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Lessons on the Farm

Posted by eph21920 on January 25, 2019 in Creation, Food, Life

I talked with a woman today who said she was making a trip to the butcher this weekend. She explained that she lives on a farm and raises goats among other animals. She would be taking many of them to the butchers and getting back over 500 pounds of meat. I asked if she felt bad about taking them to slaughter. She said she did not. The male goats were raised specifically for that purpose and they were not particularly friendly. She has young sons who are learning the value of caring for the animals and providing for them so the animals will in turn provide for the family. They also had “pet” goats that would not be slaughtered that the children are responsible for. I thought about the lessons these children are learning, which are very different from most. Even though it may sound like a harsh reality, they are learning the importance of respecting nature, life, and providing for family.

I Found God today thinking about valuable life lessons on a farm.

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The Regular

Posted by eph21920 on January 24, 2019 in Connected, Relationship

As my dad and I were out and about today, we stopped at a coffee shop. There were the typical people there, a family with 2 small boys, a couple of people chatting, and a couple of others with their computers. Then an older man walked in. The barista greeted him by name. The man looked around for a bit, then approached the counter and said, “I guess I’ll just have my usual.” For some reason, this scene touched my heart. The young men behind the counter were so friendly and respectful to the gentleman. They knew him. I didn’t know being a regular was still a possibility as people come and go out of jobs so quickly. Anyways, it made me smile.

I Found God today in a friendly, knowing exchange.

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Prayer Reduces Stress

Posted by eph21920 on January 23, 2019 in Answer, Faith, Life, Prayer, Struggles

The reflection from Dynamic Catholic today was perfect:

“Connecting with God at moments of high stress induces divine power into a human situation. Prayer reduces stress and tension and also invites the Holy Spirit to increase self-control.”   Allen Hunt

I Found God today in a reminder how God intervenes with prayer.

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Ordinary Miracles

Posted by eph21920 on January 22, 2019 in Creation, Family, Life, Miracle

My mom and I were looking for a nice movie to watch tonight and came across “Charlotte’s Web”. I loved the book as a child and read it over and over again, so we watched it. The movie was cute with the talking animals and kept close to the story I remembered when I was a kid. But it surprised me that it was also thought-provoking as an adult. At one point, the mom of the little girl was concerned that her daughter was spending too much time with the animals. She was worried that the little girl had something to do with the words written in the spider web. So she had a conversation with the doctor who assured her that she was simply being a child. The woman asked the doctor if he thought the words in the web was a miracle. He talked about the miracle of the web itself and that spiders are able to create such a thing of beauty. They are not taught how to spin, it is just known and a part of their being. There were a couple of other times in the movie that made simple, yet profound statements that helped the viewer to have a deeper appreciation for the ordinary miracles all around us every day. I guess that was really the point of the story.

I Found God today in encouragement to see the ordinary miracles all around.

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Peaceful Presence

Posted by eph21920 on January 21, 2019 in Faith, Peace

I had my Bible class tonight at the church and due to an impending snowstorm, we finished up a little bit early. I took the opportunity to spend some time in the church itself. As I looked around at the sanctuary, the tabernacle, the altar, and other symbols, I realized so many connections to the Pentateuch that we have just completed reading. Then, I just sat. I prayed for a while, then did my best to quiet my mind and be aware of God’s presence there in that holy place. I enjoyed the peace and serenity of the moment.

I found God today in His peaceful presence.

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Inward Joy, Outward Expression

Posted by eph21920 on January 20, 2019 in Happiness, Joy

My sister came to Mass with us today. The parish was welcoming those who are coming into the church. The group consisted of people from young children to older adults. They were very serious as they recited their words. I’m sure they were nervous being up in front of everyone. As they processed out together, most of them still had on their serious face. However, one man was just beaming. My sister pointed him out and said how she loved his smile. He was in fact smiling from ear to ear. He was so joyful inside that it radiate in his expression. It made us smile probably others as well.

I Found God today in a beautiful expression of joy.

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Lives Connected

Posted by eph21920 on January 19, 2019 in Birthday, Connected, Friends, Grateful, Life

A friend of mine turned 70 years old the other day and her family threw her a “surprise” birthday party today. Evidently, she was tipped off and it wasn’t quite the surprise that everyone had hoped for, but she played along nicely. One of her friends made a beautiful mural of photos that showed her birthplace in Czechoslovakia, including the very home that she lived in as an infant. I have known her for years, but didn’t know much about her homeland. It was so interesting to hear her talk about the area and things that she remembered. It is amazing how people’s lives are so different and yet intertwined. I am grateful that we have crossed paths and reconnected.

I Found God today grateful for a woman in my life.

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Baby Sounds

Posted by eph21920 on January 18, 2019 in Baby, Friends, Joy, Life

Today I called a friend for her birthday. She was feeding her granddaughter who is just 3 months old. She has become the babysitter extraordinaire and loves it. We chatted for a while on speaker and when the baby was finished, my friend got her to make some sounds. The babbles and squeals were just too cute and so joyful.

I Found God today in the beautiful sounds of a new life.

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Well Timed Call

Posted by eph21920 on January 17, 2019 in Answer, Doctor, Faith, Family, Present

There were some concerns after my dad’s hospitalization and more tests to be done. I thought it would be a good idea to start praying a novena to Our Lady of Lourdes. My parents and I prayed the first one this morning after breakfast. My mom had a bottle of holy water from Lourdes, so we blessed ourselves with it.  As soon as I finished making the sign of the cross, the phone rang. It was my dad’s primary care physician’s office. The nurse just happened to have my name. She asked how my dad was doing and if I was able to make any follow up appointments. She answered questions and helped me get things sorted out. I made several additional phone calls during the day getting things in order. She phoned again in the afternoon and we had another long conversation. She was very encouraging and I was so happy to have her help. It reminded me that God is present, taking care of us along the way.

I Found God today in a well timed, helpful phone call that reminded me of God’s continuous presence.

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God’s Greater Plan

Posted by eph21920 on January 16, 2019 in Answer, Faith, Life, Plan, Trust

I read a beautiful thought that stayed with me today:

“Regardless of the best plan you can put together for yourself with the greatest of your imagination, God has something much greater planned. If only you will surrender.”

I Found God today in a reminder of the wonderful plan He has for our lives.

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