I Pray You Enough

My sweet friend Rhonda lost her mother suddenly back at the first of the year. She has a very tight family and it has truly been difficult for her....and her family to get through this mourning time. I am struggling with the illness of my father...and am watching him slowly waste away to nothing before my very eyes...and feel useless because there is nothing I can do. Anyways, Rhonda sent me this email today...and I felt I just had to share it with all of you out there in blogland....some of you may be hurting...or may not know that tomorrow things may be different than they are today....whatever...read this and remember to always pray enough.

"Recently, I overheard a mother and daughter in their last moments together at the airport. They had announced the departure. Standing near the security gate,they hugged, and the mother said, 'I love you, and I pray you enough.'
The daughter replied, 'Mom, our life together has been more than enough. Your love is all I ever needed. I pray you enough, too, Mom.' They kissed, and the daughter left. The mother walked over to the window where I was seated. Standing there, I could see she wanted and needed to cry. I tried not to intrude on her privacy, but she welcomed me in by asking, 'Did you ever say good-bye to someone knowing it would be forever?' Yes, I have,' I replied. 'Forgive me for asking, but why is this a forever good-bye?' 'Well...I'm not as young as I once was, she lives so far away & has her own busy life. I have some challenges ahead, and the reality is - her next trip back will be for my funeral,' she said. 'When you were saying good-bye, I heard you say, 'I pray you enough.' May I ask what that means?' She began to smile. 'That's a prayer that has been handed down from other generations. My parents used to say it to everyone.' She paused a moment and looked up as if trying to remember it in detail, and she smiled even more.'When we said, 'I pray you enough,' we wanted the other person to have a life filled with just enough good things to sustain them.' Then, turning toward me, she shared the following as if she were reciting it from memory.

I pray you enough sun to keep your attitude bright no matter how gray the day may appear.

I pray you enough rain to appreciate the sun even more.

I pray you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive and everlasting.

I pray you enough pain so that even the smallest of joys in life may appear bigger.

I pray you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.

I pray you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.

I pray you enough hellos to get you through the final good-bye.

Then, she began to cry, and walked away.

They say, it takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them, but an entire life to forget them."

So I encourage you my friends that I know...and ones I have yet to meet....my family and my loved ones to:

TAKE TIME TO LIVE..... and I PRAY YOU ENOUGH.......

A Lesson On Loss

My cousin Judy sent me a profound email today and I just feel I have to share it with you and speak on it. The email read as follows:

To realizeThe value of a sisterAsk someoneWho doesn't have one.
To realizeThe value of ten years:Ask a newlyDivorced couple.
To realizeThe value of four years:Ask a graduate.
To realizeThe value of one year:Ask a student whoHas failed a final exam.
To realizeThe value of nine months:Ask a mother who gave birth to a stillborn.
To realizeThe value of one month:Ask a motherWho has given birth toA premature baby.
To realizeThe value of one week:Ask an editor of a weekly newspaper.
To realizeThe value of one minute:Ask a personWho has missed the train, bus or plane.
To realizeThe value of one-second:Ask a personWho has survived an accident.

To realize the value of a friend or family member:
LOSE ONE.
Time waits for no one.
Treasure every moment you have.
You will treasure it even more whenYou can share it with someone special.

Remember...
Hold on tight to the ones you love

Now for Karen's Comments on this....I lost my brother when I was almost ten. I hear people talk about how much they hate their brothers and sisters...or wish they were only children. Trust me...that is not something you want. I would give anything to have a brother to fight with....or to share the burden of my parents with right now. But I don't. As for a sister. I guess Amanda, Terry, Linda and Missi are the closest things I have to sisters biologically and Mary would be the closest thing to a soulmate sister....but they are still NOT full blooded sisters. Advice to those of you who are out there wishing away your siblings....don't do it!

When I married in 1976, I never thought I would see the day that I would become a statistic....yet, in 1998....I did. After 22 years of marriage....I walked out of the relationship. It was my choice....but even with that being said....it was devastating. I wanted to die for a long time....I thought I would for a long time...and one day I came out of the darkness, met a wonderful man, learned to live again, and life did go on. But it was not an easy chore.

I have both a bachelors and masters degree. I worked long and hard to get those pieces of paper that hang on my wall. They were worth every penny. I did not realize how worth it they were until I had to support myself and put my daughter through college. I am so glad I went to school. I would do it again if I had too.

I learned one day....in life you win some and lose some. I also learned that same day that whether you win or lose the outcome is a learning experience that makes you a better person.

So, today, if you read my blog or not....I hope you will take time to appreciate all you have and those in your life that are special to you. In the blink of an eye....you can and might lose something that is near and dear to you....I know...because I have.....but the one thing....I can never lose....that is always with me....every single day I draw breath is the love of God....for that I will be eternally thankful. Bless you this day, Karen

Loss At Christmas

Nothing is harder than a loss during the holidays except maybe the first holiday without your loved one. I was at the funeral home last night, my son-in-law's grandmother died on Sunday, and watched all the people interact with each other and cope with the feeling of loss....of course last night it was still fresh and they really had not had time to deal with the empty place the death of their loved one will leave. As I stood beside my daughter I was carried back many years ago...43 to be exact....to a time when I was a child standing there...and we were going through these same motions over the death of my younger brother. It was so hard. As a child of 9 I truly did not understand all the emptiness his death would leave. It was like a huge gaping hole...and that hole has been there ever since. Every time I look at my parents I wonder....what are they thinking...the only son my father has now...is the one I call my husband. The strange thing about that is...Frank is my brother's age. Do my parent's ever think about that? I have a time or two. I have wondered many times what my life would have been like if he were still here. I have thought long and hard about choices I made...would I have made different ones. We are all products of our upbringing...and our baggage...so without that piece of baggage...how different would my life have been? These questions used to drive me crazy....but when my daughter Kathryn was born...the questions kind of faded away....you see...things happen in life for a reason...and if they don't happen....then you are not who you are....you will be someone else. It has been a long hard road to become who I am. I like myself...I like my life....I love my family....I love what I do...I love singing...but...here it is Christmas time again....and I feel a void coming on. Sigh! Mr. Jones will have a void this year....his mother will not be with him anymore. Oh he will have all his memories of his childhood....and his life since he became an adult....but there will be no more momma hugs. Brian, my son-in-law...will not have a grandmother to visit this year...but you know...I have learned...life goes ....and life goes on. We truly are all part of a bigger plan. Mrs. Jones went peacefully in her sleep. That is what I want to do...just go to sleep and never wake up...and if that is God's plan for me....that is how it will happen. I wish Brian and his family much love....and a sense of peace during this holiday season....I know Mrs. Jones will be sorely missed....but we all know she is in a much better place....God Bless You All This Holiday Season! K