are out marching for what they believe in. I am a woman with a passion for God, and a deep belief that God will provide.

I intend to go about being the best person I know how to be. I continue to teach and encourage my grown children and hope that they will pass it on to their children, who will someday pass it on to the next generation.

I’ll close with a quote from holocaust survivor Viktor Frankel.

“Those who survived the holocaust were those who had a purpose.”

Let your purpose be to serve God, teach the children, and set a stellar example for all who know you. In this way alone, we can each do our part to stem the tide of evil.

MYSTERY ILLNESS

I would like to ask for much needed prayers for my best friends 14-year-old child. In April she started having drooping on her face and some minimal trouble walking.

Doctors weren’t sure what was wrong but stated she would have full recovery in 3 weeks and sent her to physical therapy.

The 2 neurologists they saw in May said they didn’t see anything wrong. It’s June now and this poor child continues to be given the run around. She is actually worse. She can’t see, her walking is limited to a few steps, she can’t write, and other complications.

Finally the eye Dr ordered a lot of blood work and she may have caught something. But he can’t refer them to a neurologist it has to come from the primary. I pray God intercedes and this family can finally get answers.

I don’t get the lack of care anymore with providers. But I am praying that they are led to individuals who have not lost their compassion or forgotten why they became doctors. I pray that since so many months have past and things have only gotten worse that it will not have caused permanent damage because I know with God all things are possible!!

Thank you for many needed prayers!

- Carolyn