Monday's Mourning Ministry - "Father And Daughter" ~Paul Simon

Monday's Mourning Ministry

"Father And Daughter"

~Paul Simon

"Father And Daughter"

~Paul Simon

If you leap awake in the mirror of a bad dream

And for a fraction of a second you can't remember where you are

Just open your window and follow your memory upstream

To the meadow in the mountain where we counted every falling star

I believe a light that shines on you will shine on you forever

And though I can't guarantee there's nothing scary hiding under your bed

I'm gonna stand guard like a postcard of a Golden Retriever

And never leave 'til I leave you with a sweet dream in your head

[Chorus:]

I'm gonna watch you shine

Gonna watch you grow

Gonna paint a sign

So you'll always know

As long as one and one is two

There could never be a father

Who loved his daughter more than I love you

Trust your intuition

It's just like goin' fishin'

You cast your line and hope you get a bite

But you don't need to waste your time

Worryin' about the market place

Try to help the human race

Struggling to survive its harshest night

[Chorus 2x]

Father-Daughter Video: http://youtu.be/AzMh7zHir1I

In Loving Memory - Merry Katherine Prince

In The Knoxville News Sentinel today, on this sixth anniversary of the death of our 19-year-old daughter, we placed the following poem I had written three years ago in an attempt to visualize what happened to my baby "that night" that she was taken from us so that I could climb from the wraith that I ever feel that I am, into the faith that My Father ever calls me to see...

In Loving Memory

Merry Katherine Prince

3/29/1987 – 8/2/2006

Looking within my imagination,

I see the White Bridge you crossed on that night

From dreary earth to Glorification:

O what a glorious scene to my sight!

The bridge, made of purest gold, transparent—

And yet, it gave off sheens of whitest light...

Light from Savior-Spirit-God apparent,

Shining rays of Love of the purest white.

Th’ bridge’s span quite wide –from here to Heaven–

With no undergirding that I could see,

Nor could I see the spiritual leaven

That transmuted your soul t’ be heavenly…

But I saw the delight in Abba’s eyes

As He cradled you up into His arms;

Such passionate love our language defies

As He grabbed you away from Satan’s harms…

From th’ blackest evil Satan could concoct

To Whitest Love whose Goodness evil blocked,

Stormed Satan’s stronghold, whisking you away—

Satan crushed, thrown on the ground, left shell-shocked;

Helpless God’s plan t’ circumvent, there he lay.

And the look on your face was ecstasy

As you flew from the ground to Abba’s arms,

Nestling in their loving warmth so snugly,

Thrilled Amazing Grace so deftly disarms.

Now all I can do is quietly stare

As I watch you cross amidst the night air,

Awed, I see your flight from Nightmare t’ God’s Care;

Now God kisses your face, caresses your hair…

We love you and miss you with all our hearts ~

Awaiting the day we too may 

kiss your face, caress your hair…

Mommy, Daddy, Nathan, 

Rollin, Stephanie, and Merry ‘Ellie’ 

We love you and miss you so, BabyGirl.

Poem - "That Night": From Nightmare to God's Care - Angie Bennett Prince - 8/5/2009

Wednesday's Woe - Reawakening the Presence of Her Absence ~by Tommy Prince

Wednesday's Woe

Reawakening the Presence of Her Absence

~by Tommy Prince

I haven't had one of these dreams in a long time, but occasionally I will dream Merry Katherine is here and alive, and I have a craving in my dream to hug her and hold onto her and never let her go. And then I wake up to the nightmare of the truth that she's gone. Then I'm an emotional wreck for several days. It's like -- "This is a bad joke!"

It's a yearning for her that's still there that comes out occasionally in my dreams.

Lately, similar things are happening when my little grandaughter ("Ellie," now 7 1/2 months old) comes over to stay awhile. While she's here, I'm having a wonderful time. With her presence here, my blood pressure even drops! I'm just wowed by her.

It isn't until she's gone that I realize how I go into a form of withdrawal. I find that I cry every time Ellie leaves, but I know the tears are not about Ellie; they're because I miss Merry Katherine.

In looking back on the time I have with Ellie when she's here, I realize that I open myself up emotionally such that it taps into a craving that's in me that is reserved only for Merry Katherine.

After Ellie leaves, I feel similar to the way I do when I wake up from one of those dreams. Because I'm confused. My system is confused. My spirit is confused. My soul is confused...

I'm opened up emotionally. I'm bonded.

Ellie is getting loved on by a part of me that got to love on Merry Katherine and terribly misses Merry Katherine.

It awakens that painful absence of Merry Katherine so that her absence is even more pronounced.

When Ellie's gone, I realize I had a wonderful time with Ellie. But another part of me is terribly sad, feeling,

"I had her (Merry Katherine) right here. Now I don't.

"Ellie will be back... Merry Katherine won't!"

I really miss my baby girl.

Picture, thanks to Grieving Mother, Jill Compton

Monday's Mourning Ministry - Sissy's Song ~Alan Jackson

My baby's favorite color of roses...

I love and miss her so...

We put pink roses on her white-with-pink casket...

But she had already flown up to Heaven,

And she's there now awaiting us;

God is good.

Monday's Mourning Ministry

Sissy's Song

~Alan Jackson

Sissy's Song

~Alan Jackson

Why did she have to go

So young I just don't know why

Things happen half the time

Without reason without rhyme

Lovely, sweet young woman

Daughter, wife and mother

Makes no sense to me

I just have to believe

She flew up to Heaven on the wings of angels

By the clouds and stars and passed where no one sees

And she walks with Jesus and her loved ones waiting

And I know she's smiling saying

Don't worry 'bout me

Loved ones she left behind

Just trying to survive

And understand the why

Feeling so lost inside

Anger shot straight at God

Then asking for His love

Empty with disbelief

Just hoping that maybe

She flew up to Heaven on the wings of angels

By the clouds and stars and passed where no one sees

And she walks with Jesus and her loved ones waiting

And I know she's smiling saying

Don't worry 'bout me

It's hard to say goodbye

Her picture in my mind

Will always be of times I'll cherish

And I won't cry 'cause

She flew up to Heaven on the wings of angels

By the clouds and stars and passed where no one sees

And she walks with jesus and her loved ones waiting

And I know she's smiling saying

Don't worry 'bout me

Don't worry 'bout me

Don`t worry 'bout me

picture: http://atelierdecharo.blogspot.com/2011/11/rosas-en-jarra-roses-in-jug.html

video: http://youtu.be/zCvgXw-Bh04

"Little Lamb" ~ In Loving Memory of Merry Katherine Prince

In Loving Memory

Merry Katherine Prince

3/29/1987 - 8/2/2006

Little lamb, who saved thee?

Dost thou know who saved thee?

Gave thee life and bid thee feed

By Love's Stream of Life He'd lead

Gave thee clothing of delight

Savior's clothing, brightest white

Gave thee such a tender voice

Making all th' angels rejoice

Little lamb, who saved thee?

Dost thou know who saved thee?

Little lamb, I'll tell thee

Little lamb, I'll tell thee

He is called by thy name

For He made Himself a Lamb

He is meek, and He is mild

He became a little child

I a child, thou a lamb

You're now called by His name!

Little lamb, God saved thee!

Little lamb, God saved thee!

Missing you, this your 5th year in Heaven.

We love you and long to hold you again,

Mommy, Daddy, Nathan, Rollin, & Stephanie

~Inspired by William Blake's "The Lamb," 1789

Poem - "Little Lamb" - Angie Bennett Prince - 8/1/2011

Wednesday's Woe - Cumulative Effect of Child-Loss Grief

Wednesday's Woe

Cumulative Effect of Child-Loss Grief

Cumulative effect of our grief

Adds to the loss, our trauma.

Year upon year of no relief,

Layers of pain, makes me "Trauma Mama."

Another birthday without her,

Hole in the Holiday with one gone,

Our family forever altered

When one's away and can't come home.

The room, however filled,

Is still missing that one ~

No matter the news that thrills,

Our little one is gone.

Optical illusions ~ some see the whole;

Mommy and Daddy feel . . . the hole,

Our family forever altered,

One unique voice, one unique laugh has faltered.

Cumulative effect of our grief

Adds to the loss, our trauma.

They, still feel the love, we, the thief . . .

That stole one, changing Mommy into "Trauma Mama."

How can there be merry-makings

When our Merry has been taken?

Picture thanks to FotoSearch

Poem - Cumulative Effect of Child-Loss Grief - Angie Bennett Prince - 7/19/2011