New Normals revisited! Mother's day did it again or maybe for the first time for some! A loss is a loss is a loss!

Dear Family of Love,

Happy Mother's Day, the Sixth Sunday of Easter,  May 10, 2015, and any other day you'd like to celebrate! Upper most in our minds today and all over social media we have seen many posts, pictures, greetings, and memes having to do with Mother's Day! A Hallmark day for sure! Not for everyone though! This year many of our family members are grieving the loss of their mothers for the very first time. This is yet another new normal for many of our family members. New Normals are the order of the nano-second, second, minute, 1/2 hour, hour, 1/2 day, day, month , season, year and beyond. We are constantly being reminded  many times over of our beloved family member who has died, a loss of employment, loss of a pet,  a relationship death or estrangement. All of these count in the grieving process. No loss is greater or lesser than the others. They all come complete with their own mine fields and triggers!This is where having a loving and understanding support system comes into play. Selecting and fostering a good support system is very important. Some of these family members may or may not be in this system because they lack the empathy, sympathy, love, and compassion to go the distance. Look to your family members who have been with you in the trenches of your life! They are most definitely good for you. You may have many familial groups who may or may not be the best fit for your grieving support system. You will know them right away due to how they want you to get over and be done with the grieving and don't understand why you are in the emotional state that you are in. The support system along with a healthy and life giving faith will get you through the worst and best of times.  So where does this lead us tonight? It leads us to take time to do some creative doodling and meditating on those doodles! Tonight's doodle focus will be on the word and person we love and call Mom and the many variations thereof.  If you have seen word-clouds they look something like this! Make up your own and meditate while you do! As you write a word down ask yourself what does this word mean to me?  Pray and pause as you write the word and put it into your creative doodle.  Put on the title MOM (Memories of Mom) If your mother is still living do it any way!  If you have suffered any other kind of loss recently you may substitute your doodle focus. 

Tonight let us listen to this music as we do our creative doodle and meditation. 

The Essential Yo Yo Ma  

Gracious God who is both Father and Mother we give thanks for all who are nurturers.

Gracious God who is both Father and Mother we pray for all who nurture and who are caregivers that they may have the strength care, love, and support to accomplish daily nurturing and caregiving tasks. 

Gracious God who is both Father and Mother guide our steps to care for the least of these and see your face every time we meet them on our daily pathways.

Gracious God who is both Father and Mother we pray for all who care for our family members who are ill and may be transitioning into Eternal Joy.

Gracious God who is both Father and Mother we pray for all who are ill remembering especially____

Gracious God who is both Father and Mother we celebrate this day remembering our mothers and those who were mothers to us by name _________________

Gracious God who is both Father and Mother we pray for all children who are seeking forever homes and loving and caring parents who will adopt them and make them their own.

Gracious God who is both Father and Mother we pray for peace and unity in this fragile and broken world of ours.

Gracious God who is both Father and Mother we pray for the many concerns that are on our hearts and in our minds this night remembering especially________________

Gracious God who is both Father and Mother we lay these our prayers in the arms of your Son and our Brother Jesus the Christ. Amen.


++++++

Good Night Loved Ones! I love you and am keeping you in my prayer heart, heart, and heart home this night and always. May we love, care, and nurture each other with a kind word, gentle touch, and warm presence. Remember tomorrow is You Matter Monday. You Matter, You Matter to us, You Matter to Each other, You Matter to me and most especially You Matter to God.  I give thanks to God for you this Night and always.

Love and lots of it!

Sara