“Spare us from past tragedies whose memories are still so vivid and whose wounds seem to refuse to heal with passing of time.” I use to love this prayer for being so beautifully poetic. Now, it pierces my heart- especially that line. The wounds will heal in time, I’m sure… but we need more time, Lord. 

I wanted to paint something to hang in my home (when we finally get walls up) that will remind me of the trauma of Laura but also remind me of who calms & controls every storm.

O God, Master of this passing world,
hear the humble voices of your children.
The Sea of Galilee obeyed Your order and returned to its former quietude.
You are still the Master of land and sea.
We live in the shadow of a danger over which we have no control;
the Gulf, like a provoked and angry giant,
can awake from its seeming lethargy,
overstep its conventional boundaries, invade our land,
and spread chaos and disaster.
During this hurricane season we turn to You, O loving Father.
Spare us from past tragedies whose memories are still so vivid
and whose wounds seem to refuse to heal with passing of time.
O Virgin, Star of the Sea, Our beloved Mother,
we ask you to plead with your Son on our behalf,
so that spared from the calamities common to this area
and animated with a true spirit of gratitude, we will walk in the footsteps of your Divine Son
to reach the heavenly Jerusalem, where a stormless eternity awaits us. Amen.