Healing
Healing Your Past
Healing Year by Year
Hurts in the Womb
Early Childhood
The Teenage Years
Early Adult Years
Middle Adulthood
The Twilight Years
Healing the Generations
Healing Prayers
Pray It Forward
Pray it Forward Prayers

As we move into this period of our lives we're inclined to take stock and look back. It's a good time to seek the loving help of the Holy Spirit to show us long-forgotten resentments that were never cleared up and forgiven. Root them out, pray over them, forgive then dump them out of the way!

"O Holy Spirit, beloved of my soul, I adore You. Enlighten me, guide me, strengthen me, console me, tell me what I should do. Give me Your orders. I promise to submit myself to all that You desire of me and to accept all that You permit to happen to me. Let me only know Your will. Amen"

We kids sometimes forget that our parents were once vibrant, fun-loving young things just like our teenagers, were once loving young couples, were once the parents of young babies, were once the respected wage-earners, were once the football team supporters when we were small, the taxi drivers when we needed to go places, the confidants when we needed a loving hug and advice.

These are the years when rejections can really hurt, when loneliness can eat away like a cancer. One spouse is probably gone to the Lord and the pain of that loss is huge, and for men, somehow it is worse. When an elderly man loses his wife of 40, 50, 60 years it has a devastating effect.

Perceived, and often real, rejections by family members when it comes to caring for elderly relatives causes much angst. Modern society has meant migration of children away from the family home leaving the elderly parent with no option but to require nursing home care.

Senility and/or debilitating illnesses in elderly parents often become part of the scene causing problems among the children - who is going to provide the caring? Caring for a relative with something like Altzeimers, Parkinsons, or a debillitating stroke is truly trying and hard work. Having worked with the elderly I know how difficult it can be, oh but the graces to be gained if a family can look after an elderly parent are immeasurable. The example for the grandchildren is comforting and generally the love showered on these little ones by grandparents is just beautiful.

But today's world isn't always so idyllic. We rarely see a 'Walton's Family', even here in Ireland. These are the years when fears really set in - 'what's to become of me?' type questions, crankiness which is often a cover-up for real fear, fierce independence instead of having to depend on others.

My Dad stayed with us until a heart attack necessitated hospitilisation where he died 10 days later RIP. My regret now is that we didn't bring his remains home for a night before his funeral. He would have been covered in prayer, loadsa Rosaries and chat with good memories and laughter amidst the tears, instead of lying in a lonely hospital morgue all night. My sister cares for my Mom in the UK and by Easter they will all be living just 5 miles from me here DV. It is a mistake I will not repeat. Mom will have her final night amongst us all, with God's good help.

Place your trust in God asking him for a peaceful death in your prayers. So many who surrender their final years over to the Lord completely have such beautiful, quiet and peaceful deaths, often sudden without causing the family any 'bother'. My one prayer always is that the Lord will leave me my communication skills to be able to have good conversations and to sit and read my books. And when 'I'm pushing up the daisies' I hope my children will be able to say 'she was good fun to have around'!

Let's hear what Bob and Debbie Gass have to say on the subject.

Growing old - graciously

" TEACH THE OLDER MEN...TEACH THE OLDER WOMEN "  TITUS 2 : (NIV)

In Time Out Ladies, Dale Evans shares this prayer:

'Lord, you know better than anybody that I'm getting older and will someday be old. Keep me from being talkative; from the fatal habit of thinking I've got to say something on every subject and on every occasion. Release me from the need to straighten out everybody's affairs. Keep my mind free from the recital of endless details; give me wings to get to the point. I ask for grace to listen to the tales of others' pains and to endure them with patience. But seal my lips when it comes to my own aches and pains, for they're increasing, and my love of rehearsing them is becoming sweeter as the years go by. I ask for improved memory, but even more for a growing humility and a lessening cock-sureness when my memory seems to clash with the memory of others. Teach me that occasionally I may be mistaken. Keep me reasonably sweet. I don't want to be a 'saint' because some of them are so hard to live with - and a sour old person is one of the crowning works of the devil. Make me thoughtful, but not moody; helpful, but not bossy. With my vast store of wisdom, it seems a pity not to use it; but you know, Lord, I still want to have a few friends at the end. Give me the ability to see good things in unexpected places and talents in unexpected people, then give me the grace to tell them so. Amen.'

Short Prayer for Today

"I cannot do it alone; the waves run fast and high, and the fog closes chill around, and the light goes out in the sky. But I know that we two shall win in the end - Jesus and I. I could not steer it myself - my barque on the roaring sea - what of that? Another sits in my barque, and pulls or steers with me. And I know that we two shall come into port - His child and He. Coward, wayward and weak, I change like the changing sky - one day eager and brave, the next, not caring to try; But He never gives in, and we two shall win, Jesus and I. Strong, and tender and true, crucified once for me, I know that Jesus never will change, whatever I do or be. We shall finish our course, and get home at last - His child and He."