"You formed my inmost being; you knit me in my mother's womb." Psalms 139:13
The act of knitting a prayer shawl makes prayers visible stitch by stitch.
My Fourth Day Prayer Group presented a prayer shawl to Marcia last Tuesday. Marcia's scheduled for two brand new hips today in Seattle. She'll be away from us for six weeks while she learns how to walk without pain and without limping. We wanted to let her know we'd be praying for her, for the doctors, the nurses, the therapists and everyone else assigned to her care. Jackie Ringo knitted the beautiful shawl in the fan and feather pattern. We prayed and blessed Marcia with holy water.
May this shawl be for her a sign of your healing
presence.
May it warm her when she is weary;
May it surround her to ease her suffering;
May it encircle her with caring when she is in
pain.
May Marcia feel your gentle, yet strong touch as
she
faces the reality of a double hip surgery
Let this shawl be a reminder that her friends will
continue
to pray and offer comfort during this journey.
For several years Marcia joined Regina and me at 6:30 every weekday morning for a walk on the levee. Last year she started having pain and gradually she had to give up walking with us. For months now Regina and I gave up our morning walk to have coffee with Marcia on Thursday. We miss her stories, her spiritual insight, her words of encouragement. Marcia's not only been my walking partner, but also a fellow board member, a faithful, yet critical fellow Catholic, and Sunday night wine drinker with another friend, Jean. I just don't know how I will survive without her - for six long weeks!!!
Marcia, may healing, health and holiness be yours. May peace, grace, and love surround you and may the awareness of God's presence be a tent over your hospital bed. I love you, my dear friend.
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