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A Gentle Father

Posted by eph21920 on March 6, 2016 in Life, Love, Relationship

When you go to church, it can seem as if there is “assigned seating”. Everyone gravitates to the same spot week after week. It is the same for me and my parents. We sit in the back area, deemed the “handicapped” areas. It is just inside the entrance, so you don’t have to walk far. There are chairs instead of pews, which is more comfortable for my mom. And they have people bring Communion back to those who have difficulty walking to the front when it is time. Of course, we find that the same people usually sit in the same area as well. There is one family that consists of 4 generations – though not all attend every week. One young woman and her husband have 2 children and just had a baby a few weeks ago. Quite a while back, I realized that the mother only has one arm. She typically wears a sweater draped over her shoulder so it is not too obvious. The family and kids are usually sitting behind us. Today the section was pretty full when we arrived, so we sat a couple rows further back – behind the family. I have always admired the care that the husband shows to his wife and kids. Sitting behind them, this showed through even more. I tried to focus on what was happening on the altar, but caught glimpses of his loving touch every now and again. He carefully folded the blanket for the baby and helped his wife wrap him up while she held him. At one point the matriarch of the family – she would be the great-grandmother of the infant – took the little one so she could have her turn. The dad gentle guided and corrected the kids during Mass and quick glances at his wife showed her approval. As the celebration came to a close, he gently took the baby and got him ready to go. To me, it was just beautiful to see a husband and father who was so lovingly attentive to his family.

I Found God today in a wonderful example of a husband and father.

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Power of Prayer

Posted by eph21920 on March 5, 2016 in Answer, Faith, Food, Lent, Prayer, Youth

Tonight I talked with a friend who told me a story of how a group of kids learned about the power of prayer. Every year the youth group participates in a 30-hour Fast during Lent. They have nothing but bread and water for 30 hours and at the same time raise money for the local food pantry. It incorporates Lenten practices, hunger awareness, social justice, and prayer all together. The group meets in the church and stays overnight in the facilities. During the evening, they participate in activities and prayer. My friend had made them some bread to help keep up their strength and stay within the Fast. She made her way over to the church to deliver it. When she met up with the group, the leader said that they had just finished praying for some bread – and then she showed up with some. What a great lesson.

I Found God today in a lesson on the power of prayer.

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Processions

Posted by eph21920 on March 4, 2016 in Faith, Joy

I felt blessed that my parents and I were able to go to Mass this afternoon. It was a good thing to do especially on the first Friday of the month during Lent. The priest talked about how when God is part of our lives, we have such joy that we want to share that with others. He said that a few weeks ago, he was in Mexico for a conference. To wrap up the event, the group had a procession in the small town that hosted them. It was a typical Catholic procession as they said prayers and sang along the way. The priest said that people driving by would honk and/or wave. People along the path would talk with them and some would even join in the journey. He shared how great it was to celebrate the faith in such a public way. I was reminded of the processions that I participated in with my previous parish. There were 3 churches that made up the parish and we would walk from one church to the other via the downtown area. We received different reactions, but when people talked to others that were watching, you could see the joy spreading. Processing down main street was somewhat out of my comfort zone, but it was a powerful way to share the faith.

I Found God today in a way of publicly acknowledging and sharing the joy of knowing Him.

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Great Trust

Posted by eph21920 on March 3, 2016 in Faith, Healing, Trust

Yesterday I went to a pool therapy session. One of the participants was a middle aged blind man. He was brought by his mother who helped him find the changing room and get all set. Then she helped him find his way around the pool to a chair to await the instructor. Once he was comfortable, she left. He had been in the class before and knew the instructor. She helped to guide him into the pool and reminded him of where the grab bars, seats, and deep end were. As she talked through the exercises, she would physically correct him when necessary. She gave him gentle verbal nudges when he was too close to someone or something. He was very responsive, apologetic, and polite. When the session was over, he waited for everyone else to get out of the pool before him. His mother came back and guided him back along the narrow edge of the pool explaining everything as they went. As I have been reading more about trusting in God, I thought about this man. He has to put his trust in other people practically every minute of the day. Yes, I am sure he trusts himself to some extent as he navigates with his cane. I cannot imagine going to new places and being in new situations without relying on my vision to assess what is going on. But, this is how we should be trusting in the God who created us and watches over us. We cannot always see everything that is involved in any situation. Our focus can be so narrow and so selfish. I want to trust that God is putting things in place for the greater good of me, my loved ones, and those around me – even if I don’t see it or understand it. He truly is there, walking along side me, guiding me.

I Found God today in a very trusting man.

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Airport Driver

Posted by eph21920 on March 2, 2016 in Humor, Travel, Trust

Tonight was the weekly “retreat” that I have been going to. The topic for the evening was trusting in God. It is necessary for our spiritual growth, but isn’t always easy to do. I seem to go back and forth. Sometimes I hang on to whatever control I might have and other times I can more easily follow God’s lead. A woman in the group shared a funny experience she had. She took a trip recently to be with a family member who was in the hospital. She said she doesn’t really like to travel and trusted God to get her there safely. When her flight arrived in the city, she was hurried along in the taxi line and thrust into a cab. She felt uneasy, but trusted God. When she looked at her phone for the name of the hospital, she found a text from her family member saying a friend would be there to pick her up. The cab had only gone a few feet before he had to stop and let her out. She spoke to the friend on the phone and described where she was and what she was wearing so he could find her. In a couple of minutes, a car drove up, stopped, picked up her luggage and she got in after the seat was cleared of debris. As they started to drive off, it occurred to her that she should verify she was with the right person. She was not. One more time, she got out of the car and waited for the correct driver. The next time someone pulled up, she made sure it was the person she was supposed to go with before she got in. At each step of the way, she trusted that God would get her safely to her destination, and after a couple of possible mishaps, He did just that.

I Found God in a funny illustration of trusting God.

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Family Reconnected

Posted by eph21920 on March 1, 2016 in Connected, Family

My travelling brother made his way south to our cousin’s house where he met up with our aunt who is also visiting there. She had some problems with her i-pad and was hoping that my brother would be able to help her with it. Evidently it took him a few taps here and there and they were able to give us a Facetime call. It was fun to see them all together. It has been a few years since my brother saw our aunt and several more since he saw our cousin. But they all were talking like old friends. That’s the beauty of family.

I Found God today as my brother reconnected with extended family.

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Kids Are Kids

Posted by eph21920 on February 28, 2016 in Begin, Children, Connected, Family, Food, Life

I was nervous today going into a new group of people beginning a new ministry at the church. Some teens and young adults who are in foster homes met with a group of adults such as myself to make a big spaghetti supper for their families. This was the first time the organization had planned such an event. The goal is not only to get the kids together and perhaps learn something about cooking, but also to possibly make connections with other adults who can help them launch into the next phase of their young adult life. I learned that most of these kids really struggle at this point and many end up homeless. I just don’t think it is right that they had difficult situations growing up not by their own choice and because of that, have trouble just surviving. Because this was the pilot program and first time tried, none of us knew what to expect. Yesterday I received step by step directions for each “team” to prepare the meal. It was all very well planned out and organized. The kids and the adults were divided into teams and assigned a part of the meal to prepare. The sauce recipe we used was the pastor’s mother’s, so there was only a little pressure. There were a lot of people in the kitchen and a lot of chatter going on – but good chatter. The kids had all different interests and many were eager to talk about them. They brought a certain energy that only teens can offer. It seemed so familiar as youth ministry to me and I became very comfortable and enjoyed the interaction. Although things took longer than anticipated, the meal all came together at the end and was delicious. Each person had played their small part and reaped the benefit of their teamwork. The families who came to join were as diverse as the youth themselves. One family consisted of a mom, a dad, and 9 kids who ran the gamut of races and colors. But that didn’t seem to matter to any of them as they interacted like a natural, loving family. It was a thing of beauty. I realized that kids are kids and at the heart of it all is the same thing for each one of us – we long for and need unconditional love, acceptance, someone to trust, and to be able to contribute to the world around us.

I Found God today in teens on their journey, caring and generous adults, and loving families.

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Uplifting Words

Posted by eph21920 on February 27, 2016 in Grateful, Shopping, Stranger

I decided to hit the grocery store bright and early this morning to get it accomplished so I could enjoy the beautiful day. The employees at the supermarket are all very friendly and helpful, which makes for a pleasant experience. Once I had unloaded all my items onto the conveyor, the chatting began with the usual “How are you today?” We talked about the wonderful weather forecast for the day and looking forward to enjoying it. The young man bagging my groceries said that there was air in his lungs today, so he was very blessed. I have seen him before and he always has a smile on his face, a positive attitude and words of encouragement. It was a very uplifting way to begin the day. And I did enjoy the beautiful day by driving up in the mountains.

I Found God today in a young man’s positive attitude.

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The Shopping Spree

Posted by eph21920 on February 26, 2016 in Family, Happiness, Shopping

My mom lost a lot of weight when she started getting very ill a couple of years ago. Since then, she has been wearing clothes that are too big, but she hasn’t had the energy or stamina to go clothes shopping. It is just too much to walk around a store, find a style she likes in the right size, and try things on. During the past year my sisters and I have bought clothes for her, doing our best to guess at the correct sizes and styles. Some of them worked, most of them didn’t. I tried to take mental note of what the problems were and what would fit properly. Today I went to a store and found racks of clearance clothing. I decided to try again and sorted through the items. I picked out a couple of things that looked good and brought them home. As usual, some of the clothes fit and some didn’t. I wanted to exchange the incorrect items right away and asked my mom if she wanted to come and pick things out for herself. I had already been through the store and knew exactly where to find the different pants and tops. She did want to go, so we made our way back. I showed her where I found the sizes and styles that I thought would work best. It was much easier to make the decisions when she was there, and more enjoyable too. She even found a jacket that she has been wanting for quite some time. It was a short enough trip so my mom didn’t get exhausted or overwhelmed. When we got home, she gave my dad a fashion show. I was so happy that she was able to have a productive shopping spree.

I Found God today in an enjoyable outing with my mom.

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The Beginning of Virtues

Posted by eph21920 on February 25, 2016 in Answer, Begin, Family, Life

My parents and I were talking this morning as my dad was struggling with his hearing aids. My mom remembered her grandfather who lived with her family for the last few years of his life. He was mostly deaf and did not understand English. So, when someone wanted to make sure he heard them, they had to yell in German. He didn’t have the luxury of hearing aids. My mom said she often thinks of him and how hard it must have been for him. The majority of the time he did not know what was going on around him. My mom talked about the home he lived in when he came from Germany. It was a large home across from a lighthouse. There were several relatives who live in the house – most of the time more than one family. The conversation gave me additional insight into my mom and how her compassion, empathy, generosity, and thriftiness were nurtured when she was young.

I Found God today in new insight into some of my mom’s virtues.

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