Katy McKenna Raymond  
Personal blog of christian writer Katy McKenna Raymond in Kansas City, Missouri

Personal blog of christian
writer & fallible mom
Katy McKenna Raymond
in Kansas City, Missouri


Katy is represented by
Greg Johnson at
WordServe Literary

Read more Katy at
LateBoomer.net

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I’m All Shook Up

I'm hoping that we know each other well enough by now that I could take the liberty to ask for some prayer. I'll tell you up front that I feel awkward asking, but for some reason (depression?) a bunch of circumstances seem to have conspired to stress me out pretty thoroughly.

Tomorrow, Carrie comes back through Port-Au-Prince on her way home from the orphanage in Haiti where she's just spent two weeks volunteering. The orphanage itself is in kind of an outlying village, and I haven't been too concerned about her being there, unless you factor in disease, witchcraft, and etc. There's always that darned "etc" to factor in...

But Port-Au-Prince frightens me no end. And, since Carrie arrived on the island, a fresh warning against US citizens traveling to Haiti has been issued by our State Department. And all non-essential US government employees and the family members of essential employees have been ordered to evacuate. She'll be moving from orphanage to Port-Au-Prince (2 1/2 hours in the back of an open pick-up on a terrible road) sometime tomorrow, and then boarding the plane for Miami. We should hear something from her when she arrives back in Miami--the last place from which she contacted us two weeks ago.

Late tonight, my son Scott and his bride Brooke are embarking on a road trip to the Grand Canyon. "I'm a little nervous," Scott has admitted, "about driving a stick shift in the mountains. I've never done that before...." Scott is rarely nervous, so don't imagine that when he claims to be nervous, I don't very nearly have a conniption fit.

Kevin leaves with three friends on Sunday morning. Road trip to NYC, Washington, and I'm not sure where else because frankly, I've been in too much denial to make the whole thing "real" by asking a lot of concrete questions. Ten days of highway-intensive driving--that's all I know for sure. Every mother's dream for four twenty-year-olds. As soon as he gets back, he's moving out. He's already hauled a couple loads of stuff, so this is the empty nest coming home to roost.

Okay. Very weak metaphor. But you get the idea.

Then there's my mother-in-law, who's been in the hospital since Friday. Hard to say what's wrong exactly, except she's weak and disoriented and claims she hasn't eaten anything for a month and doesn't intend to resume eating now. She lay in her bed at her assisted-living apartment, unable to even lift her head for two days, until her friend arrived to take her to the beauty shop. The nurses where she lives hadn't noticed that she'd missed meals for days, and hadn't bothered to call her children or even check her blood pressure, which was 70/40 when the paramedics arrived. Sheesh.

So I'm stressed out. I'm trying to take things in stride, but not succeeding too splendidly at the moment. All prayers are appreciated, for the missionary daughter, the road-trippers, and the naughty mother-in-law. Oh, yeah. And for me, too.

And if you'd like to add a request that I come up with some fascinating blog fodder very, very soon, be my guest!

I love you people.
Posted by Katy on 05/31/05 at 01:05 PM
Fallible Comments...
  1. Wow. That's an awful lot of things to think about.

    Praying right now. ;)
    -----
    Posted by timsamoff  on  05/31/05  at  08:58 PM
  2. Katy...I had the feeling that something was up. And to think that I was complaining about not being invited to the family's Memorial Day picnic. (Not that I would have gone considering where it was held...but still...) Guess there are more important things in life, huh?! I'm thinking 'bout ya, big sis. Love ya! Everything will be fine!!!!!
    Posted by Bridget  on  05/31/05  at  09:01 PM
  3. Praying with you, Katy. Amy Carmichael once quoted an Indian proverb, something to the effect of, "Fear and love walk hand and hand in a mother's heart."

    I just heard from my 21-yr-old daughter today after she'd spent a long weekend working with an urban mission that ministers to the druggie, prostitution, gay, transvestite, homeless, mentally ill population of the neighborhood known as "the Tenderloin" in San Fransisco. I didn't even know she was going until she called last Friday en route!

    Haven't yet heard from the 20-yr-old son who took off from Wisconsin with buddies on May 23 to camp in northern California. Didn't expect to hear anything, but still, the imagination can go a bit wild.

    And then there's the international traveling yet to come this summer (as I already told you). When I start to feel overwhlemed, I remind myself that God remains on his throne, even when I'm running around in frantic confusion. He sees them. He covers them with the shadow of His wing. And nothing can touch them unless He allows it.

    I pray for Carrie's safe return. I pray that every word the Lord has spoken concerning her life will come to pass and not one will fail. I pray He'll move heaven and earth to keep her for His purposes. And your boys, too. And your mil. And you.

    May the peace that passes understanding guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus. Amen.
    Posted by Jeanne Damoff  on  05/31/05  at  09:22 PM
  4. Life can feel overwhelming at times can't it?

    Not to minimize your concern--because with international travel there are always unknowns--but my parents live in a country that almost constantly has a travel warning similar to the one your wrote about, and have for over a decade--they are common in countries with even a slight hint of unrest. My family even went there for several months to work near them. Those warnings freaked me out when I first begant to read them, but I finally had to surrender my fears of the unknown to God--and I still do where my parents are concerned. It's not easy to love greatly, but hold loosely those things that are most dear--especially for a mom. So, this comes with a prayer...for you and your family.

    Sherri
    Posted by Sherri  on  05/31/05  at  09:48 PM
  5. Many times the only thing that has comforted me when concerned about my children (especially as they've grown out of my tender care :)) is remembering that no matter how much I love them, I cannot begin to touch how much He loves them.
    Praying for you and your kids, Katy,
    Anne
    Posted by Anne  on  05/31/05  at  11:05 PM
  6. You are on the 'A' list. That's 'a' for "All things are possible with God" list. Love you lots.
    I have a blog fodder idea I will email to you. I could use it myself because I know it beautifully uses scripture and that's right up my alley, but it also speaks to what's going on here.
    Posted by Paula  on  05/31/05  at  11:46 PM
  7. Praying hard for you and your family.
    Posted by Crystal  on  06/01/05  at  01:10 AM
  8. Praying for your family and also PEACE for you!
    Posted by Carrie K.  on  06/01/05  at  03:17 AM
  9. Request granted! Prayers just went up for you, Katie. I'm pretty sure they went past the ceiling this time. Now, take a deeeep breath and read that chapter in Matthew that tells you not to worry, God even clothes the flowers and feeds the birds. Then read Jeremiah 29:13, "For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans to prosper you, not to harm you. Plans to give you a hope and a future." (from memory, so a word or a punctuation off, I'm sure). God bless!
    Posted by Lori Seaborg  on  06/01/05  at  04:30 AM
  10. Wow. That's a lot.

    Lord Jesus, prevail. Protect. But most of all, give peace.
    Posted by relevantgirl  on  06/01/05  at  08:05 AM
  11. From Jude 1:2 (The Message):

    Relax, everything's going to be all right;
    Rest, everything is coming together;
    Open you hearts, love is on the way.

    Prayers heading up for you and yours. Times like this can weigh heavy.
    Posted by Kim in WV  on  06/01/05  at  02:41 PM
  12. Consider your request granted. Sending my prayers upward for you, Ms. Katy. Keep the faith.
    Posted by Jennifer  on  06/01/05  at  08:17 PM
  13. I wish I could express fully how much these comments and prayers and wishes have meant to me! I have felt not only your love, but God's also through what you've shared. Carrie called around 2:30 this afternoon from the Miami airport, sounding just great. She won't be back at her own apartment until 2 in the night or so, but she's getting closer! I'm so relieved. Thank you all for encouraging me to trust in God and receive His peace. This is an ongoing challenge for me, but I know it's a gift He wants to give me...You guys are great!
    Posted by Katy  on  06/01/05  at  10:50 PM
  14. And I am ashamed that I was crying over my smashed flower garden. You need my prayer of all prayers. "That's just about enough now God!" I call it my last resort prayers. My plate is full and no more please.
    Posted by Candace Pfau  on  06/02/05  at  08:47 PM
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