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Generous Founding Father

Posted by eph21920 on August 15, 2026 in Faith, Generosity, Past

Today I spent time with a group of friends from church. We went to brunch, then we toured a local attraction. It was a castle tucked back against the foothills that was built by one of the city’s founders in the late 1800’s. He was way ahead of his time with the extras that he added to the home such as his own electric plant to power the buildings, a dairy to make sure his family was getting clean milk, fire hoses that were on all 3 levels, fire doors, an elevator, and central vacuum to name some. He was a Christian man and also very generous. He owned much of the young city, and gave several plots of land to churches as it was important to him to spread the Faith. At Christmas time, he and his family would send carriages to the city to pick up the children and bring them to the castle. There they held a Christmas party where each child received a gift with their name on it. The woman giving the tour said that a few years ago, she met an elderly woman who was one of those children. She remembered what a fun time it was and said she still had the hand made Christmas tree ornament that she received. There were many interesting stories about the castle and the city. I really enjoyed spending the time with friends learning about one of the men who founded the city.

I Found God today learning about the generosity of one of the city’s founders.

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Cooler Air

Posted by eph21920 on August 14, 2026 in Creation, Grateful, Weather

This evening, we had some powerful storms come through. First the wind picked up. I opened the windows in the house immediately to let some cooler air in. The sky looked volatile and there was plenty of thunder and lightning. Then the rain came down in torrents for quite some time, so I had to close the windows. After the rain stopped, I was able to open everything back up again. The temperature had dropped 20 degrees. It has been so hot and dry and our air has been smoky for weeks now. This cool air and real rain is so welcomed. My brother and I spent some time outside just enjoying the fresh air, until I actually got chilly and had to come in. It really was such a nice change from the extreme heat we have experienced this summer.

I Found God today in cooler air.

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She’s Home

Posted by eph21920 on August 13, 2026 in Baby, Family, Grateful, Home, Joy, Life, Love

I admit I was a little surprised when I heard from my son today and he told me that his wife and new baby were going to be released from the hospital. Both of them received a clean bill of health. I guess the doctors and nurses were even surprised that the little one was doing so well. My son came to the house for a few minutes prior to them and brought a tiny hat that the baby had been wearing. He showed it to their dog and she sniffed it for a bit. He left the hat there while he went back to the hospital to collect his family. I showed the dog the hat every now and again and she would sniff it. Later in the afternoon I got the word that they were coming home. My daughter in law’s mother and father came over also. This is their first grandchild, so they were super excited. When the trio came into the house, my daughter in law sat on the sofa and my son brought the baby in the car seat. Their dog was already very interested by the time they got to the sofa. She sniffed her and wagged her tail. When they got her out of the car seat, the dog sniffed some more and booped the baby on the top of her head. Then she laid down, seeming to have had her curiosity satisfied. I got to see in person just how tiny the baby is. She is perfectly proportioned with chubby cheeks and a little belly – just a very petite little girl. I encouraged them to take off her hat so we could see her full head of black hair. Of course, I was in love with her immediately. It didn’t take long for feeding time to arrive. It was heartwarming to see my son and his wife work together to get everything situated, in place, and provide what was needed to care for their new daughter. My daughter in law’s parents and I left so they could get things worked out. I continue to be grateful for a safe delivery, healthy granddaughter, and for being able to meet her today.

I Found God today in my new granddaughter.

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Answered Prayers for Healthy Baby

Posted by eph21920 on August 12, 2026 in Answer, Baby, Doctor, Faith, Family, Grateful, Joy, Life, Prayer

I started this morning by taking my son’s dog for a little hike in a nearby forested park. It was peaceful, cool, and energizing – a great way to start the day. I talked with son and his wife on and off during the day. They sent a picture of the new baby wearing a preemie outfit. It was even too big for her. The last text I received from my son this evening about the baby said, “She’s passing all of her tests with flying colors, kind of surprising all the nurses – hearing, oxygen, blood sugar, jaundice, weight…everything. Both our nurse and the pediatrician said that there’s nothing concerning them at all. And she just had her best feeding yet.” I mean, no one can ask for anything better than that. There were certainly a lot of people praying for this little bundle of joy, and I am so grateful that God answered them.

I Found God today in answered prayers for a healthy baby.

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Safe Delivery

Posted by eph21920 on August 11, 2026 in Baby, Birthday, Family, Grateful, Life

Last night I went over to my son’s house. It was the day that my daughter in law’s doctor scheduled to induce labor, 2 weeks early from the due date. They had been doing ultrasounds on the baby for a couple of months and concerned that she was so small. Everything looked ok, but they wanted to get her into the world to see if she was in need of something. My son and his wife went to the hospital around 10:30 at night. I stayed at their house with their dog. The doctor started the induction process when they arrived. It was slow going for the first several hours. I texted with my son and got updates during the day today. Later in the afternoon I received, “It’s time to push. Talk to you on the other side!” A couple hours later I received the photo of mom, dad, and baby all together. She was small in size, but not too small. My son said it took some time for her to breath on her own, but that she was doing well and they are hoping that she will not have to stay in the NICU. It was all good news! I was so grateful that everyone was doing well. And grateful for all the prayers from all the people during this time. I am excited to meet her and welcome her into the world and her home.

I Found God today in a safe delivery for my new granddaughter.

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Family Weekend

Posted by eph21920 on August 10, 2026 in Connected, Family, Fun, Grateful, Happiness, Life

The past couple of days have been full and fun. My nephew and his wife came for a visit, so they and my sister stayed at my house over the weekend. On Saturday, we all went to dinner along with my brother, my son, and his very pregnant wife. We went to our favorite German restaurant and were serenaded by an accordion and violin as we sang happy birthday to my brother. It was a wonderful evening with lots of laughter and delicious food. Yesterday I was happy that my sister, nephew and his wife all attended Mass with me. Then, they wanted to go explore a nearby cave attraction. My brother and I tagged along as well. They reserved a “Lantern Tour”, but when the guide explained the small crevices and darkness that was part of the experience, I was too afraid to go. I was glad that everyone else went, though. I decided to try the less intense tour and was even afraid to try that one. But, I did it. During that tour, you were allowed to use the flashlight on your phone if you needed to. I was having trouble right away as I couldn’t tell what kind of ground I was stepping on or if it was flat or on an incline or decline. I used my flashlight most of the time that we were walking, which really helped me to be more stable. I really did have a lot of fun on the tour, even on my own. After both tours, we all connected and talked about our experiences. We sat outside on the deck at the top of a peak and enjoyed the view and chatted for quite some time. I was grateful to spend this time with family – especially my nephew and his wife.

I Found God today enjoying the weekend with family.

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Dad’s Craftsmanship

Posted by eph21920 on August 7, 2026 in Answer, Connected, Family, Grateful, Happiness, Life, Stranger

My ongoing project is to sell and donate items from my parents estate. I have had a pair of speakers that my dad made up for sale for several weeks now. Today the right buyer contacted me. My brother loaded up the speakers in my car and we met the man and his girlfriend. The gentleman was in awe of the craftsmanship that went into creating the speakers. My brother said he remembered them being in the house since he was a child. He was able to provide more information about them than I was. The man told us about how he and his girlfriend like all the vintage electronics. He said he usually will clean up old speakers, build a cabinet, and resell them. But, he said he really liked this set and the handcrafted enclosure that my dad built. To him, it was a piece of Americana history. He said he felt like they were kindred spirits. In all the different things I have sold, I have met some pretty good people who have a love for the vintage items. It really does make me happy to see these items get into the hands of people who are excited to have them.

I Found God today in a gentleman who will enjoy my dad’s craft.

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The Transfiguration

Posted by eph21920 on August 6, 2026 in Bible, Faith, Jesus, Life, Plan

I woke up too early this morning, so I rolled over, grabbed my rosary, and put on my rosary app to pray. Thursday is the Luminous Mysteries and the 4th one is the Transfiguration. For whatever reason, this is one of my favorite Bible stories. I remember the picture in my old Children’s Bible of Jesus as dazzling white as a drawing can be, standing alongside of Moses and Abraham. The apostles appear stunned. I always imagine what it would be like to see such a sight and to hear God’s voice booming from a cloud, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to Him.” I think I would be stunned too. Even when I imagine it, I get a little overwhelmed. I actually finished the whole rosary, so I put on the reflection of the Gospel of the day. I was surprised when I heard that it was the Feast of the Transfiguration. I listened to the scripture and the reflection, which was pretty powerful. Jeff Cavins started by talking about the fact that only 3 apostles were chosen to witness such a scene. Perhaps the others felt left out. He reminded us that just because Jesus chose certain people to accompany Him to the top of Mt. Tabor, doesn’t mean that He loved them more than the others. And so it is for us. We should not feel left out or lesser than another if they get more attention than us, or if they are taking part in something that we are not. God loves you and me the same – abundantly and forever. We each have our own life to live, our own path to follow using the gifts that God has given us. He will guide us along that path and will always be with us. It is our part to Listen to Him, discern where He is leading us, and trust as we walk along with Him. It worked out that I was able to go to Mass today as well, so that was an extra blessing for me. I heard the scripture again, and again imagined myself in that place. It is just such a spiritual encounter to me.

I Found God today pondering the story of the Transfiguration.

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The Motor Home

Posted by eph21920 on August 5, 2026 in Family, Friends, Life, Past, Relationship, Travel

I was visiting with an elderly couple today and they were reminiscing about when their 4 boys were younger. When they only had 2 boys and 1 on the way, they purchased a motor home. It was, of course, an old style with a small section that went over the cab. The boys would take turns riding in that space and watching out the window. When some of them would be aggravating each other, there was room for them to spread out and separate, to help solve the issue. They said it was expensive for them at the time, but it was well worth it. It was an investment in their family. They could just pack everyone in and go, spending a lot of good quality time together. The couple made monetary sacrifices at the time to purchase the motor home, but said it was absolutely worth the investment in their family.

I Found God today in a couple who made sacrifices to nurture their family relationships.

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Such Strength

Posted by eph21920 on August 4, 2026 in Answer, Friends, Generosity, Grateful, Life, Struggles

I have had a particular friend on my mind recently. Last I talked to her she was in the hospital and I wondered how she was doing. So, I gave her a call today. I was happy to hear that she was back at home recovering. She said she was a little frustrated as it was taking her a long time to get her strength back. Honestly, she is one of the toughest people I know. I don’t even know how many times she has been in the hospital and she comes back just as strong every time. When I asked about everyone there, she told me about a friend of hers who she has been helping to care for. Unfortunately, when she was in the hospital and rehab for 5 weeks, her friend really started to decline. My friend said she has to get better so she can help her friend more. She is truly a selfless woman. It was so good to talk to her and catch up. I always leave inspired after talking with her.

I Found God today in a strong woman.

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