A Poem of Prayer for Jonathan Potter
Jonathan Potter
Jonathan Potter Wants You To Pray for His Family, Friends and Classmates!
He's looking down at us from Heaven!
Over the Christmas season in 2004, I was sitting in the family room of our home, talking to my son Nathan. The snow was falling. Nathan commented, "If we get enough snow, maybe we can go to the hill by Holy Family School and go sledding. Daddy, I remember the first time I went sledding. I went down the hill on a sled with Jonathan Potter." Nathan and I went sledding on that hill a short time later.
As Jonathan was fighting for his life, Nathan remembered this day of sledding, and I did too because I was helping out that day. Over the next several months, the words below came to me. Jonathan lost that fight at 11:07pm, Monday, November 20, 2006.
I can't believe five years have passed. I dedicate this poem to Jonathan Rockwell Potter our angel in heaven. There is no doubt in my mind that he is looking over all of the families of Holy Family Regional School. Also, this is for his parents, Jonathan, Christine, their children, the Holy Family Regional School community as well as everyone out there who had to fight a battle against cancer. If you would, please read the poem and pray for Jonathan's family, friends, and classmates.
Sledding Down the Hill
Written by George Walker
As Winter approaches each and every day
Prayers take many forms I have to say
Jonathan Potter I have one for you today
A song to sing for us to pray
On a cold and sunny winter day
A bunch of school children went out to play
They went to enjoy one of childhood's biggest thrills
Climbing up to the summit, and sledding down the hill
One of those days I was there
Pushing little children who didn’t have a care
On one of those sleds having so much fun
Was a little boy named Jonathan along with my own son
Not long after, Jonathan who had sledded down that hill
Started having seizures and fell quite ill
A brain tumor was the call
The news touched the hearts of us all
It’s hard sometimes to know what to do or say
It is then when we go to our knees and pray.
Chorus
Let’s sing together . . . the message is the same
Whenever two or more join together
To pray in God’s name.
Oh God we pray for the miracle and the win
May Jonathan and Nathan sled down the hill again!
Verse 2
A meeting was called, it did not look good
Sister Karen told us the news, like a principal should
But as we joined together in prayer day after day
Jonathan kept fighting and living and going on his way
I visited the Potters at Children’s Hospital last May
It was a bright and shining Spring day
There was a peace and strength within all of them
that comes from God I would have to say
Chorus
Verse 3
In the spring Jonathan was weak
He was in a wheelchair and could barely speak
When we saw him again at a mass in the fall
He walked into the church standing proud and tall
Chorus
Verse 4
God I thank you for keeping Jonathan alive
Because we need our earthly angels to survive
People asked Jesus for miracles and he came through
Now God we ask this miracle of you
I heard about Jonathans misbehaving cells one day
I ask you God for the angels to take them away
Take them up heaven and give them a long time out
Please clean up the mess they left about
Chorus
Verse 5
Once those misbehaving cells are swept away
Never a seizure to come back again another day
We ask you God to clear Jonathan’s mind
We pray the confusion to be left behind
With a clear mind and heart these days
Jonathan will forever speak and sing your praise
Chorus
Verse 6
Oh God give Jonathan back his right arm we pray
So he can hug his mom, dad, sister and brother today
And to hold the young women
That will touch his heart one day
Oh God give Jonathan back his right arm we pray
Chorus
Verse 7
God, we pray as our days go along
May Jonathan grow ever healthier
Tall and strong
May he go out into the world someday
As all young men do
And in his own way do his work for you
Chorus
Verse 8
Sometimes, no matter how many of us join together
Or, no matter how much we pray.
God has his plans
What we pray for just doesn't go our way.
It was clear at his birthday party with family and friends
Jonathan's time on earth was nearing an end.
On a November night with his family at his side.
In his mother's arms Jonathan died.
Up to heaven he arrived to fanfare, songs, and hymns
And with open arms, his grandpa greeted him.
Chorus
We all said goodbye to our young friend
But eternity is just beginning as life on earth comes to an end
With all the prayers going out for Jonathan to live I knew
In Heaven God has a very special job for him to do
On a snowy day in heaven
In perhaps a hundred years
A place where there is much laughter
Where there is never tears
On a perfect slope they will have some free time then
Jonathan and Nathan will sled down that hill again
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