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Saying Grace (Prayers & Thanks Givings)


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We are just so thankful for the Forum folk who post regularly and offer so much love and support and hardwon wisdom to each other! Before your adoptions happened, you were Clients. Those of you who stick around afterwards have become our true friends. (And those who share of themselves to help make the load lighter for those who follow are truly angels here on earth.) Bless you, all!

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you become our friends during the whole process... i believe each and everyone of ya'll at the ranch are truly gifts and should remember just how much you do to create loving friendships and families from such hardship... we all know that the hardship of placing a child is difficult just as deciding to adopt is difficult... you make this as painless as possible with your kind words, thoughtful notes and loving sentiments... thank you for your friendship and for all the hand-holding you do.... please remember these things at the end of the long frustrating days when you dont go home on time... love and hugs to all

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  • 2 weeks later...

Many of you have asked about "A Prayer for Children" which we use as our grace before lunch at our Parents-of-Tomorrow orientation weekends. It was written by Ina Hughs, and can be found in her 1995 book by the same title, published by Simon & Schuster.

A Prayer For Children

We pray for children who give us sticky kisses, who hop rocks and chase butterflies, who stomp in puddles and ruin their new pants, who sneak Popsicles before supper, who erase holes in math workbooks, who can never find their shoes

And we pray for those who stare at photographers from behind barbed wire, who've never squeaked across the floor in new sneakers, who've never "counted potatoes," who are born in places we wouldn't be caught dead, who never go to the circus, who live in an x-rated world.

We pray for children who bring us fistfuls of dandelions and sing off-key, who have goldfish funerals, build card-table forts, who slurp their cereal on purpose, who get gum in their hair, put sugar in their milk, who spit toothpaste all over the sink, who hug us for no reason, who bless us each night.

And we pray for those who never get dessert, who watch their parents watch them die, who have no safe blanket to drag behind, who can't find any bread to steal, who don't have any rooms to clean up, whose pictures aren't on anybody's dressers, whose monsters are real.

We pray for children who spend all their allowance before Tuesday, who throw tantrums in the grocery store and pick at their food, who like ghost stories, who shove dirty clothes under the bed and never rinse out the tub, who get quarters from the tooth fairy, who don't like to be kissed in front of the car pool, who squirm in church and scream in the phone, whose tears we sometimes laugh at and whose smiles can make us cry.

And we pray for those whose nightmares come in the daytime, who will eat anything, who have never seen a dentist, who aren't spoiled by anybody, who go to bed hungry and cry themselves to sleep, who live and move but have no being.

We pray for children who want to be carried and for those who must. For those we never give up on., and for those who don't have a chance. For those we smother, and for those who will grab the hand of anybody kind enough to offer.

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  • 3 months later...

Childrens' prayers are so simple and sweet--yet they mean so much and have the power to stay in our hearts forever. These are my favorite prayers from childhood. I'd love to learn some new ones from others of you out there!!  

Baby's First Prayer

Heavenly Father up above,

Hear me when I pray.

Bless my home

And those I love, and

Guide me every day. Amen.

Grace Before Meals

God is great

And God is good

And we thank Him

For our food.

Amen.

Traveling Prayer

Dear God,

We're going on a trip today!

Guide and keep us all the way.

Bring us safely home, we pray,

And thank You for Your care. Amen.

Bedtime Prayer

Now I lay me down to sleep

I pray the Lord my soul to keep.

Guide me through the starry night

And wake me when the sun shines bright!

Amen.

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Two of my favorite prayers as I was growing up were,

      We Thank The Lord For This Our Food

      For Life and Health and Everything Good

      Help Us to See What Others Need

      Soul Through Us The Hungry Feed

       In Jesus' Name      AMEN

 

And My Favorite Bedtime Prayer is almost like the one already posted but with a few different words.

          Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep

           I Pray the Lord My Soul To Keep

           If I Die Before I Wake

           I Pray the Lord My Soul TO Take

                   AMEN

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Guest FeelingBlessed

Our children love to sing this prayer before meals (to the tune of "Are You Sleeping?  Are You Sleeping?"):

God, our Father.  God, our Father.

Once again, once again,

We will ask the blessing.  We will ask the blessing.

A-men.  A-men.

They also say a second verse to the "God is great, God is good" grace:

By His hand,

We are fed.

Thank you for

This daily bread.  Amen.

Our other mealtime prayer is:

Thank you for the world so sweet,

Thank you for the food we eat.

Thank you for the birds that sing,

Thank you, God, for everything.  Amen.

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Since we have many Guardian Angels in heaven, we like to say this prayer:

Heavenly Angel, be my light

In darkest hours of the night,

Stay beside me while I sleep,

Your ever-faithful watch to keep.

In pouring rain or sunshine bright,

I cannot wander from your sight,

Day after Day, year after year,

You keep me in your loving care.

Dear messenger from up above,

Symbol of God's precious love,

Help me follow God's command,

Guide my footsteps, hold my hand.

Amen.

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  • 2 months later...

Hi all,

Well, this isn't adoption related but maybe in a way it is...one of my very good friends (she is one of the friends I asked to write a letter of recommendation for my homestudy & to Abrazo - hence the adoption connection) has a great need right now for some good ole fashioned prayer sayin' from as many people as possible.  Her father received a lung transplant on Sunday - he is doing well, a couple minor complications but God is obviously watching over him and I just keep thinking of them, thinking of him, thinking of my friend and her mom and how scared they must be right now - I can't even imagine - he even has his first & only grand-son (who turned 1 yr old at the end of 2002) rooting for his recovery - he lived with my friend, her husband, & their son for a few months so that he would be closer to the hospital in case that "call" came.  Thank heavens it did but now, I would just like to ask everyone to please join me in wishing their family a wonderful, happy ending - and lots & lots of prayers for this special family - they are very kind, genuine people, but I'm sure He already knows that.

Thanks,

Lisa

(there's just nothing like the power of prayer)

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  • 2 weeks later...

Linlacor, thanks for sharing your friend's father's needs. We join you in keeping your friend, her dad and their loved ones in our prayers. (Please keep us informed of his welfare--and hers.)

Tonight, we also ask for prayers of comfort for adoptive mom Marilyn, whose three-year-old son succumbed to heart problems yesterday after a long and trying medical battle.

We know God has a very special place for his littlest angels, and we offer thanks for the joy Marilyn's son brought to his mother and siblings in the time he spent with them. Our thoughts are also with his birthparents, and we wish for them, too, the peace that passes understanding.

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Oh my goodness - I am so deeply sorry for Marilyn and her family's and her son's birthfamily's loss - we will certainly say some special prayers for all of them and the new extra special angel that has joined all the others in heaven.  Right now, I'm sure the only comfort they are finding is in their faith and their loved ones, family & friends - I hope they know they have an entire group of loved ones on this forum who offer them whatever comfort we can as they try to take each day at a time.  May God bless them -

(as a side note, I haven't heard from my friend about her father in about a week or so, but I did hear from a mutual friend of ours who dropped off a meal to them the other evening that he was up walking around (which must mean he's already been released from the hospital) and looked great - she was amazed at his recovery.  That just goes to show the power of prayer...thanks everyone and thanks Stork Central for your warm thoughts & wishes).

-Lisa

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  • 1 month later...

Please say a prayer for one little baby boy and the loving would-be parents who recently lost him, when a judge in a "foreign" court ordered him "returned" to a man who'd refused to take paternity tests-- then failed to even show up to claim him upon his return, sending his kid sister to pick up her new charge. It's a travesty and a tragedy, and we can only ask that a loving God, who knows far more than we, will hold these dear ones in His care, offering divine comfort, strength and shelter in the wake of this storm.

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Guest mommy2

I send my prayers for the child and the would-be adoptive family.  My question is, how can a foreign court have authority in this country?

Mommy2 (Jeannie)

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I agree with Jean - I'm speechless.  I just can't even imagine life without Kayleigh - she is such a piece of both Lance & I - if we were without her, it would feel like a part of us has died - my thoughts and prayers are certainly with everyone involved in this and especially with this baby boy.

Along these lines - there is a very special birthmother I have become friends with who recently gave birth (very recently) and placed her daughter for adoption (not through Abrazo though...just in case any of you APs are wondering who I'm talking to...).  I spoke with her last night and although she's trying so hard to be strong for the adoptive parents' sake (she doesn't want them to see her cry because she said it will make them cry) - I want her to know it's okay to let your feelings be known - this is a very, very difficult thing to do and it's not something that feels "natural" and indeed shouldn't feel that way - If you're reading this, I am so sorry for your loss - I really wish there was something I could do to take those feelings away and make you happy.  I know you will be okay - you're such a strong person and you have such a strong will - you know you are so special to us and you know how much you mean to the people whose lives you've touched.  We birthmothers have to stick together - I wish you the best and I hope everyone will keep you in their thoughts and prayers - you need all the support you can get, know that we wish you the best that life has to offer.

Love,

Lisa

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I found out yesterday I know the couple this situation (stork central posted on April 1) happened to and I am very sorry to hear about it.  The couple seems to be hanging in there but I am asking everyone out there to keep them in your prayers!  As I spoke with them they were not sure about their future!  Please pray for healing and guidence.  And I want to say Thank You to all you wonderful angels at Abrazo, the couple said you have been wonderful to them!  

Jennifer :(

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I know that this must just rip the AP's hearts out.  My parents had 7 adoptions fall through between me and my sister and another 4 between her and my brother.  I was almost 7 when we got my brother, so I can remember my Mom crying and she wouldn't tell me why.  I found out years later why.  But my heart still aches for those who have this happen to them.   I hurt for my mom.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I have a prayer/thanksgiving.  Recently, I have become involved with a birthmother buddy program.  I talk to other birthmothers who may not be opening up to the Agency or friends or family.  So far I have been a "buddy" to 2 girls.  But tonight, my job is getting more difficult, I am supposed to talk to an 18 year old girl, who isn't talking to anybody.  So I pray that God can put the right words in my mouth to help her/comfort her (she placed 5 days before I placed Fiona)  And I also thank God that I have finally dealt with this in a way so I am ready to reach out and help others.

-Angel

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  • 3 weeks later...
Guest CJsProudParents

This isn't a prayer, really, but a little bedtime blessing that was printed in a column in our newspaper yesterday: "Sueno con los angelitos!" (swayne-nyo cone lows an-gell-lee-toes) which means "sleep with the angels." I thought this was sweet.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Tonight, when you tuck your child or yourself into bed, please say a prayer for a teen-aged runaway named Jetta.

She's young and in trouble. And the trucker who picked her up several months ago wants to get rid of her-- now that she's pregnant. He called our office for help today, but hung up on us when he feared our staff might seek to trace his call.

The authorities can find no matching missing person reports within the national databases. Meanwhile, our staff is haunted by the thought of this girl and her coming baby, out on the road and all alone with a predator more than four times her age. Surely someone, somewhere is missing a daughter, or sister, or granddaughter, or niece.

Please, God, watch over Jetta and guide her safely home, wherever that may be... (and all the young girls like her, out there.) Amen.

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We'll all pray that God sends his angels to watch over Jetta and her unborn child through this crisis she's in.  I also hope and pray that someway, somehow either the trucker will call back or Jetta or someone around her that wants to help her.  

When I read about her, so many concerns came to me.  Does she have a safe place to sleep?  Is she eating properly?  Does her family know or have any idea where she is?  Who can she confide in and count on?  Oh dear God, please intervene in her life and bring her some help soon and protect her innocent, unborn child.

Jacquee

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  • 2 months later...
Guest Angela_FSC

I received some very sad news this week.  Joey, a very close family friend, was diagnosed with brain cancer just this week.  Joey is only 36 years old with a wife and two young daughters so as you can imagine this is a very difficult time for him and his family. He has a very tough battle on his hands, but knowing Joey he will fight this with everything in him.  So I ask that you keep Joey and his family in your prayers as he begins to face this enormous battle.

Angela

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Angela_FSC, please know we are asking the One who heals all life's hurts to watch over your friend Joey, his wife and daughters as they face this frightening diagnosis. We wish them comfort, peace and the assurance that they are very much loved and not alone as he begins the treatment process!

The Abrazo staff also asks our Forum friends to keep in mind a very special little girl named Sarah. Adopted here at birth, she is in CA this week, visiting "Wheel of Fortune" and meeting Vanna White (during a trip made possible by the generosity of the Make-A-Wish Foundation.) We ask God's blessing upon her and her loving family, through whatever additional journeys their future holds.

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Joey and Sarah and their families will certainly, certainly, certainly be in the Cornish thoughts and prayers.  I'm not sure I know what else to say - it's so hard to not ask and wonder why these things have to happen....I know that's not what you're supposed to do though.  I'm praying for strength for these families too - the strength to have faith and the strength to get through such traumatic experiences.

It sure puts everything into perspective.....just knowing you need to be thankful for every day you have with the ones you love and to not take a single day or person for granted because change can happen so quickly.  

-Lisa

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  • 4 weeks later...

I am asking all us forumites to lift up in prayer a fellow church memeber of mine.  Her name is Jeri Paholek, she is in surgery NOW for a heart and lung transplant.  

Lord, we come before You as the Master Surgeon.  Guide the doctors hands and mind.  Keep the entire medical staff very alert and attentive to every detail of Jeri's operation and care.  Provide safety for every single family member flying into California right now.  Father, cause Jeri's body to accept these organs as her very own.  Give everyone peace and mindfulness of Your presence with them.  And Holy Spirit, go and wrap Yourself around this family that is grieving now and show Yourself mightily to them as they pass through this valley.  Comfort them as only You can.  In Jesus name, Amen.

To keep updated please go to

http://www.caringbridge.org/tx/jerifromkaty/index.htm

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