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Expectant Moms

Posted by eph21920 on January 15, 2018 in Baby, Creation, Life, Love

Today my parents went to pick up a new hearing aid and have the old ones adjusted. They have been going to this particular audiologist for many years. She had a baby a little over a year ago and is pregnant again. This time, she is carrying twins. She said it was completely unexpected and doesn’t run in their families. She laughed – a little – about how she is growing twice as fast as she did in her first pregnancy. In the afternoon I went to my hairdresser. She is also pregnant and will be delivering in about 6 weeks. She told me about how she gave up coffee at the very beginning as caffeine is not supposed to be good for the baby. She talked about her regular doctor’s appointments and the things she is doing to take good care of her and the daughter she is carrying. She told me about her Christmas with her nephews and how wonderful it will be next year for her and her husband to experience it with their daughter. I thought about the 3 little humans that these women are carrying and how loving it is to be an expectant mom.

I Found God today in expectant moms.

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Rock Johnson

Posted by eph21920 on January 14, 2018 in Humor, Priest

We saw the new movie, “Jumanji” on Friday and talked with my sisters about it yesterday. There was a lot of discussion about the amazing Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. Today, my son shared with me something that his priest said in church today. Jesus called Peter to lead his church. His name is translated “Rock”. Peter was the son of John. Therefore, our first pope was, “Rock Johnson”. I thought that was hysterical.

I Found God today in a humorous priest.

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Super Support Group

Posted by eph21920 on January 13, 2018 in Answer, Grateful, Knowledge, Life, Struggles

Today my mom and I went to the monthly Parkinson’s support group. This month, we broke into 2 groups – the Parkinsonians and the caregivers. Many of the caregivers talked about what a blessing the group has been to them and their loved ones. There is so much information and wisdom that is shared. Everyone truly cares about one another and about helping each other. When a new person started tearing up because of the new diagnosis, she was met with hugs and empathy. When a woman who just lost her husband spoke, she was met with the same. When someone talked about a struggle they were having, others shared their same struggle and/or how they were dealing with it. There was another woman who lost her husband to Parkinson’s 2 years ago, but she still comes to the group as it is such a source of support for her. And she still has knowledge to share. My mom and I have learned so much from the group and I am sure it has helped bring improvement to her health. It was wonderful to spend part of the morning in the company of such loving, helpful people.

I Found God today in a group of loving, caring people.

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Movie Night

Posted by eph21920 on January 12, 2018 in Family, Fun, Grateful

My mom hasn’t been to a movie in a theater for years. Recently, she heard about the new “Jumanji” movie. She loves the old one with Robin Williams. Some people at her Parkinson’s exercise class and some older ladies I talked to saw it and thought it was pretty cute. We decided to go this afternoon with my dad and son. I was most concerned that it would be overwhelming for my mom – too loud, too exciting. She can get wound up watching football on TV. The theater had stadium seating with large, cushioned recliners, so it was super comfortable. My mom removed her hearing aids watching the previews because it was so loud. I glanced at her from time to time during the movie and heard her giggle every now and again. When the movie ended, she took a few seconds to get her feet under her, but was fine. She really enjoyed the movie and the experience.

I Found God today seeing my mom enjoy her movie night.

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Perfect Day

Posted by eph21920 on January 11, 2018 in Family, Grateful, Happiness, Life

We started our day with my dad at a doctor’s appointment that was very positive. The doctor said he was very pleased with how my dad is doing and encouraged him to stay on track. My dad and brothers have been trying to coordinate some computer issues, and after speaking with them both this morning, they all agreed and got it worked out. One of my brother’s has been pretty sick with the flu, but he sounded much better on the phone today. We had a couple of issues with both of the cars, but got them all resolved and even had no charge at the shop today. I got some other things accomplished for my dad as well today. It is wonderful to have a day where things just go favorably. At one point, my dad said, “Well, this is just a perfect day.”

I Found God today as things just went well.

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Crazy Medical Costs

Posted by eph21920 on January 10, 2018 in Answer, Doctor, Generosity

I had dinner with some friends tonight. We always have a good time with interesting conversation. Tonight we got on the topic of overpriced medical care. One of my friends’ mom has been having problems with her vision for a couple of years now and has been getting a shot in her eye every month. Little has changed during that time, so they want to try something different. This new medication cost $2000 for each injection. She is supposed to have one a month for three months in a row. Her insurance would pay for part of the cost, but would leave her with hundreds of dollars every month. The woman lives on a fixed income of social security and cannot make that kind of payment. She spoke with her doctor’s office and told them she would be unable to try the new treatment. The doctor’s office made some phone calls and connected her with an organization that would help pay for the injections. She will now only be responsible for $5 per shot. That was great news. We joked that for that much money, she should be able to see like Superman when she is done.

I Found God today in financial help for a woman who needs it.

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Back to Class

Posted by eph21920 on January 8, 2018 in Family, Healing

My mom has had a long 2-week break from here Parkinson’s exercise class. During that time, she did exercises at home just about every day including the exercise bike and the Wii. Today was the first day back to the class and my mom was wondering how difficult it would be for her. We usually are the last ones in and many times are a few minutes late. But today, my mom got up a little bit early and we were able to leave the house earlier. We were the first ones in the room – even before the teacher. As I watched the class exercise with the elastic bands, I wondered myself how my mom was doing. But, as usual, she surprised herself and me. She felt pretty good after the workout and had good energy for the rest of the day. I was proud of her especially for doing all the work at home to keep herself moving.

I Found God today in my mom’s stamina and determination.

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Live Like Magi

Posted by eph21920 on January 7, 2018 in Answer, Bible, Faith, Life, Plan, Pope

Today at church the priest spoke about the Gospel reading of the Epiphany and a homily by Pope Francis. It was a message that really spoke to my heart. There were 3 basic themes: Look up, take the journey, share your gifts. First, we know that our world is in a bad way and it is very easy to get sucked into the catastrophic media hype. This distracts us from the reality that there is goodness in the world and that God wants that good for us. We need to remember to look up, to see God, to focus on things that are loving and true. Then, we need to trust enough to take the journey of life. God has given us this one life and we should live it well. Once we find God, we can more easily realize the path He has set out for us. And that path is the one that will bring us the most fulfillment. He has also given each of us specific gifts and talents. When we share those with others, we are truly living God’s plan for our lives. I know I need to work on all of these things. I hope to remember to start at the beginning by looking up, remembering God is in control, and asking Him for what I need to live each day as I should.

I Found God today in a reminder to look up, take the journey, and share my gifts.

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Frozen Falls

Posted by eph21920 on January 6, 2018 in Creation, Family, Fun

The weather was very mild today, so my son and I took advantage of it and went for a short hike. It being winter, warmish, and very dry here, I wasn’t really expecting to see any outstanding scenery. We decided on a particular hike, but when we got to the trailhead, the parking lot was completely full. So we went on further. We stopped at another spot further up and took a trail that followed the stream and led to two waterfalls. I was very surprised to see that the waterfalls were frozen. Well, not completely frozen. There was a layer of ice on top and the water was flowing underneath. It was a beautiful sight. Had we taken the original trail, we would not have seen it.

I Found God today in beautiful nature.

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Homes of Love and Peace

Posted by eph21920 on January 5, 2018 in Faith, Home, Love, Peace, Saint

One of the reflections that I read today said, “More and more, make your homes places of love and peace,” quoted by St. Teresa of Calcutta. Those were exactly the words of encouragement that I needed. And that is what I need to strive to do more of.

I Found God today in needed words of encouragement.

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