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Friends in Line

Posted by eph21920 on October 10, 2025 in Friends, New, Patience, Stranger

Today I stopped by the card store to find some entertaining cards and was surprised to see so many people there. As I was perusing the humorous cards, I noticed there were shopping bags lining the walls. They seemed to have sales orders in them and were in alphabetical order. There was Christmas music playing and the employees were dressed all Christmasy. I thought it was a little early for that, but just went about looking through the cards. I decided on what I wanted and made my way to the counter. Then I saw the long line. I debated whether to wait in the line to make my purchase, or just leave. Since I had already spent quite a bit of time looking and really liked what I found, I decided to wait it out. While in line, I learned that the store was having it’s annual Christmas ornament sale. People could pre-order this year’s new ornaments and pick them up today with a special “pass”. Some of us in line just had cards, others had bags of their pre-ordered goodies. As happens occasionally, the people around me struck up a conversation and I joined in. Everyone was friendly and respectful and it helped pass the time. We talked about travelling, being in the military, the changes in the city, and other things. I was glad I waited, got what I was looking for, and enjoyed chatting with people.

I Found God today being patient and friendly.

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Vintage

Posted by eph21920 on October 9, 2025 in Connected, Friends, Fun, Life, Past

I spent a lovely afternoon with a friend today. The weather was perfect – not too hot, or too sunny, or too windy, or too cool. We went to an eclectic city not too far from us where there is always interesting things to see. Since it was beautiful, we sat outside and enjoyed a fancy lunch. Then we walked around the city. I had visited the area now and then, but my friend used to spend a lot of time there. As we meandered, she talked about the places she would visit, though many of the stores were now different. One of her daughters is an artist. Part of the charm of the city is that it supports local artists. My friend’s daughter displayed some of her work in the galleries before she moved out of the state. As we browsed the different shops, my friend remembered one place that carried a specific brand of moccasin. She asked the young man in the store about it. He answered that they didn’t have what she was looking for, but perhaps they did “back in the day”. My friend and I were immediately dated and humorously felt very old. Not only that, but when we visited the “vintage” shops, we saw all the clothes we used to wear and toys we used to play with “back in the day”. I mentioned to my friend that walking through those stores was just like walking around and looking through my own house. She laughed and agreed. So I guess we are not old, but “vintage”.

I Found God today enjoying my age.

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God Won’t Forget

Posted by eph21920 on October 8, 2025 in Answer, Faith, Life, Past, Present, Struggles

Today I was talking with a young woman who is in college. At the end of the semester last Spring, she was having a very hard time trying to schedule the classes that she needed. At that time she was very upset and struggling. When I asked her about it today, it took her a couple of minutes to remember exactly what had transpired and made her so anxious. Now, everything was in place and was working out just fine. We talked about how it is interesting that when we are in the midst of difficulties we can be all consumed in our worries. It is easy to wonder how things will be resolved. But once they have passed, we freely move on to the next thing. To me, it is this way in my faith life. I can get caught up in the struggles and beg God to do something about it. Things do resolve, but I forget. I need to remember how God has taken care of me in the past and will continue to do so in the future. He will not forget me.

I Found God today remembering that He will not forget me.

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Faith or Fear

Posted by eph21920 on October 7, 2025 in Answer, Faith, Friends, Life, Prayer, Struggles

A friend of mine shared a quote that I thought was very profound, “Faith and fear both ask you to believe in something you can’t see. The one you choose writes your future”. I don’t know exactly who wrote or said the statement, but I find it to be absolutely true. I have personally been battling fear, particularly during this past year. There have been times when I have allowed fear to win, which leaves me basically stuck and unable to move forward. However, when I say the prayers that give me more courage, I have amazing experiences and joy. My 2 favorite prayers are the prayer to St. Michael the Archangel, and Ephesians 6:10-18 which describes putting on the armor of God. That scripture has been popping up over and over again. So, I took God’s hint and pray it every morning. I do feel better equipped to face the day and choose faith to keep me on the right path.

I Found God today in a reminder to choose faith over fear.

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Gift of a Blanket

Posted by eph21920 on October 6, 2025 in Generosity, Grateful, Happiness, Life, New, Service

The other day I received a notice from my church that there were some handmade blankets available to give to the people who are homebound. They were knitted or crocheted by a ministry in the parish specifically for the purpose of sharing them with others. Since I visit a woman who has dementia weekly and bring her Holy Communion, I stopped in the church office and picked out a colorful blanket to bring to her. Today was the day I visit her, so I brought the blanket with me. After she received Communion, I gave her the blanket. We read the satin tag that was sewn in the corner that identified the group who made it. There was a plastic canvas cross stitched with purple ribbon and a laminated prayer for healing pinned to it. We looked at them, read the prayer, and felt the soft, warm blanket. I told the woman that the blanket was for her and spread it on her lap. She was surprised and so sweet when she said she didn’t think she deserved it. I assured her she did. Then she said, “I hope they can feel my thanks!” I guaranteed her that I would let them know. The blanket was a such a blessing to the woman. Her reaction and our interaction was a blessing to me.

I Found God today sharing a blanket made with loving hands.

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Parent’s Past

Posted by eph21920 on October 4, 2025 in Connected, Family, Life, Past

My sister came today for the weekend. She is helping to sort some of my parent’s memorabilia. She worked with both my mom and my dad as they each created a beautiful genealogy scrapbook. The books are an incredible resource of historical articles and photographs that date back even centuries. Today we looked through a box of keepsakes from my parent’s high school days. There were school yearbooks, autograph books, letters, and photographs. It’s hard to believe that they carried these things around for over 70 years, to all the different places we lived. And for us to look through them now, the feeling is priceless. Beyond any monetary value that they may or may not be worth. We were looking into another time and place that was part of our parents’ lives and trying to envision what it was like for them. Even though my sister had done so much work with them putting together their family history, she had still never seen most of the contents of the box. It was another day of discovering family treasures.

I Found God today remembering my parent’s past.

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Sneak Peeks

Posted by eph21920 on October 3, 2025 in Family, Happiness, Marriage

Over the past couple of days, my son and his new wife have been sharing sneak peeks of their wedding photos and a super sweet video. I’m crying all over again, feeling so blessed and happy for them.

I Found God today in the blessing of my son’s wedding.

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Stitches Out

Posted by eph21920 on October 2, 2025 in Doctor, Grateful, Happiness, Healing

It has been 2 weeks since I had the cancer spot removed from above my eye, in my eyebrow area. I had a lovely multicolored black eye, which still lingers. This afternoon I went back to the doctor’s office and had the stitches taken out. I was pleasantly surprised at the outcome. Typically I am very hesitant to have any kind of medical intervention, as the usual response from the doctor is, “well, I wasn’t expecting that …” But today all went well. The doctor and the young woman who took the stitches out were both impressed with how well the wound healed. When I examined the area, I was also very happy that it looked better than I had anticipated. It will be a while until it is completely healed, but I am well on my way.

I Found God today as I am healing well.

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Be Love

Posted by eph21920 on October 1, 2025 in Answer, Faith, Love, Sacrifice, Saint

Today is the Memorial of St. Therese of Lisieux – the “Little Flower”. I watched a movie about her a couple of months ago and learned more about her today. She was only 15 years old when she convinced the authorities to allow her to enter the convent. She was incredibly humble and knew that she couldn’t do great things as compared to the saints. However, she wanted to be a saint, so offered up every sacrifice and act of charity as a scattering of flowers of love. Being so young and small, she worried about her vocation within the cloistered life and wrote: ” I feel in me the vocation of the Priest. I have the vocation of the Apostle. Martyrdom was the dream of my youth and this dream has grown with me. Considering the mystical body of the Church, I desired to see myself in them all. Charity gave me the key to my vocation. I understood that the Church had a Heart and that this Heart was burning with love. I understood that Love comprised all vocations, that Love was everything, that it embraced all times and places…in a word, that it was eternal! Then in the excess of my delirious joy, I cried out: O Jesus, my Love…my vocation, at last I have found it…My vocation is Love!” Pondering her statement, I thought about how discouraging it can be to be immersed in the current state of world. I often feel that the politics of the day and decisions made are far above me and there is little I can do to make a difference. However, if I take St. Therese’s words to heart, I can also love. That may look different depending on who you are, but for me loving is being fully present to those around me, to offer what I can to those who need help, to touch base with friends, family, and those who are struggling, and to be kind to myself. I think each person can find a way to love and the world would be a much better place.

I Found God today in encouragement to love.

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Be Kind

Posted by eph21920 on September 30, 2025 in Answer, Life, Love

I saw a quote from one of my favorite Christian artists, TobyMac, that read “There’s a stranger out there who still thinks of you because you were kind to them when they really needed it. Never stop being that person.” I thought those were beautiful words to live by. It reminded me of a t-shirt that I bought myself a few years ago that says, “BE KIND” in big, bold letters. I actually got it to remind myself. I figured when I walked by a mirror, I would remember and change my attitude if necessary. I think I should have lots of shirts with different messages of encouragement to wear every day.

I Found God today in a reminder to be kind.

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