[Aliska]

Please address your prayers to our Heavenly Father that she may be counted among his saints. I know she had faith, had a haphazard religious upbringing, was attracted to the Catholic church after suffering a divorce and nervous breakdown a few years back. I didn't want to browbeat her about religion near the end, just told her that God loved her, I loved her, and the kind people at the Kateri shrine were praying for her.

[ransomnote]

The Rose Beyond The Wall

A rose once grew where all could see,
sheltered beside a garden wall,
And as the days passed swiftly by,
it spread its branches, straight and tall...

One day, a beam of light shone through
a crevice that had opened wide
The rose bent gently toward its warmth
then passed beyond to the other side

Now, you who deeply feel its loss,
be comforted - the rose blooms there-
its beauty even greater now, nurtured by
God’s own loving care.
**************************************
May I offer my own humble opinion?
I used to feel that my prayers failed my mother when I was taking care of her as a teenager. I asked on her behalf, many times, that she be healed. I asked to trade places with her. And when she died, I looked back on my imperfect faith and my flaws and flawed prayers and believed I failed her. It took me years to understand that I did not fail her. We ask God to heal but we do not command him - I know I state the obvious but the heart has a hard time with this sometimes.
I realized that God allowed Christ to suffer crucifixion and death but not because he didn’t love Christ or that prayers that Christ be spared were flawed and insufficient. No amount of our prayers that Christ would be spared would have moved God to lift that burden from his Son - for our own sake. None of our prayers will ever be perfect but He listens to each and every one of them attentively, with tenderness and complete love - God knows our limits and frailties and shows us mercy despite these weaknesses. I am deeply sorry for your loss and, to my own faith, I believe she is present with the Lord. You did not, could not, fail her. Prayers up!

[Bean Counter]

I’m very sorry for our loss, and I’ll keep her in all of my prayers and meditations.

So many Freepers gone...

[Joe Boucher]

Aliska,
Your prayers have not failed her.
Our Lord hears all prayers.
Sometimes he has other plans, sometimes he does things we find dificult to understand or see.
Keep strong in your faith and GOD bless.

[mlizzy]

So.much.suffering. (I read your linked commentary.) And Francie (such a beautiful woman), although not cured as you had hoped and prayed for, might already be riding her bike (even tooting the horn!), thankful for all that you've done.

I join the FReepers in prayer.

[mimaw]

Prayers for Francie

[azishot]

I am so sorry for your loss. I will remember her in my prayers.

[LadyDoc]

in our prayer

[TASMANIANRED]

Prayers lifted.

[Miss Behave]

Prayers Homeward.

[Bigg Red]

Prayers up for the repose of Francie’s soul and for the comfort of you and all who loved her. Your prayers did not fail, as God hears all prayers.