Praying with Walter.
Today I was watching 100 Huntley Street.
The "girls on the couch" are the type of women I'd like to hang out with. Mind you, I'd suggest politely that they cut down on the Tammy-Faye make-up and hair if we were friends. It would be "just an idea".
Never-the-less, I like what they have to say, and I like the positive "Jesus-focussed" spin they always put on the topic of the day. Today I felt compelled to call their prayer/talk line to chat with "Walter" (the guy answering the phone today). The show's topic today was our societal tendancy of living in isolation and how we are culturally moving away from "other-focussed" or neighbourly living to a more isolated, self-reliant and sometimes dangerous way of life.
The case in point was an interview with the Pastor who lived on the same street as Allan Schoenburg (the fellow in Merrit, B.C. who allegedly killed his 3 children a week ago). This gentleman & man of God, claimed to have met Schoeburg briefly when he introduced himself over the fence that separated their properties. The Pastor said he offerred his help to Mr. Schoenburg if he "ever had a need" but that in retrosprect, he wish he'd done more, been more open, noticed more.
The "girls on the couch" discussed how they too have noticed that neighbourhoods are less friendly now than they were when we were growing up. There was discussion around how things could change and be more supportive again - how an individual could make a change.
I thought about the woman left behind: the children's mother. I thought about her desperation, her sadness, her self-blame, her hatred, her guilt, I thought about all the ways that she might be feeling about the terror that had descended upon her life.
And then I wondered if she had reached out for help in the days and weeks preceeding the attack, and found that there was none.
When I was at a very desperate moment early in my separation with my husband (who is an atheist and is capeable of horrible things) I yearned to be closer to God. At about 4pm one work-day afternoon, I went looking, in tears, for a church. (I didn't want to go to the house of a friend, I didn't want to show up with a tear stained face on a work-day just as Madge was getting the family's supper ready). I wanted a church because I wanted to be enveloped within a house of God-I wanted to cry in his arms and not have to explain, describe, or be socially appropriate at someone's kitchen table.
I found four different churches. All of them locked-up with no one anywhere to be seen. I cried in my car instead - went home, and was accused by my husband of being out on a "date".
I wondered if the mother of the Schoenberg children went to the doors of locked churches too.
So Walter prayed for me and I said "Amen" with him at the end.
Walter - an elderly fellow who must be an eternal optomist because he asked if I was divorced yet. I said no, I was legally separated. At that moment I thought "Oh God please don't let Walter pray that my ex and I should get back together".
But thankfully Walter didn't do that, he prayed that God would work on my ex, break though the strongholds and touch his heart with the spirit of the Lord. Walter also prayed for the woman who lost her children. But mostly he prayed for me, that I might be consoled.
Thanks Walter, I like that prayer about God working on my ex, it is one of my favorite prayers since he is the father of my children.
God bless the mother of those three children. God bless each of the children and Mr. Schoenburg too.
And God bless the women out there tonight seeking Divine intervention for their loved ones, may they find unlocked doors and open hearts.
The "girls on the couch" are the type of women I'd like to hang out with. Mind you, I'd suggest politely that they cut down on the Tammy-Faye make-up and hair if we were friends. It would be "just an idea".
Never-the-less, I like what they have to say, and I like the positive "Jesus-focussed" spin they always put on the topic of the day. Today I felt compelled to call their prayer/talk line to chat with "Walter" (the guy answering the phone today). The show's topic today was our societal tendancy of living in isolation and how we are culturally moving away from "other-focussed" or neighbourly living to a more isolated, self-reliant and sometimes dangerous way of life.
The case in point was an interview with the Pastor who lived on the same street as Allan Schoenburg (the fellow in Merrit, B.C. who allegedly killed his 3 children a week ago). This gentleman & man of God, claimed to have met Schoeburg briefly when he introduced himself over the fence that separated their properties. The Pastor said he offerred his help to Mr. Schoenburg if he "ever had a need" but that in retrosprect, he wish he'd done more, been more open, noticed more.
The "girls on the couch" discussed how they too have noticed that neighbourhoods are less friendly now than they were when we were growing up. There was discussion around how things could change and be more supportive again - how an individual could make a change.
I thought about the woman left behind: the children's mother. I thought about her desperation, her sadness, her self-blame, her hatred, her guilt, I thought about all the ways that she might be feeling about the terror that had descended upon her life.
And then I wondered if she had reached out for help in the days and weeks preceeding the attack, and found that there was none.
When I was at a very desperate moment early in my separation with my husband (who is an atheist and is capeable of horrible things) I yearned to be closer to God. At about 4pm one work-day afternoon, I went looking, in tears, for a church. (I didn't want to go to the house of a friend, I didn't want to show up with a tear stained face on a work-day just as Madge was getting the family's supper ready). I wanted a church because I wanted to be enveloped within a house of God-I wanted to cry in his arms and not have to explain, describe, or be socially appropriate at someone's kitchen table.
I found four different churches. All of them locked-up with no one anywhere to be seen. I cried in my car instead - went home, and was accused by my husband of being out on a "date".
I wondered if the mother of the Schoenberg children went to the doors of locked churches too.
So Walter prayed for me and I said "Amen" with him at the end.
Walter - an elderly fellow who must be an eternal optomist because he asked if I was divorced yet. I said no, I was legally separated. At that moment I thought "Oh God please don't let Walter pray that my ex and I should get back together".
But thankfully Walter didn't do that, he prayed that God would work on my ex, break though the strongholds and touch his heart with the spirit of the Lord. Walter also prayed for the woman who lost her children. But mostly he prayed for me, that I might be consoled.
Thanks Walter, I like that prayer about God working on my ex, it is one of my favorite prayers since he is the father of my children.
God bless the mother of those three children. God bless each of the children and Mr. Schoenburg too.
And God bless the women out there tonight seeking Divine intervention for their loved ones, may they find unlocked doors and open hearts.
posted by 2sunset at 6:48 PM
2 Comments:
Your blog is an inspiration to those who are looking for "open doors". God forgive any of us who were leaving the doors of our hearts closed to someone in need. So many of us need the unconditional place to be ourselves: messy, miserable, lonely, and in need of acceptance.
You have highlighted that need so beautifully in these words...
I found your post today powerful and also the remark that mark had. i think it is such a sad thing in our society that churches feel the need to have to keep the doors locked.i was glad to see you posted and happy to have you comment on my blog. i hope that you have a great day
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