A young woman I know was super excited to be expecting a baby in February. Unfortunately, she was diagnosed with Covid earlier this month. She was pretty ill and the baby was experiencing distress. We started praying to Our Lady of Lourdes. The young woman was able to recover enough to deliver the baby. He was a few weeks early, but new mom and baby are doing well. It was such good news.
I Found God today in the wellness of a young mom and her baby.
I have been feeling a little cabin fever, so it felt great to get outside in the cool air for a walk today. As I walked, I imagined that everyone I saw felt the same way as I saw all the different people and activities. Two men were throwing the football around at the park while encouraging two children to play as well. A group of three were in the baseball field placing their balls back in their cart. There were several joggers and several dog-walkers. And elderly couple wearing masks were walking with 3 youth. An elderly man was visiting his younger neighbor and said hello to me as he headed home. Another couple guys were working on a car. Several men were busy cleaning their garages. A man was chatting with a woman on her porch socially distanced. One woman was sitting on her porch whittling a piece of wood. I even came across my neighbor who was riding his fancy low rider trike. As I wrote it all down here, I really did take notice of all the people enjoying the day. It helped me to let go of some worries.
I Found God today noticing all those enjoying outdoor activities.
We finished another puzzle today. It was a beautiful illustration of wild animals all huddled together with slight expressions of smiles on their faces. One of the animals was a water buffalo. When my son was child, he and my nephew used to love watching VeggieTales. I liked them too because they had a Christian message and lots of humor for adults as well. I guess the picture of the water buffalo on the puzzle triggered my memory of “The Water Buffalo Song”, which was a silly song. I kept singing it over and over in my head. Finally tonight I looked it up and found it on YouTube and laughed hysterically. I shared it with my dad who thought it was silly too and then we watched a couple more clips. I shared the video with my kids, nephew, and his mom so they could remember and laugh too.
I Found God today laughing and enjoying fun memories.
I read a quote today that struck me as so fitting. It puts a whole new perspective on the faith life.
“When the future seems uncertain and all you see is darkness, you have something you don’t have during times of tranquility: the opportunity to trust in Jesus.” Gary Zimac from his book Stop Worrying and Start Living
I Found God today being grateful for the uncertainty allowing me to grow in faith.
We took advantage of the mild weather today and got out of the house. We took a drive to a park in the middle of the city that was one of our favorite places for many years. The winding road took us to the top of the bluffs overlooking the city. Once there, we parked and walked on the paved path to get the best view. It was beautiful. We pointed out landmarks and realized how much the city has grown. On the way back to the car, we heard and saw a drone flying overhead. As we approached the parking lot, we saw the operator on the sidewalk with controller in hand. We watched him for a while and was impressed as he landed the drone on the walk right in front of him. It just so happened that he was parked right next to us. As he came over, my dad told him he liked his “fancy gadget”. We chatted with him and his brother for a while. They said they were from Chicago and were enjoying getting pictures of the beautiful Colorado scenery. We wished each other well before we parted ways. It was so good to get out of the house, enjoy the fresh air, and have an interesting conversation with a stranger.
I Found God today enjoying a day out.
When I opened the blinds this morning, the sun was shining brightly. I thanked God for the morning and the start to another day as I prayed for His grace to live it well. “This is the day the Lord has made. Let us be glad and rejoice in it.” Psalm 118:24. This evening I went for a walk. As the sun set, I watched the clouds change from hints of pink to full blown orange and red set off by blue sky in the gaps. It’s as if God was saying, “I’m right here. Everything will be OK.” I thanked God for the spectacular scene and for the peace only He can provide.
I Found God today in the grace and beauty of another day.
Today I received an unexpected note from a friend. But, this wasn’t just any note. It was full of joyful memories, faith, and encouragement. I was immediately brought back to happy and spiritual times with them. I was grateful and humbled that they would take the time to reach out in this way. I had just talked to my mom earlier in the day about relationships. She stayed in touch with a friend she knew since she was 5 years old. I don’t know anyone that long, but there are certainly people that I will stay in touch with for the rest of my life. My note-sender is definitely one of those people.
I Found God today in an unexpected note of encouragement.
The past few days have been filled with unrest. I heard in a homily today what has been repeated by many faithful friends that as Christians, we need to remember that our hope and trust is not in a governmental system, a political party, or the things we read or hear in forms of media. Our hope and trust is not even in a pastor, a family member, or a beloved person. Our hope and trust is in the Lord. He has given us the perfect example to follow and has promised us the perfect ending if only we follow Him. In John 14:6, Jesus proclaims, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” I know that when I hope and trust in Him, I have more peace. And that is what we all need more of.
I Found God today in a reminder to hope and trust in Him.
A friend shared some words of wisdom today. I have heard this before, but it seems very relevant right now:
Practice the Pause.
Pause before judging.
Pause before assuming.
Pause before accusing.
Pause whenever you are about to react harshly and you will avoid doing and saying things you will regret later.
I had heard another version of this as well:
Practice the Pause.
When in doubt, pause.
When angry, pause.
When tired, pause.
When stressed, pause.
And when you pause, pray.
I think the world could use a little pause right now. Pause, breathe, and pray.
I Found God today in a reminder to pause.
My sister came over today and was a huge help in getting some things accomplished. My dad has been working on putting together a scrapbook with photos and information about the cabin. She helped him get tons of pictures sorted out. She helped my mom water her orchids and get some laundry done. I snuck out for a bit and helped my son finish putting up the curtains that arrived the other day. Not only was she very helpful with tasks, it was nice to have her company and conversation. It was an engaging, productive day for all.
I Found God today in a helpful sister.
