It has been very rainy here for the past few days. When my mom and I went out this morning, we could see the mountains and the colors were much deeper. My mom said it was like the landscape had a shower and washed the dirt away – like everything got a new coat of paint. I liked that analogy.
I Found God today in a freshly painted scenery.
We have been trying to get together with our newest neighbors for quite some time now. Finally today my mom and I went over to their house for lunch. The husband’s sister was visiting, so we got to meet her too. She was about the same age as my mom. Before we ate, the husband led us in prayer. It felt very comfortable and natural all around. We chatted about all kinds of things and just enjoyed the food, the company, and getting to know our neighbors a little better.
I Found God today getting to know people better.
This morning, my mom read the daily meditation from the “Jesus Always” book by Sarah Young. The reflection recognized that we are typically better at praying and asking God for help when times are tough. It suggested talking with God when we feel like we are super busy, or before we start our every day tasks. Instead of just jumping into things, we should stop, take a few deep breaths, say the name of Jesus, and ask His guidance. My mom and I tried it before we got up from breakfast. I felt very peaceful and energetic at the same time. I thought it was a great way to begin the day. My mom said she even thought about it a couple of times during the day.
I Found God today asking His guidance to begin my day.
Yesterday on social media, I saw a quote, “Never be a prisoner of your past, it was just a lesson, not a life sentence.” This really struck me as there are many times when my mind wanders to my past – the mistakes I have made, hurtful things I have said and done. Then I have to consciously bring my attention back to the present. Today I read another quote, “The past is not meant to be forgotten. The past exists as a lesson to learn from.” Interesting. Perhaps the next time my mind goes down that road of regrets, I can forgive myself, be grateful for the lessons learned and do my best not to repeat them.
I Found God today pondering words of wisdom.
Last night I met with a “small church community” for the second time. One of the couples gave us an update on their daughter who was in a terrible car accident. They said that there were blessings surrounding the whole event. The person who collided with her was drunk at 8:30 in the morning. The car had already hit two other people, had crossed over the center line and hit the daughter head on. She was trapped in the car and had to be cut out of it to be rescued. Those who saw the vehicle said that they were surprised she survived. She was immediately taken to the trauma center and evaluated. She had no internal injuries, no head, brain, or back injuries. She suffered some facial lacerations and broken bones in her legs. The hospital she was sent to is one of the best orthopedic hospitals in the country, so they were very capable of performing the several complicated surgeries to restructure her legs. She will have a long recovery, but her mom said she is in very good spirits. Her mom told us that her daughter and her daughter’s husband had recently started going to Bible studies and digging deeper into their relationship with God. They said they felt that something was missing. Evidently thus far, they have been grateful and thanking God for all the good they have seen. Instead of shaking their fist at Him and asking “WHY?” they have been acknowledging the blessings.
I Found God today in a family realizing their blessings through tragedy.
Today my mom started her exercise classes. It was pretty challenging, but I thought she did a great job. As I sat watching her, I got to talking with a woman who was watching too. She and her husband were visiting from out of state and brought her father-in-law to the class. We talked about the disease and how it has affected our loved ones. We also discussed how different it can be from day to day and how a positive attitude makes such a difference. The fact that our parents were there meant that they were willing and committed to do what they can to be as healthy and mobile as possible. The woman told me that her children only knew her father-in-law with Parkinson’s – they did not know him before the disease took a hold of him. So she planned a story telling night. They were getting out the old photo albums and mementos, ordering some pizza, and gathering the children. Then her father-in-law was going to tell them stories of his life. She wanted to make sure that her children knew the other side of their grandfather that is no longer evident. She said the gentleman was hesitant at first, but then became excited as he got out the keepsakes and started looking things over. He was now looking forward to telling his stories. I thought that was such a wonderful idea.
I Found God today in a woman who is giving her children an opportunity to learn more about their grandfather.
Last night I received a note from a young woman who was in the youth group many years ago. She included her “testimony” of sorts that was very moving and encouraging to me. I am sharing it here.
“I’ve been somewhat off and on Catholic for the last seven or eight years, always praying and identifying as Catholic and attending Mass, but struggling at times with the rigidity of the faith. I’ve considered other “more liberal” Protestant denominations but have felt that I love Mary and the presence of Christ in the Eucharist too much to leave. In college, I grew close to a friend who was very devout in the faith and she taught me so much. I remember her mentioning that she could sense when there was a tabernacle nearby. It was beautiful to hear and I didn’t think I would ever be able to sense that. I’ve been participating in a Bible Study at work the last few months with a Protestant evangelical colleague. She’s respectful and kind but is not entirely believing of the aspects of the Catholic faith that I love so much. I feel that I’ve been able to teach her several things though, and I’m hesitant to back away from the friendship or Bible Study when it’s truly a learning environment for us both. I attended a Bible study at her church this past week and felt so strongly that something was missing, that there wasn’t the fullness there that I’d grown accustomed to in my own Church. I’ve been singing in the choir here at my church for the last year and find I often have to attend Mass a second time that week to truly pray, meditate, and receive the fullness of the service. Singing can distract! I attended Mass early the following morning after her church and immediately felt that I was home. I could feel the presence of the Eucharist in the church and it was so wonderful to be there again. This evening, the Immaculate Heart of Mary Statue of Our Lady of Fatima visited my church, and it was such a beautiful experience. I felt even more of the love and light that I’ve felt with the Eucharist recently. I’m so happy to be Catholic and be part of this church, and just wanted to share that with you.”
I Found God today in the faith story of a young woman.
My mom, dad, and I went to a picnic today hosted by the Parkinson’s support group in the area. It was held in a park that we used to visit often. In past years, the place went through a rough period, but had renovations. We drove through the park on the way out and saw that it was in pretty good condition. It has always been a little get-away in the middle of the hustle and bustle of the city. There is hiking trails that go through the woods and rocks. And there was still a horse stable that has been there for years. On the way home, we drove by another park that was in the process of being built. It is very close to the house, so we have been monitoring the progress. Today was the grand opening. We drove through the park of walking trails, kid’s playgrounds and fountains, and sports fields. It was a different kind of park and beautiful in a different way. We are hoping there will be some events that we will be able to go to since it is so close. It was nice to drive through and enjoy park areas of old and new.
I Found God today in parks in the city.
For my mom’s birthday, my brother bought her a monthly delivery of goodies. Each package contains cookies, snacks, sweets, or fruits. This evening, my mom and I were trying to decide what kind of salad to make and bring for a picnic we are going to tomorrow. As my mom was pouring through recipe books, my dad returned from the mail box with the monthly delivery. This package included a box of plums, a box of nectarines, and a box of peaches. The plums and nectarines were not yet ripe, but the peaches were perfect. That made our decision. We will be sharing our delicious fresh peaches at the picnic. It was perfect timing.
I Found God today in a perfectly timed answer.
Today I took my mom to a Parkinson’s exercise class to see if it would be a good match for her. I sat in the little waiting area and watched as she did the stretches and movements. The people teaching the class and helping were super nice, patient, and attentive. There was another person sitting in the waiting area as well and we got to talking. He grew up in the city and stayed working there for a few years after college. Then he moved to another state with more opportunities. He was here visiting and had taken his dad to the class. He graduated from high school 2 years after I did. The city was much smaller at that time. We talked all about high school rivalries and our perception of the local colleges. We remembered places we used to visit and what they were like at that time. And we talked about the many changes to our once small city and what it is like to come back after a few years. It was really entertaining talking with him like we knew each other.
I Found God today having an enjoyable conversation with someone I just met.
Still Finding God 