Uncle Sam’s prayer at Steve’s Celebration of Life

Steve and I relished the fact that our children have a real life Uncle Sam. His parents, Edward and Emily, are Salvation Army officers, so naturally they chose Biblical names for their three sons – Steven, Samuel, and Andrew. Andy was able to drive down from Olympia with his wife Jody and younger son Jared yesterday for the family Celebration of Life, but Sam got stuck in the Chicago airport closure and won’t be here until this afternoon. I’m even more glad Cameron Whitten initiated the second, public event to remember Steve, which will be:

Sunday, September 28, 2014, 5 p.m.
Terry Schrunk Park, SW 3rd and Jefferson

Everyone is welcome.

Uncle Sam was scheduled to offer the opening prayer at the service for Steve. Thanks to the wonders of modern communications, he emailed the text to be read. It made Ali and me cry, but that’s what’s supposed to happen when someone you love dies. And we found it immensely helpful, so I hope you do, also. Here is the text:

Oh God,

On many bright and glorious days our family has gathered to celebrate your goodness and love. We have invoked your presence and sought your blessing at weddings, graduations, commissionings, ordinations, and dedications. And now again we seek an awareness of your strong hand.

But this time we come with hearts torn and dark, confused and unsure of how to reconcile all we believe with this unforeseeable unbelievable loss. The loss of a husband, a father, a son, a brother, and so much more to so many more.

And so, Dear God, we plead for the powerful presence of your Holy Spirit to comfort our pain, fill our emptiness, and restore our hope. May this time of rememberance be a source of strength, a fountain of faith, and a new beginning of belief. Grant us a glimpse of the unseen, that our hearts may take courage, and we may go from this place with the assurance that you are God, and that you are good.

We ask these things in the matchless name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Amen