I got this in a birthday card and liked it:

"For every birthday, may you have a hundred years of joy."

No idea if that'd make a prayer, but it's a nice thought.

I'm sorry for what he's going through, you're going through, and (to whom but a Texan could I say this ?) all y'all are going through.

I have a few relatives who've studied Bowen Family Systems Theory. I've come to believe in its basic premise: that families are ponds, and rocks thrown in create ripples that affect the entire pond.

May the rocks stop bombing your pond quickly, arfie, and may the waters be still and calm ... pronto.

If I had a sentiment to offer ... toward the birthday message ... I'd offer the same thing I offered to dear friends, whose special needs child had a very difficult first couple of years:

May the troubles that visit you in this life ... be front-end loaded. May your path just get easier and easier as you get older.

Yeah. It's pretty naive, but ... aim high, right ??

Hugs, arf. Enjoy your confluence. May it be a positive ... influence ;-)

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDSON"

Mom Mom can't always be there with you as much as she really wants to. Can you do me a favor? When you see a beautiful bee, a beautiful flower, a beautiful tree, think of Mom Mom. Mom Mom's spirit is in all of these things so you know Mom Mom is always with you.

I LOVE YOU!!!!!

Mom Mom

Unfortunately, Mama's prize is that Daddy's parents don't get to send birthday wishes. "Toxic Person Dump" complete. Trophies issued. Let the legal games begin? Who knows. . . Not too worried. This would be among the too many reasons family courts grants little power to in-laws. I believe it unlikely her lotto ticket will hit the jackpot, or even a lawyer willing to take her on. Our pockets are as deep as she seems to believe. Even an incompetent lawyer will spot that in a heartbeat.

I have the geographical freedom from temptation. Hubs feels unsafe going and is still deciding. At present, communications are not strong enough to need excuses. Prayers -by whatever name- are all I get to send.

So far my best is, "I love you, precious grandson. God is watching over you."

Well, it sound like Grandson is going to need a lot of prayers if he's got litigious, opportunistic vengeful parents. (If I get the backstory correctly.)

How about the Irish Blessing- May the wind be always at your back.

I'd goolge toasts... Prayers tend to be too intense for me. But words said right before eating tend to be more... palatable. : )

Artie, for what it's worth, I know full well the pain you are going through regarding your grandson. When I first separated from my son's mother, he was 5 years old. She kept him from me for 3 months. Sure, I could have gone over and made a scene, but I might have done something stupid and screwed it up for good. So I had to wait. They were the longest 3 months of my life.

And then, every Sunday I took him home, I would get in my car and look back and see his little head standing at the door and him waving goodbye. It literally ripped my guts out each and every time. I was dying inside very quickly. It could not go on this way. So I had to erect a wall inside of me and put it behind the wall.

And today, my son and I have nothing to do with each other. I have just chalked it up to Part-Time Dad is no match for Full-Time Witch with an agenda. It is what it is. I just have to let it be and see what happens and hope his living life help him understand the truth.

So my prayer for you and your grandson would be......PUT YOUR HANDS IN THE HAND OF THE MAN THAT STILLED THE WATERS.

I'm sorry for all that you are going through.
My special prayer is one that is close to me. My mother taught it to my twin sister and I from the time we could talk and we said it together every night until I was five when they were taken from me.

Gentle savior at thy knee
A little child looks up to thee
Keep thee safely through star shine
Make a gentle heart of mine
When you want me for your own
Guide my footsteps to your thrown.

I hope whatever prayer or prayers you say that it brings you a little peace to get through the day. Many hugs and much healing

Thanks all. Prayers in progress.

In larger fact, I still know my DIL's closed door better than I know the woman among the dusty thing piles. Another trigger for those flashbacks I have been processing . . . ?Quien sabe? Who knows what is going on in there? The clues are. . . only clues. Knowledge unavailable. None of us gets to know it all. Filling in the blanks lets my imagination run wild in the most negative of directions. Especially when I try to cipher my own son's place in all this.

And life goes on. . . Zen proverb time. If you can't help, at least don't hurt.

Didn't make it far from the motel today. Did a bit of internet research, but slept and ate most of the day. The good news is that I am able to feel physical hunger and read my food cravings again. At least for today. One day at a time.

Looks like still more rain for the river confluence this week. Barges are already tied to tree tops here. Hard to believe the deserts are still expanding. Sorta. All that water being evaporated by watering desert suburbs from desert aquifers has to go somewhere. Boom and zoom on, good buddy?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3K_xiM1HDa4

Cape Girardeau is not the town I remember. It looks just like the new Texas. All the same stores. I am willing to bet the inventory inside the stores is the same, too, but I am not willing to take that inventory.

My birthday is today, arfie, so it seems he and I are orbiting the sun in sync. Feliz di'a!