My sister has been trying to clean things out as she gets ready to move. She came over this morning and brought some photos that we may want. It was fun looking at the pictures from years ago and seeing the fun we had with friends and family. Tonight I talked with one of those friends and we reminisced. It was uplifting to remember and laugh with a friend who has been a part of my life for such a long time.
I Found God today remembering good times and laughing with a good friend.
This morning our neighbor told me about 2 people he knew who contracted the coronavirus. They live in different places and their cases are not related. One was an elderly family member and the other was a good friend. Both of them had bad enough symptoms that they were hospitalized. One of them had said they didn’t want any life sustaining intervention if it would come to that. Both of the patients were given plasma that had the virus antibodies. They both recovered and were able to go home in just a few days after the treatment. With all the negative and scary stories that are out there, it was uplifting to here of real people who have much to be thankful for.
I Found God today hearing about people who have recovered from coronavirus.
Today I was very happy to have most of the day to myself. A family friend came over and stayed with my parents while I went out and about. It was a beautiful day and I planned to spend most of it outside and just “be”. I headed to one of the most popular spots to do a little hike before it got too hot. The trails I chose had very few people on them, which was nice. I parked the car at the visitor center and by the time I returned, the place was full. I went inside for a quick cool off and there were more people in there than I wanted to be around, so I moved on. My next destination was a nature center that I had never been to before. I was pleasantly surprised to see very few cars in the parking lot. There were several intersecting trails, so I could choose exactly how far I wanted to go. It was pretty hot by this time and I was glad to see that much of the trails were under the cover of the large pines and followed a creek. I found a place that had a log over the stream, so I sat on it and just watched and listened to the water for a while. I remembered that when I was a kid, I used to love to put my feet in the water when we would hike. Seemed like a good idea, so I went with it. The frigid water felt so good on my hot feet and seemed to cool my whole body. It was a very relaxing day to myself, just as I imagined.
I Found God today taking time to just “be”.
I was talking with a friend today about the difficulties of staying grounded and living the life God has set out for us. She brought up different scenarios where Jesus teaches us how to care for ourselves, such as taking time away from the busy-ness and spending time alone with God. I quickly replied but Jesus IS God. She responded just as quickly with a reminder that same God dwells in each of us. He created us in His image and likeness. And through my Baptism, I belong to His family. Things look much different when I remember that.
I Found God today in a reminder that He dwells within me.
I visited a friend on Zoom tonight. She is going through a very hectic time right now as she is trying to get her house ready to sell. She’s also coordinating her move across the country. As she described the things she is struggling with, I could see the stress on her face. Then we got to talking about God. She told me of a prayer that focused on the “Our Father”, particularly the true desire that God’s Will be done here on earth as it is in Heaven. After all, if we had Heaven here on earth, that would be amazing. The more she talked about God and prayer, I noticed a stark change in her facial expression and disposition. The worry and stress faded as the joy of her relationship with God and love for and from Him became most evident. Thus is the beauty of knowing God.
I Found God today seeing the change in a friend as she talked about Him.
It was a rough night last night with not much sleep. My parents got up with many worries on their minds. After breakfast we said some prayers, including my favorite to Our Lady of Lourdes. When we finished, we decided that we had left our upcoming day in God’s hands and that nothing would happen today that wasn’t in His plan. We were reminded of His love for us and that we are to trust in Him. That was that. The day went well and the worries decreased. God is always faithful.
I Found God today giving our day to Him.
Today my parents were remembering their beloved music teacher when they were young. They attended a Catholic school and the teacher was a nun. She was basically responsible for nurturing, encouraging, and improving my mother’s natural musical talent, as well as many others who crossed her path. My mom said when the woman passed away, she heard from the Mother who was the head of the convent. She said that my mom’s teacher would visit the chapel every day at a certain time and just sit with the Lord. One day when she was sitting there, the Lord took her home. We all got teary eyed. But what a beautiful image.
I Found God today in a beautiful image of death for a faithful woman.
During the Mass that we watched today, we heard a woman talk about her experience when she participated in “Alpha”, which is a way of bringing people together to talk about their Christian faith. She had an amazing story of how the group was exactly what she needed at that exact time. She was happy that she cooperated with the nudge that God put on her heart to join. Towards the end of her witness, she asked people to think about six words that have made a tremendous difference in her life: Perseverance, Trust, Clarity, Intention, Forgiveness, and Love. It is so good to hear how God can make such a positive difference in people’s lives.
I Found God today in a beautiful witness of His Love.
My mom had a tremendously painful back this past week. We thought it was from over-stretching and/or exercising. But, it got so bad she could barely move or sleep. So I took her to the doctor yesterday. He ordered some x-rays to make sure there was nothing else going on and gave her a prescription for a stronger pain medication. That seemed to do the trick. She was in a lot less pain today and could move much better. We were all very happy to see that.
I Found God today as my mom’s back was feeling better.
We all suffer. It’s something we can’t get away from. Right now, people are suffering with an illness, maybe with the COVID-19 virus. People are mourning the death of a loved one. Others have lost their job or had their hours drastically reduced and trying to figure out how to pay rent and keep food on the table. Parents with younger children are struggling with making decision to send their kids into a classroom or keep them home on a computer. People have lost their homes in terrible storms. The list goes on and on. And if you watch any news, they are quick to remind of the suffering going on in the world and perhaps why you should be suffering as well. However, a friend sent me some words of encouragement today that were very meaningful to her, “Let us understand that God is a physician, and that suffering is a medicine for salvation, not a punishment for damnation.” It was a quote from St. Augustine who we remember today. Too often, when I’m feeling particularly sorry for myself, I wonder where God is and why He doesn’t stop my suffering. However, if I don’t turn my back on Him, I come to realize that these times have the potential of bringing me closer to Him. That is what I need to remember.
I Found God today in a great quote about suffering.
Still Finding God 