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Quiet Prayer

Posted by eph21920 on December 30, 2015 in Answer, Grateful, Prayer

I was having a hard time thinking about what to blog tonight. So, I put on my new very soft warm pj’s that my sister gave me for Christmas, wrapped up in the prayer shawl my prayer group gave me when I moved, climbed into bed and turned on the electric blanket. I started praying and thanking God for my sister and family, for warm pj’s and a warm bed, and for the ladies in my prayer group. I prayed for their families and for those who are not as fortunate as I am to have warm things that I can so easily take for granted. I realized that is exactly where I found God today.

I Found God today in quiet prayer and being grateful for the blessings he gives me.

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Scouting Lessons Learned

Posted by eph21920 on December 29, 2015 in Children, Family, Hurt, Knowledge, Life

I heard a story on the news today of 3 boy scouts who were hiking in the woods with their leader and wanted to explore a cave. Unknown to them, there was a bear in the cave and when the leader went in, it attacked him. The 3 boy scouts called 911 to get help. They even thought of making a signal fire to help the rescuers find them. In the end, they were all rescued and the leader managed to escape with non life-threatening injuries. When I told my dad about the incident, he told me how the things learned in scouts stick with you. He recalled a story when he was a boy and jumped over a snow bank. He landed wrong and fell and broke his leg. He knew it was broken by the way it felt. A man came to help him and he told the man that he was pretty sure his leg was broken and that he needed to hold it straight to keep it in place. My dad held the leg as he was taken to the hospital. The doctors put a cast on the leg and there were no other complications. He remembered exactly what he should do because he learned it in scouts.

I Found God today in important life lessons learned and taught in scouting.

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A Joyful Stranger

Posted by eph21920 on December 28, 2015 in Joy, Stranger, Uncategorized

I had a package to mail today so I went to the local UPS store. Luckily, when I arrived, there was no one else there. As I was completing my business, another customer came in and was helped by another clerk at the other end of the counter. When I finished and turned around, there was a line of people to the door. The other customer turned around about the same time and was excusing himself as he made his way through the crowd that had formed. He was headed my direction so I stopped to let him go in front of me. He said excuse me again as he slipped by and then an I’m sorry. As we reached the door, he said he would get the door for me to make up for scooting in front of me. I said thank you and I appreciated it. He was a very joyful person and not impatient or just trying to get through his tasks. It made an impression on me and helped me to be joyful too.

I Found God today in a joyful, considerate stranger.

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To Be a Holy Family

Posted by eph21920 on December 27, 2015 in Bible, Family, Grateful, Life, Love

Today the Catholic Church celebrates the Feast of the Holy Family. The first Holy Family I think about is Joseph, Mary, and Jesus. That is a pretty high standard. But the deacon who talked about the scripture readings pointed out that each one of us have a responsibility and opportunity to be part of a holy family. It begins with how we treat one another. He referred to Colossians 3:12-15, “Brothers and sisters: Put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if one has a grievance against another; as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do. And over all these put on love, that is, the bond of perfection. And let the peace of Christ control your hearts, the peace into which you were also called in one body. And be thankful.” I thought about the people in my own immediate family. Like all families, we each have our own faults and failures. We have different opinions on things and don’t always agree. Individually we don’t always make the best choices or say the right things. We are in all different places with our faith, our financial status, and our life goals. But regardless of all this, I feel that we each strive to live by the guidance in the scripture in our own way. I know that no matter what, my family will always be supportive and compassionate. During the Christmas weekend, I reflected on how blessed I am to have a loving family in my life.

I Found God today in our striving to be a holy family.

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Priest Friends

Posted by eph21920 on December 26, 2015 in Faith, Friends, Priest

I have always had great respect for priests. In the most recent years through working in the church, I have come to know many priests and have learned so much from them. They are all different types of people, each with their own individual gifts, talents, and expertise in different areas. I have learned to try not to be judgmental and how to better serve those around me. And, of course, I have learned so much about God and faith. Even though there are differences in their personalities and opinions, they all have one common goal and that is to help other people come to know God. I have maintained friendships with several of the priests I have met and worked with. Today I received 2 Christmas cards in the mail – both were from priest friends. I also received an internet message from another priest friend. I felt very blessed that they would think of me.

I Found God today in hearing from some priest friends that I know and there will always be a special place in my heart for them.

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Christmas Joy

Posted by eph21920 on December 25, 2015 in Connected, Family, Friends, Joy

Merry Christmas! I spent the day as most people – exchanging messages of Christmas cheer on social media, sharing pictures with those far away, opening gifts and surprising people with theirs, and eating too much yummy food. I talked to my travelling brother. I read lots of wonderful Christmas messages and stories of many people helping others in need. I thought about all the priests and pastors who have spent so much time the last couple of days helping all the rest of us have a meaningful celebration and said a prayer for them. I believe what I enjoyed most was spending the time with my family. Both my parents were feeling well and were happy to see my sisters, brother, brother-in-law, and nephew.

I Found God today in celebrating Christmas and sharing joy with many people in many different ways.

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Surprise Healing, Charlie Brown

Posted by eph21920 on December 24, 2015 in Bible, Children, Faith, Family, Prayer

My brother was planning on coming here for Christmas, but he called yesterday and said he didn’t think he was going to be able to make it. He has a bad back, and it was acting up. When he was here last year, it got so bad, he ended up in the ER. Nobody wanted him to go through that again. But, we felt bad if he would not be able to spend Christmas with the family. After the phone call, I rallied the family and we prayed hard that he would wake up in the morning all better and be able to come. We included the intercession of Our Lady of Lourdes. I continued my prayers this morning, then checked in with him. He said his back was feeling much better and he was going to make the trip. He made it safe and sound and we got him set up with the most comfortable bedding. I am still praying that he continues to do well and everyone enjoys the visit.

My mom, dad, and I went to Christmas Mass this afternoon. We got there as early as we possibly could as it was the first service and we knew it would be full. I dropped my parents off at the door, found a parking spot and met them inside. They usually sit in the back in the chairs as it is comfortable for my mom and they bring Communion back to the people who have difficulty walking down to the front. However, when I got inside, I could see that most chairs were full and the rest appeared to be “saved”. My parents were making their way down the middle aisle of the church looking from side to side to find a seat with no luck. I turned around and looked back and saw 2 empty chairs in the front row of the back section. I went over and made sure they were in fact empty. I put my purse down on them quickly and retrieved my parents who were still searching. I found an empty spot myself not too far from them. Now that we were settled, I could turn my mind to the celebration. The children’s choir participated along with some adults, so the music was adorable and beautiful. I loved singing along with the basic Christmas songs. The priest started his homily by talking about Charlie Brown’s Christmas. He said he notice something this year that he had not before. When Linus takes the stage to recite the true meaning of Christmas, at the words, “Fear not,” Linus purposefully drops his security blanket. The wise priest drew the analogy that it can be a scary world that we live in right now and we can try to hold on to many things to handle that fear. However, if we let go of those things that give us false security, then we can hang on to God, who created us and loves us, and is our ultimate protector. Of course, when I got home, I had to look it up, and sure enough, Linus drops his blanket at the words, “Fear not,” then picks it up again when he is finished with the scripture. The priest said a lot of really great things, but this one stuck with me.

I Found God today in an unexpected healing of my brother and celebrating Christmas Mass.

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A Girl’s First Nutcracker

Posted by eph21920 on December 23, 2015 in Faith, Friends, Opportunity, Sacrifice

A friend’s daughter had the opportunity to participate in the Boston Ballet school. I remember when the mom talked about it, she wasn’t sure if it would be an overall good thing or not as it would be very hectic for the family, but they decided to go for it. The school soon got ready to audition for the infamous Nutcracker show. When I visited this summer, both the mom and the daughter said they would be happy if she got any part – a mouse or something – just to be part of a production like that would be amazing. Next thing I heard was that she was chosen for the part of Clara. Since then, I have seen many pictures of her getting ready and of friends at the shows. The daughter is just the most humble and sweet girl you can imagine. The mom – and the rest of the family – have made a huge commitment and sacrifice to help the little girl attain her dream. They have deep faith and prayed about what to do before they went forward in the direction they felt was the right one. Today I saw a beautiful article from Huffington Post. Give it a read!

I Found God today in an uplifting article written about a friend, her family, and her faith.

 

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A Pampering

Posted by eph21920 on December 22, 2015 in Grateful

Perhaps this sounds vain, but I have been struggling to like my hair for several years. It has changed – grays are coming in, texture is different – it just won’t do what it used to. So I have been struggling trying to find a hairstyle that I am happy with. I don’t feel like it is time for the basic older woman haircut, but I also feel that I am too old for a younger style. A few weeks ago I decided to go out on a limb and made an appointment with a new person in a new place. It was a great experience. Today was my second appointment with the stylist. The pampering started as soon as I walked in. The ladies greeted me at the front and offered something to drink and a warm damp cloth for my hands. I talked with the hairdresser about the cut – what I liked and what I thought could be trimmed. When she washed my hair, she gave the best massage even to my neck and temples. While the conditioner was in, she put a hot damp towel over my head for a while. Even the room was conducive to relaxation. It was away from the hustle and bustle of the hair cutting area. It was darkened and had soothing music on. It was so wonderful I could have stayed there for a very long time. We chatted a bit and she gave me additional styling tips. I think I am even enjoying the haircut. It was so nice to take a few minutes away and just pamper myself.

I Found God today in taking some time out for myself.

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Appreciating the Elderly

Posted by eph21920 on December 21, 2015 in Patience, Shopping

Today I went to the grocery store just to pick up a few things. I approached the busy check-outs and thought about using the do-it-yourself scanners but I had some produce and don’t really know how that works. The “Express” line looked short enough, so I stood in line. There was an elderly woman being helped and she was writing a check. Everyone around heard the clerk tell the woman the date and amount as she repeated it louder and clearer a couple of times. She was being very respectful and gentle as she helped the woman finish her purchase and gather her things together. Once she was finished, the cashier thanked the next person in line for being so patient. The woman responded by thanking the cashier instead. She said she was so happy to see someone treating the elderly woman with such respect. Once I made my purchase, I headed over to get a coffee. There was only one person working behind the counter. As she was getting my order, she told the man who was next that she would be with him shortly. Then she looked up and said, “Oh, hello!” in familiarity. The elderly gentleman said hello back and thanked her for remembering him. I thought these were beautiful examples of how we should treat others – especially the elderly.

I Found God today in several people who showed the utmost respect to others – particularly the elderly.

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