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On the first Sunday that Kevin O'Connor Pastored at Grace Chapel, he asked me to lead the prayer asking for God's blessing on our families. I wasn't expecting to be "called on" so while almost having a heart attack I think I got through a pretty "generic" prayer without crumbling from stage-fright! Since then I've often thought about that moment in the spot light, and what I should have said. If I had it to do again, I would have prayed:

Dear Heavenly Father,

We ask for your blessing on all of our families, we pray that you will let no one separate what you have brought together. As you have told us, our spirit is willing but our flesh is weak, and because of that too often these bonds break. But because of your love, and your mercy, you forgive us. You take what is wrong and make it right. You give us another opportunity, to make new bonds as step-parents, step-sisters, and half-brothers. Father, we thank you for that. Even though these relationships are sometimes created outside of your will, we pray for your guidance so that we may continue completely within your will, with your blessing. In Jesus' precious name we pray -Amen

Elaine, when John passed away I immediately reflected on all of our relationships. My relationship with your son...we started out friends, became enemies, and then got over our rivalry and jealousy because of our common bond to little John. With his love for him as his father and mine as his step-father, which is essentially the same, it wasn't hard to become friends again (even if that renewed friendship was a bit stand-offish so it wouldn't be, in John's words, "too communal"). And of course I thought about all the other relationships- Charon to India, my parents to John, you and Ron to Levi, myself to Earl, and on and on. It hit me like a ton of bricks, God heard that prayer that missed the opportunity to come out of my mouth years ago, and he answered it with a "YES" that went far beyond what I even thought I was asking for! And that "YES" is still growing and unfolding to include me and Levi's relationship with Travis and Erica (Great kids!-l like that they call me "Uncle Kevin") and John's relationship with Paul just for a couple of examples. What a wonderful Lord we have!!