Week of July 2, 2017 – Prayer Warrior, or My Patron Saint of Roller Coasters

By Joan Whetzel

It’s been 4 years since my husband died and in those 4 years, my life has had a number of ups and downs. I can honestly say, there’ve been days at a time – weeks at a time – when it felt like a never-ending roller coaster. Yeah, I know, everybody gets them. But, at least for me, it has felt more overwhelming riding that roller coaster alone. It somehow didn’t seem as challenging when I had a partner, taking turns riding shotgun.

Usually when I get on one of these rides, I make a list (thanks dad for the list-making obsession) of all the possible problems that could come up, all the possible solutions to each problem, and a breakdown of the steps needed for a successful outcome. Actually, I have discovered that the act of list-making has a calming effect. It relieves at least some of my stress by redirecting my focus away from all the negative emotions and stress and potential problems, and aims my thoughts toward more constructive ways of dealing with the current roller coaster.

Needing a new job to pay the bills is definitely one of those cases. You see, I’ve been going through an employment roller coaster the last few weeks. I started looking for a job about 3 months ago and have been without a job (officially) for a month. While I’ve been performing all the necessary actions to help myself get a job, the need to pay the bills and a couple of extra (expensive) things with only my husband’s pension and dwindling funds in the savings has punctuated my need to get a steady paying job as soon as possible. The fact that it keeps my stress levels from disappearing has also been a reminder that I could use a little help of a spiritual nature.

That’s where my prayer warrior comes in. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know I should be praying for myself, asking Him for what I need, but it always feels a little selfish somehow. Whenever I mention my need to my mom – the world’s prayer warrior extraordinaire – she immediately gets on her knees, figuratively. Every time I’ve found myself in need, having her as my prayer warrior has brought me the best solutions and gotten them up and running in a rapid-fire delivery. Her prayers always work, and always quickly.

When this one showed signs of dragging on, I didn’t want to say anything, but I was beginning to wonder if my answer was going to be a permanent “no.” Last Friday, I visited my mom with my daughter and 2 of my siblings. While I was there, I got 3 – count ‘em three – phone calls from one company to set me up with an interview this week (Wednesday July 5, at noon).

My mom said she’d been praying like mad, and she was beginning to wonder if she might be losing her touch, or maybe she dialed the wrong number. Well that set us all off laughing about what it would look like if prayer-warrior mom decided it was time to make sure she had His attention. First, she’d clear her throat. If that didn’t work, she’d get on her knees in front of the Blessed Sacrament and give Him “the look” (you know which one I’m talking about). Then she’d follow through with the finger wag and a stern “Don’t make me come up there!”

I can hear him answering her back, “No, no, no Mary Louise! Please don’t come up here! One mom up here is enough.”

Don’t jump down my throat, and calling me sacrilegious for describing my mom pulling the mom-card on the Lord. Anybody who know my mom, and has had one of her prayer-warrior campaigns work on their behalf, knows I’m not being disrespectful here. This is just the way of things between Him and my mom. Besides I have the Lord and my prayer-warrior mom to thank for this interview and I know she’s back on her knees praying me through it. Praise the Lord!