Yes, thank God we have completed another year of school. The boys (Stephen, Joseph, Thomas and Kieran) have all completed their final quarter tests a few weeks ago and they have received their report cards. Kieran will be doing some work on math over the summber to be prepared for Eighth grade Algebra in the fall. A little summer school work should be good. The girls are still working on their material for submition. Claire was in the hospital over the weekend because she had another surgery on June 24th. Claire is still trying to complete her school work and get everything for the freshmen year handed in so that she can enjoy the summer.
We hope to enjoy our time together this summer with family. We pray the next few weeks will be uneventful and peaceful.
God Bless you and thank you so much for your prayers.
Murray Clan 13!!
A note from Nancy Mills - Ethan's Mom
Dear friends,
Just a quick note to let you know, if you haven't heard already..... Ethan passed away on Wednesday morning at 3 am. We (the whole family) were with him the whole way, and were privileged to take him to Heaven's gates. We sent him off with all our love.....
Ethan was peaceful and not afraid. He was not anxious ..... he was just.... Ethan..... such an amazing person. I was privileged to serve and care for him.
Mike and I cannot take credit for Ethan's unique perspective on life.... we wish we could....(I think I could make zillions of dollars if I could bottle just a tenth of what Ethan was about).
We also know that it's really not all about Ethan either......We could not have gotten through this epic journey without committed prayer warriors like yourself.
I must humbly admit; I was not consistant with my prayer life when all this started. I was far from what I would consider "being holy". But God let me know that "being holy" was exactly what he was asking of me.... He also gave me clear, distinct directions; they were to "Pray, Hope, & Don't Worry".
He also gave me all of you..... fighting cancer is a frighting, exhustating, and dismal thing to do.... there is NO WAY that we could have fought this battle without the body of Christ. I am a different person because of all of you.....you have taught me how to pray, introduced me to saints I didn't know existed, taught me how to pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, taught me how to pray the Rosary with true reverence, encouraged me to keep on keepin' on....helped me to be the best mom I could be.... I could go on and on, but I am still so exhustated....
I want to thank you all again for all your generosity to our family over the past year.... in so many ways.... we felt loved and cared for..... still do....
We hope you can all come the Ethan's funeral and wake. The wake is this Friday, at OLMC church. 6-9 pm. The Funeral is Saturday at OLMC at 9:30 am. Please don't wear much black..... Ethan loved happy colors.....Come in your 'happy' clothes......
We decided against doing a reception, because after that 'phat' party.... there is just no way of topping that.....
I will never be able to repay your kindnesses, but I can promise, if you ever need prayers, you can count on me (and I also know a young man who would love to pray for you too)
With big, big love......
Nancy
You can check out Ethan's speech at his Big Phat Party at:
http://http//www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kYrwtc9jyg&feature=youtu.be
________________________________________
Just a quick note to let you know, if you haven't heard already..... Ethan passed away on Wednesday morning at 3 am. We (the whole family) were with him the whole way, and were privileged to take him to Heaven's gates. We sent him off with all our love.....
Ethan was peaceful and not afraid. He was not anxious ..... he was just.... Ethan..... such an amazing person. I was privileged to serve and care for him.
Mike and I cannot take credit for Ethan's unique perspective on life.... we wish we could....(I think I could make zillions of dollars if I could bottle just a tenth of what Ethan was about).
We also know that it's really not all about Ethan either......We could not have gotten through this epic journey without committed prayer warriors like yourself.
I must humbly admit; I was not consistant with my prayer life when all this started. I was far from what I would consider "being holy". But God let me know that "being holy" was exactly what he was asking of me.... He also gave me clear, distinct directions; they were to "Pray, Hope, & Don't Worry".
He also gave me all of you..... fighting cancer is a frighting, exhustating, and dismal thing to do.... there is NO WAY that we could have fought this battle without the body of Christ. I am a different person because of all of you.....you have taught me how to pray, introduced me to saints I didn't know existed, taught me how to pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, taught me how to pray the Rosary with true reverence, encouraged me to keep on keepin' on....helped me to be the best mom I could be.... I could go on and on, but I am still so exhustated....
I want to thank you all again for all your generosity to our family over the past year.... in so many ways.... we felt loved and cared for..... still do....
We hope you can all come the Ethan's funeral and wake. The wake is this Friday, at OLMC church. 6-9 pm. The Funeral is Saturday at OLMC at 9:30 am. Please don't wear much black..... Ethan loved happy colors.....Come in your 'happy' clothes......
We decided against doing a reception, because after that 'phat' party.... there is just no way of topping that.....
I will never be able to repay your kindnesses, but I can promise, if you ever need prayers, you can count on me (and I also know a young man who would love to pray for you too)
With big, big love......
Nancy
You can check out Ethan's speech at his Big Phat Party at:
http://http//www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kYrwtc9jyg&feature=youtu.be
________________________________________
Kenpo Boys and John Mary
Here are the Shaoalin Kenpo Boys, Kieran, Thomas and Joseph. They have all earned their orange and white belt and they are working so hard to achieve their merit badges. John Mary is working hard as well to keep up with his brothers, he is now 6 months old and over twenty pounds. He is wearing the beret Claire wore in Lourdes. It looks really adorable on him, and it is amazing how very fast he is growing. What a blessing to have our family together.
Praise God!!! Claire is home!!!
Claire came home June 10th after spending over a month in the hospital. We are all so glad to have her home, what a blessing for our family to be together. She has had a rough time the last couple of days adjusting with medicines and pain, but prayerfully she is pulling through it. We ask for your prayers as well as we enjoy this time together as a family and respond to the grace of God. Thank you all so much for your kindness and generosity. We could not have gotten through this time without your help. May God continue to bless you with His grace because of your goodness
For the repose of the soul of Ethan Mills
Sadly, Ethan Mills passed away on June 9th. Joyfully, however, he was surrounded by his family and was at peace. This song, Pie Jesu sung by The Priests, is a wonderful piece of music that allows for mediation and reflection. It is a beautiful depiction of the sorrow and triumph of death. Please continue to pray for the repose of the soul of Ethan Mills and continue to pray for the Mills family who struggles so very much with the loss of Ethan.
God Bless.
Mur. C.
For those of you that text out there this abbreviation is immediately obvious, for me not so much. My husband pointed out that Mur. C. was on the outside of my daughter Claire's door to her hospital room. It is also the abbreviation they put on the bulletin board in ICU with the name of her nurse next to her name to inform the doctors and nurses on staff. This abbreviation means mercy, during this month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus this is what we seek and pray for. This abbreviation for Claire's name has probably been on the board or outside the door of her hospital room for years given all of her surgeries and hospital stays; but I noticed it now after the abbreviation had been written this way for years. I know it takes me awhile to pick up on things, and often I am just not paying attention enough to notice, and I needed the help of my husband to be able to see it. It could also be that I was not ready for what God ultimately would reveal to me in His time. I pray that through all of the struggles and sufferings that conversions happen and grace is received for all the intentions and needs that we pray for.
In addition, while in this month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary I was reading an article about the story of Jesus being found in the temple. This sorrow and joy of our Lady is depicted and written beautifully in the Gospel of Luke. Still, I did not truly understand it's richness until I read a deeper understanding of Mary's own words and the profound concern she expresses to God, her son. Mary, being human, questions Jesus the Son of God asking "why have you done this to us?" Don't we all do this?, or at least feel tempted to do so. "Lord, enough is enough already. Can't you make it stop?" Even Mary, being sinless, was concerned and questioned God's will.
The gospel goes on to explain that Mary told Jesus that she was filled with great anxiety as she and her husband Joseph searched for Him. The blessed Mother is the icon of the acceptance of the will of God. Her fiat allowed the incarnation to take place. She accepted God's will completely, yet she was still anxious. We may not always understand or completely lack worry over our valley of tears in this life. And, as the bible illustrates we are not alone in our anxiousness and worry.
Finally, Jesus tells His mother and foster father Joseph "why were you looking for me, did you not know I must be about my Father's business." Jesus tells them not to worry, and the passage of Luke goes onto explain "they did not understand what He said to them... and His mother kept all these things in her heart." This was all becoming more clear to me enabling me to answer my own dry fellings in prayer. This article explained my feelings of abandonement, my looking and praying to God and finding emptiness. We may not truly understand the will of the Father in our daily lives. Yet, by keeping these things in our heart and fully placing trust in the Lord we can try to imitate Mary's total "yes" to the Lord. Sure we question the purpose of all of it, we may be anxious, and we certainly may not understand everything that we are called to do. We still must persevere in faith, and trust in the Lord. We pray for God's mercy.
We appreciate your prayers for Mur. C.
May the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary remain with you always. Amen
In addition, while in this month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary I was reading an article about the story of Jesus being found in the temple. This sorrow and joy of our Lady is depicted and written beautifully in the Gospel of Luke. Still, I did not truly understand it's richness until I read a deeper understanding of Mary's own words and the profound concern she expresses to God, her son. Mary, being human, questions Jesus the Son of God asking "why have you done this to us?" Don't we all do this?, or at least feel tempted to do so. "Lord, enough is enough already. Can't you make it stop?" Even Mary, being sinless, was concerned and questioned God's will.
The gospel goes on to explain that Mary told Jesus that she was filled with great anxiety as she and her husband Joseph searched for Him. The blessed Mother is the icon of the acceptance of the will of God. Her fiat allowed the incarnation to take place. She accepted God's will completely, yet she was still anxious. We may not always understand or completely lack worry over our valley of tears in this life. And, as the bible illustrates we are not alone in our anxiousness and worry.
Finally, Jesus tells His mother and foster father Joseph "why were you looking for me, did you not know I must be about my Father's business." Jesus tells them not to worry, and the passage of Luke goes onto explain "they did not understand what He said to them... and His mother kept all these things in her heart." This was all becoming more clear to me enabling me to answer my own dry fellings in prayer. This article explained my feelings of abandonement, my looking and praying to God and finding emptiness. We may not truly understand the will of the Father in our daily lives. Yet, by keeping these things in our heart and fully placing trust in the Lord we can try to imitate Mary's total "yes" to the Lord. Sure we question the purpose of all of it, we may be anxious, and we certainly may not understand everything that we are called to do. We still must persevere in faith, and trust in the Lord. We pray for God's mercy.
We appreciate your prayers for Mur. C.
May the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary remain with you always. Amen
Maybe... and then again maybe not...
Claire is in surgery right now, Friday June 4th at 2:00 p.m., the nuerosurgeon felt that she needed to have another correction done to the shunt in her spine. We hope this is it and I believe the surgeon hopes for an end as well, we pray for an end, for a light at the end of the tunnel. Thank you all for your prayers. We do appreciate them. I recently heard and was reminded about my need to "surrender." Why do I fight?, why do I plan?, why don't I trust? I sit here and remember all of God's blessings and thank him for all of His gifts and the strength he has given me and the family. I try to let go and let God, but usually it is easier to pay lip service rather than to put it into practice. I am thankful that I went to mass today. I can no longer take for granted the opportunity to attend daily mass, when there is no longer an opportunity to go I am much more appreciative of this gift of mass than ever before. While waiting for Claire two Knights of the Order of Malta came to visit Claire and instead spent time with me and gave me some of the history of the Order. Again, I thanked God for His gift of coming to me, being with me in the people and opportunities that are a part of my life. I can no longer get wrapped up in self pity. Our Lord is present and so generous, and I am so blessed to be on the receiving end in whatever capapcity He chooses to give. I need to get better at receiving, and I ask our Lady to pray for me to grow in that area and to watch over my family.
Our Lady of Philermo, pray for us.
Our Lady of Philermo, pray for us.
Claire maybe coming home soon!!!
Please continue to keep Claire in your prayers. She has been in the hospital since May 7th, two days after we returned from Lourdes, France. She had two surgeries and spent 3 more weeks in the hospital in rehabilitation. She will have another MRI tomrorrow to see if the shunts in the brain are working properly. The functioning in her legs is improving, but her arms and the pain she experiences in her neck and head are not. We are praying that she will not need another shunt revision, we pray that the MRI will not indicate the need for another surgery. We ask for your prayers as well, for they continue to sustain us and our family.
God Bless you!!
God Bless you!!
Got fear?
I know I have said this before, but I am a spoiled brat. I have realized this more and more lately given the many things I have taken for granted. I always thought I needed more, that I deserved more, and I continued to ask God for more. I believe that God has blessed me with humiliation to help me gain humility. I needed to come to understand I should appreciate less. I should not have taken for granted our time together as a family. I wanted more. I should not have taken for granted our health, especially Claire's, I wanted more. I should not have taken for granted our income, because I had one before and job changes affected our total income, I wanted more. I should not have taken for granted the economy, the peace and the leadership of our country. I wanted more.
Today it is really hard not worry, not to become fearful of the unknown. The uncertainty with Claire, with finances, with the future, with our country... all of this leads to concern and prayer. However, I recently appreciated the tiny bit of insight given to me regarding fear. It can be an acronym:
F alse
E vidence
A ppearing
R eal
Don't we all blow things out of proportion as we prepare for the unknown.
Rather it is important to Trust, now more than ever. Trust can also be an acronym:
T rue
R esolve
U nder
S evere
T esting
I pray for and confess my spoiled behavior often. During this month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, I ask to become closer to His heart. Living there and coming to know His will more and more and growing in peace and trust.
Most Sacred Heard of Jesus, have mercy on us.
Today it is really hard not worry, not to become fearful of the unknown. The uncertainty with Claire, with finances, with the future, with our country... all of this leads to concern and prayer. However, I recently appreciated the tiny bit of insight given to me regarding fear. It can be an acronym:
F alse
E vidence
A ppearing
R eal
Don't we all blow things out of proportion as we prepare for the unknown.
Rather it is important to Trust, now more than ever. Trust can also be an acronym:
T rue
R esolve
U nder
S evere
T esting
I pray for and confess my spoiled behavior often. During this month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, I ask to become closer to His heart. Living there and coming to know His will more and more and growing in peace and trust.
Most Sacred Heard of Jesus, have mercy on us.
Movie for Mother.wmv
I just finished the book about Mother Teresa "Come be My light." It is a wonderful book that includes all of her letters and correspondence over the years of her life. I encourage everyone to read it especially those who are trying to do God's will and ultimately find darkness in the attempt.
Blessed Mother Teresa pray for us.
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