In which prayers are acceptable1
Over the last months, people have occasionally offered prayers for mom (and me, I guess). Even though neither one of us were (are) religious, we both accepted them and even welcomed them with what I hope was grace. At least The Comm was graceful about it. I have to protect my reputation as a social klutz. At any rate, a prayer here and there can’t hurt, I don’t think. And so she (I) have appreciated all of your prayers if you have sent them. I mean that!
As I have said before, I grew up attending a mainstream protestant church in a small town at the northern end of I75. My parents were not religious when I was a kid but when you live in the same small town as your grandparents and *they* attend church, you just go along with it. There were good things about church. I loved the Christmas Eve service. I loved to sing and by the time I was three, I knew the words to all the carols and sang them loudly and IN TUNE! The story is that a woman who was proud of her reputation as a singer was once sitting in front of us on Christmas Eve and, when she heard me singing, she turned around to see who it was and had to look *down*!
Sunday School was okay too. Except when I couldn’t manage to snag the red chair. Or when the teachers couldn’t answer my rather intellectual questions about the universe or the miracles in the Bible. But there were stories and art projects and we got to sing and I had good friends in Sunday School.
Still, not religious. When grandma would call to let us know that Billy Graham would be on TV that night2, The Comm would graciously acknowledge that fact and we would watch another channel. Or, hmmmm, for a long time there was only *one* channel our little “rabbit ears” antenna could pick up so I dunno what we did.
When I was 16 or so, The Engineer was friendly with a shirttail relative who was just a weeeee bit more Christian than we were. Okay, a lot more Christian and a known proselytizer. The Engineer was a few years younger than me and one day The Comm got wind that this whatever cousin whatever removed might show up at the moomincabin when my brother would be there and *she* would not. So she asked me to please *be* there with my brother in case this kid showed up. She knew I could mitigate the situation. I do not remember whether that kid showed up or not but I was GLAD to be of service in that way and my brother remained an agnostic for the rest of his life.
Anyway, I don’t really have any issues with religion. What I have issues with is people who use religion to promote their own agendas but I’ll go there some other day when I feel stronger. In the last awful months of The Commander’s life, people did offer their prayers. And we welcomed them. Although I don’t think The Comm ever “found God” or whatever, she did welcome conversations with the religious folks who visited her. Like Reverend Bill, the friendly young minister who currently serves at my childhood church. He is one good guy. Even though The Comm hasn’t attended church in years, he sought her out at the hoosegow and FV multiple times. He did pray for her (and me) but he also talked to her human being to human being. She was sentient up until the end and I think she liked him. (She did not like the last minister at that church. Nosiree! We won’t go there (today) <grin>.)
1 I am not asking for prayers, just saying that I appreciate those who have sent them our way. Love you all!!!!
2 Billy Graham aside, my grandma was not exactly a “holy roller” although church was important to her.
March 1st, 2012 at 7:29 pm
Yes, I get lots of offers for prayers and I am always very grateful. Positive thoughts and caring can’t HURT, can it?
March 1st, 2012 at 11:11 pm
Love this picture. Might not seem like much, but I don’t think I have a picture of Aunt Anna.
March 2nd, 2012 at 1:50 pm
is that Jan on the far left?
March 3rd, 2012 at 2:16 pm
Jane, I think that *is* Jan on the far left!