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Blessed By Community

Posted by eph21920 on July 25, 2026 in Food, Friends, Fun, Grateful, Home, Joy, Relationship

Today our community hosted a BBQ, so I made a delicious fruit salad to bring, my brother grabbed the chairs, and we headed over. Even though my brother is here sporadically, he knows a lot of the neighbors. Part of that is because he walks his dog around and meets people. Many of the residence are elderly, but everyone helped each other to make room and set up comfortable seating outside. I was glad there were some tents set up so we could have some shade from the blistering sun. The community honored the veterans before we ate. They gathered them together, took some photos, and gave them a token of appreciation. It was very thoughtful. We were all encouraged to wear patriotic clothing of some kind. I had a couple of t-shirts to choose from. I asked my brother if he had any, and he said he had not been able to find one that fits his style. So, he wore one of the t-shirts that he had designed with an alien hiding inside a cactus. On the drink table, there was a pile of shirts with a sign that said, “Please take one”. I got my drink and sat down. Soon after, I saw my brother coming towards the group wearing a new shirt. He went over to the woman who designed them and had them made and thanked her. Then I saw what he was wearing. It was a patriotic t-shirt honoring the Independence Day of our country. There was a flag on it and a sasquatch. That really did fit my brother’s style. I told my brother that the woman who made the shirt also make our community bulletin boards. She decorates them each month with the appropriate theme and also includes a sasquatch. It’s like a little search and find each month. In all it was a fun time with great food and good conversation. I am so grateful to be able to live in this community that has been such a support to me and my family.

I Found God today in the wonderful community that I live in.

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Special Rosary

Posted by eph21920 on July 24, 2026 in Faith, Friends, Grateful, Joy, Prayer

When I was visiting a friend today, she asked if I would pray the rosary with her. I told her I would be happy to and she handed me a fancy rosary. It had blue crystal beads. There was also a bead on each side of the cross – 4 total – that spun. It was a beautiful piece. I asked where she got it. She said when she had an aneurysm and was in the hospital, her mother came and pinned the rosary to her hospital gown so that she would always have it with her. It was a very special memory. I was grateful and felt blessed to pray with my friend and to use the rosary that meant so much to her.

I Found God today in a heartfelt story and in the joy of praying with a friend.

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Swapping Stories

Posted by eph21920 on July 23, 2026 in Connected, Friends, Life, Present, Relationship

Today I visited with a couple people and told them about the sale of the cabin and how hard it was. They were empathetic and had stories of their own. One talked about his mom having to sell the house he grew up in. Before the closing, everyone had an opportunity to go in to the house and take out the things that they wanted. My friend said he found many things he wanted, but didn’t really need or have the space for, so left a lot of things behind. That was difficult and sad for him. Another friend told me of having to sell their family farm of 160 acres. There had been 4 generations that had lived there and farmed the land. My friend went to the same small school that his father went to, so their roots went deep. To sell, they divided the land into 3 sections. He knew 2 of the buyers, but not the third. He described how hard it was to break up the property and hand it over to others. I think most people probably had a similar experience. I was happy to talk to my friends and share the stories and feelings, to be connected.

I Found God today connecting with friends.

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The Closing

Posted by eph21920 on July 22, 2026 in Grateful, Home, Life, Present

My realtor picked me up this morning and we headed over to the title company to close on the sale of the cabin. The buyer’s realtor came as well, even though the buyers had signed their part of the documents electronically yesterday. It was nice to have her there as we got a better picture of the family who purchased it. They are from another state and came here to vacation and look at property, not really anticipating buying right away. The realtor took them all around the nearby mountain areas and they looked at many options. Evidently, when they came to our cabin, they fell in love with it and decided to buy it. All through the process we were told how happy they were to be able to make it theirs. The realtor said she told them about our conversation yesterday and that we really wanted a family to love and enjoy the cabin as much as we did. When she told them that, the mom started crying just like I did. It really does seem like this was all meant to be and has been directed to come together. After everything was signed, the realtor handed me 2 envelopes, 1 for me and 1 for my brother. We looked at them later. The buyers had given us each a gift card and a hand written note thanking us for the work we did on the property. I had also shown the realtor the house information that we put together and left in an old apple basket that my parents got years ago and used to put things in to bring to and from the cabin. In the note it said that the buyers planned on having a memory book to go in the apple basket. As difficult as it is to let go of this cabin, it is such a gift to know that the family who bought it are grateful and thoughtful people.

I Found God today in grateful buyers of our beloved cabin.

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Years of Enjoyment

Posted by eph21920 on July 21, 2026 in Family, Grateful, Home, Joy, Life, Struggles

My brother and I finished emptying and cleaning the cabin today. As we were working, the buyer’s realtor stopped over to walk through. The buyers live in another state, so she was relaying the details to them. She said they are planning on the cabin being a vacation home and eventually their primary residence. She said they will love it and care for it and that they are good people. Trying to hold back the tears I told her that’s what we really want is for a family to love it as much as we did. Later in the day my brother and I talked about how we enjoyed the place for 50 years and how it is so difficult to let it go. We also remembered that my dad talked several times about wanting to sell it so us kids wouldn’t have the burden of it. In the end, we are completing his wishes. As we were driving out for the last time, I stopped at our closest friend there and said goodbye. We shared a good cry. My brother and I made it back to my house just after dark with vehicles full of more stuff. Hard to believe. But that’s for another day. We both took some Tylenol and are looking forward to a good night sleep.

I Found God today remembering and being grateful for the long time we were able to enjoy the cabin.

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Labor of Love

Posted by eph21920 on July 20, 2026 in Family, Home, Life, Trust

My family and I have spent the last few days working hard at clearing out the cabin. My brother has been staying at the house and working on it for a couple of months already. This weekend, my sister joined us as we had a big moving sale. Many of the people who came were neighbors who wanted to say hello and goodbye. All of the visitors were mountain people who have their own kind of culture. They were all super friendly and it was a joy talking to them. Almost everyone who stopped by bought something. And everyone commented on what a nice house it was with a beautiful view. Some asked why we would sell it, which led us to explain the circumstances. I described the cabin as my dad’s “labor of love” that the whole family was involved with. And, unfortunately, we are all now unable to care for it. Talking about it and hearing the comments stung a bit, but at the same time it kept me aware of the truth of the situation. People also noted that we were very lucky to sell, as the properties are just not moving up there. That helped me to feel more confident that, as hard as it is to sell, it is the right decision. I was glad that my brother, sister, and I were able to spend the time up there together. After selling what we could, my son and his wife came up with a pickup truck to help out. My brother and I were exhausted at this point and a little overwhelmed. I was grateful that my son was able to help make a plan of action. Then, when he became frustrated that things weren’t going as he thought they would, his wife stepped in and helped get us all back on track. It was a beautiful, working family dynamic. We brought loads to the local Goodwill, donated to others, and even after that had to hire a couple of guys to finish getting out the rest of the leftover construction materials and such. There was a lot accumulated over 50 years. We all did keep some pieces that were especially meaningful and that would bring happy memories of the place. Tomorrow we will finish cleaning and then have to leave for the last time. It has been difficult and emotional. But I am trying to keep my eyes on God, trusting that He has put this all in place, and knows what the future holds for me and my family.

I Found God today trusting Him in an emotional situation.

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Following His Lead

Posted by eph21920 on July 15, 2026 in Answer, Connected, Faith, Life

I got a phone call from my realtor yesterday and we agreed to move up the date for closing the sale of the cabin. I arrived at the cabin today and saw our friend on the way who had just arrived. We hugged it out and cried a bit. It is bound to be an emotional couple of days as we clean out the place. Good memories, sad memories. Right before I got the call, I was talking with my son and his wife. I said that I feel God putting everything into place and is just pushing us right along. I need to do the work on my part and hold on, trusting Him. Then I received the call and made the decision to agree to an earlier closing. I am now having to practice what I just said.

I Found God today following His lead.

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Inspirational Friend

Posted by eph21920 on July 13, 2026 in Friends, Joy, Life, Relationship

A friend turned 90 years old a couple of months ago. We have been trying to get together and found it ridiculous that it was so hard to come up with a date. She still lives in her house and has a pretty busy schedule. She goes to church, prayer groups, visits many people, and is a Stephen Minister. I seemed to have a lot going on as well. Also, I was traveling, and then she was traveling. We were both happy that we finally were able to connect today. I told her the details of my fabulous road trip and all the people I spent time with, the peaceful places I visited, and the wonderful things I saw. She told me about her birthday celebrations and her recent trip to Boston. While we traveled, we both stopped at many of the main tourist attractions, but we also were able to get off the beaten path and found unexpected hidden gems. I was truly one with nature when I took a dirt road and was greeted by several bison. On a rainy day in Boston, my friend went into a library, which ended up being as much a part of the beauty and history as the Freedom Trail was. I was amazed at all the places she went to. Her stamina is incredible. We talked about how you have to keep going and do the things you love to do while you can still do them. I think she will keep going for quite some time. She has always been a source of inspiration, and I am always grateful that we continue to get together.

I Found God today in an inspirational friend.

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Stress Relief

Posted by eph21920 on July 12, 2026 in Past, Present, Sacrifice, Struggles

A friend of mine has been struggling the past couple of months. She and her adult daughter have been living together for a few years and everything was going along pretty well – until the daughter met a new man. The more serious that relationship grew, the worse the mother/daughter relationship became. The couple even eloped and got married without my friend knowing about it. They said they were moving out and that the house needed to be sold. It actually belonged to both of them. My friend wasn’t in complete agreement, but went along with their plan. She has been struggling and sad about the whole thing. I saw her today and got caught up on the happenings. The house did sell and the closing was only a couple of weeks ago. She found an apartment in a complex that she had looked at before and was all moved in. Even though her relationship with her daughter has not improved, my friend was happy that the house sale and move are behind her. She was visibly more relaxed and I was happy for that.

I Found God today in some stress relief for a friend.

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Rosary at the Cemetery

Posted by eph21920 on July 11, 2026 in Faith, Friends, Prayer

The other day I was reading the local Diocese magazine and saw that the Knights of Columbus were praying the rosary in the military cemetery on the 2nd Saturday of the month. They were inviting others to join them. That sounded like a great idea to me. I called a friend who recently buried her mother along with her father there and asked if she wanted to go. She did, so I picked her up this morning. When we arrived at the cemetery, we saw a few cars that were in front of one of the gathering areas and assumed it was the group since there were no other vehicles anywhere. We parked and walked into the covered outdoor space and were greeted by one of the men. I asked if they were the praying group. He said they were. I asked if we could join them. He said we were most welcome. I told him I had read the article in the Diocese magazine. He and the other men were very happy that it had caught our attention, and it was their hope that more people would come to pray with them. After a few other men arrived, everyone introduced themselves and shared a prayer intention. They were all from different parishes, but part of the Knights of Columbus. Before praying the rosary, we were asked if we wanted to lead part of it. My friend quietly bowed out. How could I refuse. It was a beautiful morning to pray in that peaceful, sacred place. The air was crisp and clear and the cover kept us out of the sun. The only other sound I heard was the birds flying and chirping. After the prayers, my friend and I went to her mom and dad’s gravesite. She was elated to find that the new headstone had been put in place. It now included her mom’s name with a carved image of the Sacred Heart. She fell to her knees and cried. After a while, we went over to my parents’ gravesite where I placed the flowers I had prepared. We prayed a little more before we left. I was so glad that I decided to go and that my friend came too.

I Found God today praying with a friend at the cemetery.

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