A Long Week

I have been less consistent over the last two weeks in my blogging than I would have preferred. Last Thursday we found out that Rory, our littlest guy, had lead poisoning. We live in a house built in 1920 and a patch of plaster got knocked loose and he ingested a paint chip. We’ve since dealt with the hole in the plaster but it has also meant doctor visits, blood draws, forms to fill out, poison control and EPA involvement, and a whole list of abatement requirements that involve cleaning literally everything and repainting almost everything. It’s been a lot.

But truthfully, despite the busyness of everything, the biggest stressor has simply been the concern that Rory is okay. As I prayed for him this morning I was led by the Spirit to this passage: “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” (Mt 7:9-11). So I wrote a dad liturgy about it.

For When Your Child Has Consumed Something Poisonous

Almighty God, we come to you in this moment of fear and frustration as our child has just consumed something poisonous and harmful. We are fearful for their safety, frustrated at their foolishness, and bewildered at their choice. 
     Why do they choose things that hurt them when we have offered them things that are good? 
     Why do they choose things that are dangerous when we have offered them safety?
     Why do they choose things that are poison when we have offered them good food?
Remind us in this moment that you are the Great Physician and that you have provided doctors and nurses to help our child in this moment. Remind us also that we have:
    Chosen the evils of this world over the the good of your love,
    Chosen the danger of sin over the security of your law,
    Chosen the poison of the serpent's words over the Bread of Life,
And yet, you have promised us that if we want good things for our own children we can be assured of your desire to give us good things. In this moment of fear, help us to lean into the promise that as much as we want our child to be well again you want that even more. While we are concerned in this moment about the physical safety, you are concerned about our child's whole being and that your care for us and them as Father is much greater than our care for them. Help our child to be rid of the poison they have ingested and help us to be rid of the poison of this world we have ingested as well that we might both rest peacefully in your love.

Amen.