The Power of Prayer

Several months ago, I organized a Facebook “event”. It was a moment of prayer, asking those invited to say a prayer for a friend’s husband at a specific time. No matter where they were, just stop for a minute and say a prayer for healing after he’d suffered with debilitating “issues” for years. While I can’t say that he’s healed today and able to take his grandson fishing JUST because of the prayers that I asked for, I can’t help but believe that they did have some affect.

On Sunday my big brother had a health challenge and scared the heck out of us. When he arrived at the ER near his home, the doctors told my sister that she should get the kids there. Twenty-four hours later at the big hospital in New Orleans, the doctors told her that he wasn’t that sick. We all asked for prayers. We all got down on our knees and prayed ourselves. Today, he’s back home. The power of prayer? Or just great medicine being practiced? Maybe both? Whatever it is, it was the only thing I could do – and I’m so grateful for the prayers from all over the world for my big brother. I truly believe that he’s going to get the liver that he needs and that we’ll have many years to enjoy each other.

When people join together in a common purpose, with good in their hearts, good things happen.

Yesterday, we traveled to Marblehead, MA to see my California brother and visit with our Marblehead brother and his family. We arrived, settled our dogs and went out fishing. My eldest nephew was the Captain of the ship, his younger brother his First Mate. While I was knitting and taking pictures, the boys (my CA brother and my sweetie and my nephews) caught bait fish way out in the ocean …  pollack (“not good bait fish, they swim down too deep”) and mackerel, good bait fish – and beautiful creatures with green and black markings on their backs. You hook the mackerel with jigs that can catch five or six fish at one time. And they did. Beautiful glistening lines of wiggling fish brought out of the ocean and put into the live traps (boxes with running water that keep the fish alive.)

The “real” fishing happens back in near shore often in ten feet of water. Stripers like to hang out in and near the rocky shoreline. The boys collectively caught four fish, each was able to reel one in – two 32 inch, a 37 inch “breeder” that was released back to swim and breed another day, and a little one around 20 inches. We kept one 32 inch fish which my middle nephew humanely killed, thanking it for being good food. I’d never been on a successful deep sea fishing trip. This was a fun first foray – I will go again!

Cole & 32 inch Striped Bass – this is a keeper!

Will and his 32 inch striper

Biggest catch of the day – a 37inch striper and Rick

We had a wonderful time enjoying each other’s company and it was a gloriously beautiful day on the water. Even if there had been no fish, the trip would have been a success. My nephews may not know how blessed they are to grow up in a place where they can go out in a boat fishing for a few hours … but it was on my mind as they so competently drove the boat, caught bait, patiently waited for a fish to bite and knew exactly how to reel them in.

Spending time together with an eye on the prize (whether fish or just fun) is one of my very most favorite things to do! I’m so grateful for the opportunity to spend this time with my family. Life is so good!

Gone knitting.