Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you.  I Peter 5:7

The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be still Exodus 14:14

Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge;
in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, until the destroying storms pass by.

Psalm 57:1

By this time tomorrow, Herman should just be a lump on some pathology slide and I should be resting comfortably in recovery at St. Luke’s South, bathed in prayer and incredibly blessed by the people who love and pray for me.

I’m not going to pretend I’m not scared, or anxious.  I am all of those things.  I hate hospitals.  I hate being “put under.”  I am excited to get this over with, and afraid of what comes next. But the closer I get to handing myself over to the surgeon and crew the more I remember I have already done the more important part – handed myself over to God.  I have only to be still!

If you will be praying for me tomorrow, I offer this Caim prayer, an ancient Celtic form of prayer.  You picture the person you are praying for, draw a circle around them in your mind, and then pray:

Circle ___, Lord.

Keep healing in

And cancer afar.

Keep peace within
and fear without.

Surround___ above and below,
in front and behind,
to the left and to the right,
with your love and care
and the comfort of your presence.

Amen