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Repose of the Soul

Posted by eph21920 on July 30, 2019 in Answer, Connected, Death, Faith, Family, Prayer

Years ago when my mother-in-law died, I was distraught at the fact that there was no wake, no funeral, no services. I spoke to a priest friend of mine who suggested having a Mass said for her. What that means is the Sacrifice of the Mass would include a specific prayer for her soul. I found many sources that describe the importance and power of praying for those who have passed away. Pope St. Gregory (d. 604) said, “Let us not hesitate to help those who have died and to offer our prayers for them.” That sounded good to me, so I attended the Mass that my friend celebrated with her intention. I found it to be very meaningful and peaceful. I have had a heavy heart for the past few days since my son’s friend died. I went to my church office today and requested a couple of Masses to be said for his soul. I wrote out some cards to send to his mother and wife who is way too young to be a widow. Then I spent a few minutes alone in peace with God in the empty church. I am grateful that my faith gives me the opportunity to connect with the dead, the living, and God especially in such circumstances.

I Found God today feeling His peace.

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Affording the Cure

Posted by eph21920 on July 29, 2019 in Answer, Baby, Grateful, Sick, Stranger

A couple of days ago on the news, there was a heart-wrenching story about a baby who had a rare disease. There is actually a one time treatment for it that practically cures the illness. Without it, the poor little girl did not even the capacity to breath on her own. The mother was doing her best to lovingly care for the infant, and was pleading for help. However, the treatment costs 2 million dollars. Hard to believe. But I had heard that same thing from the Parkinson’s support groups that I have been to. It costs a tremendous amount of money to do research and develop any kind of medication. To recoup the expenses, the price is ridiculous. The hope is that it will be paid by the insurance companies. I found out today that the story stirred the heart of a professional fundraiser. The unknown person hired a lawyer who got together a group of insurance companies. One of them stepped forward and agreed to pay for the treatment. The mother was beside herself with gratitude. It was good to know that good people do step up in times of need.

I Found God today in generous strangers.

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Selfless Soul

Posted by eph21920 on July 28, 2019 in Death, Family, Friends, Life

Today I read the obituary for my son’s friend. It was a beautiful write up as most are. However, the article had something I don’t think I have ever seen. It included, “He lived his life to the fullest and his last wishes were for people to take better care of one another, perform random acts of kindness, and to volunteer one’s time, talent, or treasure to make the world a better place.” It showed how extraordinary he was, still thinking of others even as his “last wishes”. He will be missed.

I Found God today being reminded of a selfless soul.

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An Amplifier

Posted by eph21920 on July 27, 2019 in Answer, Connected, Family, Life, Past

Last week, the bulb on the old rear projector TV went out – or so we thought. My dad tried a used bulb, which didn’t work. He ordered a new bulb, but it didn’t work either. After some research and thought, he decided not to try to get the TV repaired, but wanted to get a new one. Right now, my mom isn’t feeling well, so we didn’t want to leave her home alone to go shopping. Luckily, my sister and her husband were planning on coming today. When they arrived, my brother-in-law looked at the old TV and the existing components. He was uncertain if a new TV would be compatible with the current set-up. He graciously offered to come shopping with us while my sister stayed with my mom. At the big TV store, the salesperson was very patient and helpful. My brother-in-law asked about the compatibility of the amplifier with a new TV. The young salesperson assured us that they hadn’t changed for the last 10 years. We laughed at the thought that the current components were only 10 years old. We needed something that would connect the cassette tape deck, VCR, DVD player, CD player, and assorted speakers. It was decided that it would be best to get a new amplifier to be able to connect everything. After looking at the selection, the sales rep went to another area of the store and found what we needed for a very good price. As we were being rung up, my dad talked about his first experience with an electronic device. He built a hi-fi amplifier to connect to his turntable when he was in high school. That was in 1947. The sales person and my brother-in-law were amazed. Since then, there have been plenty other projects including building a color TV and an organ. It was another piece of history my dad was able to share with others.

I Found God today in helpful people and continuing to appreciate my dad’s history.

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$800 For a Chevy

Posted by eph21920 on July 26, 2019 in Car, Family, Life, Past

This morning, my dad remembered that when he was very young, his mother would send him to the grocery store to pick up a few items. He felt like it was a huge responsibility. He and my mom remembered the prices of some items. My mom’s father owned a bakery and the doughnuts were $.30 for a dozen. It was $.13 for a loaf of bread. My dad’s father sold cars. A new Chevrolet cost $800 and gas was $.30 a gallon. Every time my parents take a trip down memory lane with me, I learn a little more about them and appreciate the life they have lived just a little bit more.

I Found God today appreciating the life of my parents.

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Progressive Prayers

Posted by eph21920 on July 25, 2019 in Answer, Death, Faith, Family, Friends, Prayer, Sick

I met with a group of friends from the church last night and the topic for discussion led to prayer. We talked about how we pray differently at different times – to God the Father, Jesus the Son, or the Holy Spirit, or we may ask for intercession from the Blessed Mother Mary or from a certain Saint. Even our tone can change depending on if we are praising God, thanking Him, or asking for petitions on our behalf or for others. Of course what we prayer for changes as well. And each form, type, or situation brings us closer to God and gives us a different perspective. In reality, prayer is not about us trying to make God do what we want, but to help us know His love, mercy, and goodness in whatever life throws at us. A couple of days ago, my son told me that his best friend who has been struggling with an illness was not doing very well. I started praying for healing. Then it became clear that he was not going to recover. He received the Last Rites, got his affairs in order and even planned his funeral. I started praying for a peaceful death. Early this morning, my son told me he and his wife were on their way back to the hospital as his friend was passing away. I prayed a rosary for the dying. He peacefully breathed his last this afternoon. He was not only a good friend to my son, he was an integral part of their family life. My grandson had chosen him to be his Confirmation sponsor. My prayers now are for comfort, hope, and peace for my son and his family. I was able to spend a few minutes in Eucharistic Adoration tonight, which is another form of prayer all together. I didn’t say much, just sat in and felt the Presence of God.

I Found God today in many forms of beneficial prayer.

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Holy Moment Explanation

Posted by eph21920 on July 23, 2019 in Answer, Faith, Life, Present

This morning I opened up a meditation I received and this is what it read:

“What is a holy moment? A holy moment is a moment when you make yourself completely available to God. You set self-interest aside, you set aside what you want to do or feel like doing, and for that moment you do exactly what you sense God is calling you to do. The saints were masterful at taking the ordinary, ever day moments of life and turning them into holy moments.” Matthew Kelly

Beautiful and perfect.

I Found God today explaining my moment yesterday.

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Cellular Sacred Moment

Posted by eph21920 on July 22, 2019 in Connected, Faith, Friends, Prayer

I talked to a far away friend for quite a while today. I miss seeing her on a regular basis. It was so good to hear her voice and get caught up. She reminded me that when we were living and working in the same area, would we have our own little prayer sessions. So, before we hung up, we had our own little prayer session on the phone. We were able to connect spiritually, even though we are thousands of miles apart. It was a sacred moment.

I Found God today connecting spiritually with a far away friend.

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Puppy Love

Posted by eph21920 on July 21, 2019 in Answer, Death, Dog, Friends, Love, Struggles

A friend of mine loves her pets – especially her dogs. They are actually more than pets. They are companions. Unfortunately, a few weeks ago, her dog suddenly showed signs of being unwell. She took her to the emergency vet who kept her and did what they could to treat her. Shockingly, the next day the dog was gone. They figured she had a brain tumor. My friend was devastated. I saw her last week and it was all she could do to show up for dinner with friends. My heart ached for her. Before the tragedy, she had already decided that her next dog would be a male black German Shepard. She had communications with a breeder she knew. The breeder had a litter of puppies including 1 black male that was almost 8 weeks old. My friend picked up the puppy a couple of days ago and shared pictures. I was fortunate enough to stop in for a short visit today and meet the adorable pup. He gave me lots of puppy kisses with his puppy breath. He was clearly in love with my friend. He followed her everywhere and slept on her feet. He is even already learning a few commands. My friend said she knows the puppy is a gift from God. I agree. It was good to see her smiling again.

I Found God today in my friend’s joy from her new puppy.

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Apollo 11 Anniversary

Posted by eph21920 on July 20, 2019 in Connected, Creation, Family, Knowledge, Life, Past, Teacher, Weather

Today is the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Mission when the first men walked on the moon. It is also my grandson’s 12th birthday. We decided to celebrate both. My mom thought it was a good idea to visit our local Space Discover Center to find space things to send my grandson. We went the other day and found a t-shirt, some “Lunar Landing Thinking Putty” that glows in the dark and has moon dust in it, and the ever popular astronaut ice cream. My dad has always been interested and involved in space. He even wrote a textbook called, “Introduction to Space”. I knew he had some interesting keepsakes and searched around until I found them. I discovered a book written about the Apollo missions. He would take the book with him when he traveled to different conferences. Inside the cover, there are about a dozen signatures of different Apollo astronauts – including Buzz Aldrin. I also found a flyer from one symposium that had the autographs of both Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins. My dad said the only time he saw Neil Armstrong was at a conference he attended in Russia. But the most exciting and important memento I found was a certificate made out to my dad recognizing the support he provided as a meteorologist in the Air Force during the Apollo 11 mission. I copied the certificate and some of the autographs and sent them along in the box to my grandson for his birthday. We video chatted yesterday so we could see him open the package. My son was perhaps more excited about the memorabilia than my grandson was. My dad explained to the family that when he was in the Air Force, his group was responsible for keeping an eye on the sun during the Apollo missions. They monitored the solar activity because if there would be a solar flare, it would have killed an astronaut walking on the moon. If that were to occur, they would need to warn the astronauts so they could take evasive action. Luckily, that never happened. To my dad, it was his job. To all of us, it was incredible that he was a part of this historical mission. Even my granddaughter chimed in with, “That’s amazing! I love it!”

I Found God today in remembering the accomplishment of humans and the role my dad played in that.

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