Prayer For All
As many of you know, my life as a single mom is filled
pain and joy and there is always something to do and a chore
left undone. However I would much rather take my young son
Caleb swimming than fold that clean load of laundry.
Through the years as a single parent I’ve tried to maintain
a Christian household and uphold Christian values. We pray a
lot in my family and turn to it in times of need, in time of
joy, or just to sit down and have chat with God.
Caleb is ten now and I’ve noticed through the last year that
he has become a deep thinker and a deeper soul. He’s quiet
and introspective. He is always processing something. Well
this week he completely floored me and I’m still in awe of
him.
On the Sunday before the McVeigh execution, I walked out
into the living room and Caleb was sitting quietly on the
couch, his short legs sticking straight out. He had his
hands folded and his head was erect, but his eyes were
closed in prayer. The room was dark except for a small
candle that had been left lit until we all went to bed.
I quietly approached him and said softly, “Honey, what are
you doing?”
He looked up at me and smiled then answered solemnly, “ I’m
praying for Tim and for his family. They are going to be sad
tomorrow. His parents will lose a son and his sisters will
lose a brother. I don’t know what I’d do if I lost Joshua!”
He was referring to his older brother. He went on to relay
to me that he didn’t believe in the death penalty because it
just took another life and then another family would be in
pain. He said he thought that there were better ways to
handle the matter. He felt that if a person spent the rest
of their life in jail because of their crime and came to
know God’s love, then they could share that love through the
prison far better than a prison minister.
Then Caleb said, “No offense mom, but would it be ok if I
just prayed here for awhile by myself and then come to bed?
It’s something that I really need to do!”
So of course, I agreed and left him to his thoughts. After I
had finally tucked him in bed I began to ponder his words.
What was this? What was this profound thinking from a ten
year old? Later the next day, I began to hear these exact
feelings being quietly echoed throughout the land as the
final chapter to America’s tragedy was written.
My heart ached for all the families and my heart ached for a
mother and father that would no longer have their son. I was
so blessed to have my two boys. I was blessed to have little
Caleb. He had shown me that God’s love was infinite no
matter who you were or what your circumstances were. I
smiled as I settled down for the night ---- Caleb my little
prayer warrior --- someday his prayers might help change the
world!
Ripley, Renee
trripley@uswestmail.net