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Paint on the Plane

Posted by eph21920 on September 4, 2019 in Answer, Children, Patience

I read a story today about young girl who was travelling by airplane as an unaccompanied minor. The storyteller was sitting across the aisle from the little girl who everyone avoided at all costs. Eventually, a young couple sat by her for the duration of the flight. Instead of being impatient or ignoring the girl, they painted with her while she decorated the young man with stickers. There was even a photo that showed just that. The story was a beautiful example of the true goodness that people can offer.

I Found God today in a caring, patient couple.

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Unexpected Prayer

Posted by eph21920 on September 3, 2019 in Faith, Friends, Prayer

Today I received a quick note from a young man I worked with for a while. He was just letting me know that he was thinking of and praying for me. That really touched my heart.

I Found God today in an unexpected note of prayer.

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Respite Retreat

Posted by eph21920 on September 2, 2019 in Answer, Creation, Faith, Grateful, Hope, New, Opportunity, Peace

This weekend I was truly blessed to be able to take a personal respite retreat. I was really desiring some time to just be alone and take a little break. As I thought and prayed about the best way to do this, I was reminded of a monastery I had driven by several times that had retreat facilities. I contacted them, worked it out with my siblings, and made the arrangements. When I arrived in the morning, I got a little tour of the place and a key to one of the houses. There was another woman there too, but she was gone by noon, so I had the whole house to myself for the rest of the time. The site was on 100 acres of forest. The buildings were connected by walking paths that also led to several different prayer sites. I was glad the weather cooperated and spent a lot of time walking and experiencing each of the different sites. I prayed in about every way I knew and then more. I also spent time resting alone, reading, and napping. There was no internet and my cell phone reception was spotty, so I didn’t use my devices at all. I brought some of my own meals, but I also joined the Sisters for a few. They were super friendly, welcoming, and peaceful. They talked about some of their recent experiences. One of them grew up speaking Spanish. They recently loaded up her car with toothbrushes and toothpaste that they had collected and she brought them to one of the detainment centers that holds refugees. She visited there often to help in any way she could even though she is 80 years old. They said there is almost always a Catholic presence in the center helping to care for the people there. Interesting that we never hear that on the news. The Sisters also have a thrift shop. A couple of weeks ago, their van holding bins of merchandise was stolen. The police found the van, but it had been destroyed and all the products were gone. One of the Sisters spoke to a local car dealer who donated a van to them. It was so uplifting to be among the women whose hearts were sincerely focused on the good of others. Their goal is to be “A place of hope and hospitality for the world.” It certainly was for me. God brought the place to my mind, everything worked out for me to go, and it was exactly what I needed and was hoping for. Of course. God is good.

I Found God today in countless ways, but most of all in His care and love for me.

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Old Time Cousin

Posted by eph21920 on August 30, 2019 in Answer, Connected, Family, Grateful, Joy, Life

Last year we were visited by my dad’s first cousin once removed – he is the son of my dad’s immediate cousin. I received a surprise phone call today from his wife who had visited with him. While they were here, we talked about my blog and they have been following it. They read the blog about my grandfather and his bakery to my dad’s immediate cousin. He told me he remembered that his mother would bake a pie or cake here and there, but all the other baked goods came from my grandfather. He said he would walk by the bakery every day on his way to school. He also remembered that my mom and her family lived in the upstairs part of the building. My dad also chatted with him a bit. The man will be 95 years old in a couple of weeks. I have never met him, but I loved receiving the phone call and hearing his memories of the same places I am familiar with through my parents.

I Found God today connecting with a distant relative.

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Soft Heart

Posted by eph21920 on August 29, 2019 in Answer, Life, Love

I think in our world, it can be very easy to be suspicious of people and circumstances we encounter. It can be our tendency to be hard-hearted and protect ourselves. I saw a quote today that challenged me and gave me something to strive for, “Having a soft heart in a cruel world is courage, not weakness.”

I Found God today in a reminder that it is OK to be soft.

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Dad’s Group

Posted by eph21920 on August 28, 2019 in Connected, Friends, Joy, Laughter, Life, Opportunity

Last night, one of the neighbors called to remind and invite my dad to the monthly men’s group. So, this morning, my dad decided to go. When he returned, he told us of some the new guys he met. He explained how the meeting was run and that everyone there was friendly and respectful of one another. He said there was also a lot of laughter. I don’t know exactly what they discussed, but I do know that doughnuts were involved. And I know that my dad enjoyed the company and conversation of his neighbors.

I Found God today in my dad enjoying socializing.

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My Ninja Warrior

Posted by eph21920 on August 27, 2019 in Answer, Family, Life, Sick

My mom has been striving to recover from her recent episode of diverticulitis. Today one of my parents’ friends from the cabin was getting the “old gang” together for lunch. We talked about going, but my mom was not sure how she was going to feel. This morning, she still wasn’t feeling great when she got up. However, after her morning medication and breakfast, she announced that she wanted to go. We packed it up and made the hour and a half trek. We enjoyed lunch with everyone, took a nap, and made our way back home. My mom said she was surprised that she really felt pretty good. When she wanted to watch American Ninja Warrior, we told he that she already was one because of all the obstacles she has made it through.

I Found God today in my persevering mother.

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Making Grandpa Proud

Posted by eph21920 on August 26, 2019 in Connected, Family, Food, Life

My dad is continuing his project of going through his old cassette tapes and putting them on his computer. Tonight we listened to my grandfather talk about his life. It took a bit of concentration to understand what he was saying through his thick German accent. He recounted his life on the farm as a child. The town he lived in was in constantly in flux between Germany and Poland. When he was 17, the place was under Polish rule. At 18 he would have been drafted into the Polish army. He wanted none of that, so he and 2 of his buddies fled back to Germany. And so the story goes. He came to America a few years later and among his many jobs was working for a bakery. Evidently he made the best rye bread around. Others tried to duplicate the recipe, but could not. So he always had a job, even during the Depression. Eventually he was able to open his own bakery. He said it didn’t take long before the competition went under. In a matter of a few months he was making 1000 loaves of his specialty bread every weekend. He was a very hard-working, devoted, strong willed man from his youth. He knew what needed to happen and would strive to make it so. I loved hearing his voice, his jokes, and his stories. My mom and dad were also on the recording as they interviewed my grandfather to make sure they had all the details correct. Eventually, my mom created a scrapbook of her family history. Ironically – or maybe not – I spent this whole morning baking in the kitchen. My mom said that my grandfather would have been proud.

I Found God today remembering my grandfather.

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Jesus is My Coach

Posted by eph21920 on August 25, 2019 in Answer, Connected, Jesus, Life, Opportunity, Problem

The priest gave an exceptionally engaging homily in church today. He started by talking about the “212 Principle”. He explained that at 211 degrees water is simply hot, but at 212 degrees, the water boils. Boiling water creates steam that can power a locomotive. He connected the principle with the the part of the Gospel that read, “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough.” He pointed out the hundredths of seconds that are now used to time events in the Olympics. Those minute measurements make the difference between a gold medal and no medal at all. We all need to strive to stay on course, keep focused, and finish well. Our coach is Jesus Christ. If our goal is to spend eternity with Him, we need His help. But while He is a loving God, that does not mean life will be easy. If we are working out, we don’t want a coach that says, “Don’t add that weight – you might be sore tomorrow.” Or, “You better slow down on that treadmill – you might start to sweat.” It is the same in our life. When struggles come as they always will, we can take the opportunity to grow closer to Christ instead of cursing Him for the problems. We should continue to strive for the end result and move forward. I found the whole sermon to be very relevant and thought-provoking.

I Found God today in an intriguing homily.

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Annual State Fair

Posted by eph21920 on August 24, 2019 in Children, Creation, Family, Life

My sister, her husband, and I made our annual visit to the state fair today. In the past, we had gone the last weekend of the fair, but this time we went the first weekend. It was a quite different experience. We watched some of the 4H youth show their cows. After one boy brought his cow back to the pen, he walked out with his siblings and dad. He was crying (maybe because he didn’t win) and had his arm around his little brother who was supporting him. We also watched some of the horseback riding competition. One incident that caught my eye was after a girl finished her ride, some younger kids were eagerly waiting for her and took care of the horse. We saw other kids preparing their goats, getting photos with their award winning chickens, and taking their rabbits to be judged. There were so many animals to see. My sister and I even went into the petting area because we had to pet the baby pigs and goats and puppies and kittens. That was all run by the youth too. They were holding the animals and told us all about them. I am always impressed by the young people who participate in the fair, but this year even more so. They were friendly, respectful, and very caring with their animals. And there were obvious tight-knit family bonds.

I Found God today in the actions of caring youth.

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