Grief
Illuminating Presence
I went to Mass this afternoon, which was specifically for those who have died this past year. I prayed for those I knew and my parents. The priest talked about a funeral he recently attended for a young woman. From his description, I recognized the story I heard at the Newman Center. The teenager was […]
Remembering Loved Ones
After celebrating All Hallow’s Eve followed by All Saints Day, today I went to Mass celebrating All Souls Day. The entrance of the church has a very large Baptismal font. When adults are Baptized there, they can actually walk in and out of the pool. Today, the font was adorned with probably 100 lit candles. […]
Out of the Pit
Much of today’s devotion from “Jesus Calling” really resonated with me. It talked about being in a state of depression and in the darkness. I feel like I have felt that way for quite some time until that past few months. The reflection is from Jesus’ standpoint as He says, “Your only hope is to […]
Dream of Heaven
A young man that I have known since he was in high school lost his father almost 2 years ago. I wanted to visit his dad’s grave, so the young man tried to explain to me where it was. Then he offered to take me there, which really touched my heart. We got together tonight […]
Continued Family Relationships
Today I was catching up with a friend who I would see every now and again as they came out to visit her husband’s family. They were struggling trying to help care for his parents while living in another state. His father passed away several years ago and his mother died just over a year […]
God’s Connections
Yesterday as I was running errands, I was nearing the intersection of the church. Looking at the time, I realized Mass would be starting soon and got the feeling that I should go. I thought of all the things I had to do, but I know I should follow those promptings, so I went into […]
Peace in Remembering
Today is my dad’s birthday. I was happy to be able to go to church this morning and pray for him. I also prayed for my daughter in law and her family as yesterday was the anniversary of her dad’s death. I prayed a rosary, went to Mass, and spent some quiet alone time just […]
Sharing His Legacy
I have been in touch with our local space Discovery Center for several months, discussing making a donation. Over the years, my dad accumulated hundreds of textbooks and military documents about space. After bringing the Discovery Center a couple of boxes of items and talking with the young woman about what I still had, I […]
Priorities
I have been going to private counseling for about 2 years now and have been so grateful for the help I am receiving as I process trying to care for my parents and watching both of them die. A couple weeks ago I did an exercise in which I went through cards with different values […]
Hosting Easter
Since my mother died not quite a year ago, I have not hosted any family events here at the house. I am blessed and grateful that my 2 sons are here and have risen to the occasion. We had Thanksgiving at one house, and Christmas at the other, not to mention in between get togethers. […]
Still Finding God 