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Needy and Safety

Posted by eph21920 on December 9, 2015 in Faith, Homeless, Life, Stranger, Trust

This evening I drove my dad to a meeting that was held in the downtown area of the city. Since the meeting was about 2 hours long, I decided to stick around and do a little shopping. I hadn’t really explored downtown in many years. I drove slowly down one of the main streets and looked from side to side to see what kind of interesting shops there were. What I saw was restaurant after restaurant. I took another street and found banks and businesses. There actually was a store or two intermingled. There were also several places where groups of people were just hanging out. I decided to head to another vicinity to see if I could find what I was looking for. At dinner, my mom and dad told me about the problem the downtown area is having with homeless people. We talked about how people are homeless for different reasons – addiction, mental illness, by choice, by chance, etc. And we talked about the difficulty of trying to give assistance to so many for so long. I thought about all the times I was approached by people looking for help while I was working for a church. I found myself alone quite a bit on the weekends and evenings – setting up for events, cleaning up after events and such. For some reason, this is when people would come around. I encountered people who were young, old, of different nationalities, men, women, singles and families. I learned many things through these chance meetings. I learned not to pass judgment on people. I expanded my understanding of the human condition. I realized that everyone has a history that I don’t know about and some of that is reflected in the few minutes they are in front of me. I found that while many people may just be looking for a handout or trying to take advantage, many others truly need help. I learned to be cautious and aware of my surroundings, but to not live in fear. There were many occasions where there was a potential for bad things to happen, but they did not. Ultimately, I learned that I can do the best I can to help others and be safe, but to trust that God has the situation and my well being in His control.

I Found God today by appreciating what I have learned about people in need and being grateful for the safety He provides.

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Open the Doors

Posted by eph21920 on December 8, 2015 in Faith, Forgiveness, Grace, Mercy, Pope

Today I learned about how Pope Francis opened the holy doors at St. Peter’s Basilica signifying the beginning of an Extraordinary Holy Year of Mercy. The purpose is to encourage the church to focus on mercy – to offer forgiveness and welcome all to encounter the incredible love God has for them. But then, it goes further. Pope Francis also urges the faithful to go out to the world and show mercy to one another. It seems that once again, the pope is right on track. The timing for this much needed reminder of God’s grace and our responsibility to share it is impeccable. Just reading the words of the pope is energizing. Here are some of my favorite quotes by him for the day.

“To enter through the Holy Door means to rediscover the deepness of the mercy of the Father who welcomes all and goes out to meet everyone personally.”

“We have to put mercy before judgment, and in every case God’s judgment will always be in the light of his mercy.”

“Let us abandon all fear and dread, for these do not befit men and women who are loved. Instead, let us live the joy of encounter with the grace that transforms all.”

I Found God today in encouraging actions and words by Pope Francis.

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A Child’s Faith

Posted by eph21920 on December 7, 2015 in Children, Death, Faith

A friend reached out for prayers for her daughter, son-in-law, and their 2 little girls as they were traveling to visit family. On their way, they were told that a very close uncle had passed away. Evidently he was a very faithful man and shared his love of God with those around him. He had also made a very close connection with the 3 year old little girl. Of course, the mom and dad were very sad to hear the news and were crying. The little girl did not understand why mommy and daddy were crying, so they explained that her beloved uncle went to heaven. The child was so happy for him because her uncle loves Jesus and now he can be with him. Out of the mouths of babes for sure.

I Found God today in the beautiful, innocent, trusting faith that was passed along.

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A Sacrifice

Posted by eph21920 on December 6, 2015 in Faith, Family, Sacrifice

Today at Mass, there were two little girls making their first Holy Communion. Typically, children learn about the Sacrament during the school year then receive their first Communion in the Spring, so this was an unusual time. The priest introduced the girls who were twin sisters. He explained that their father is to be deployed and leaving this week. The mother will be moving to another state with the children so she can be near her family while her husband is away. She will also be giving birth to another child during that time. I thought about two things. The first is how important faith was to this family that they made it a point to celebrate the children receiving Holy Communion in their family faith community while their father was with them. The second is what a sacrifice this family is making. Of course there are thousands of other families who are also making such sacrifices. While the general public debate issues and do their best to go about their lives without fear, this family – and so many others – must live not knowing when they will see their loved one again. And they do this not for themselves, but for the safety and good of others – for us. I realize it happens all around me, but it became a little more evident today.

I Found God today in a reminder of the sacrifice that military families volunteer to make for the good and safety of others.

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Posted by eph21920 on December 5, 2015 in Angel, Connected, Family, Friends, Grateful, Relationship

My sister makes an amazing coffee toffee. She came over for the weekend so together we could make large quantities of the candy for friends and family. I had never done it before, so she gave me jobs and taught me along the way. Of course, she has it all down to a science and I was in awe watching her as she got everything prepared and put together. At one point we took a little break and went to a craft fair where a friend of mine had a booth. I was so glad that my mom felt good enough to come along. We saw lots of crafty things and found my friend who made the most beautiful angel ornaments. The fair was actually at the high school that I attended. It was strange to walk around in there. Some things I remembered, some I did not. It did seem like a much bigger place when I went there. Later in the evening while we continued our candy making mission, the movie, “It’s a Wonderful Life” came on so we put it on the TV in the kitchen. Believe it or not, this was the first time I have ever seen it. It really was as good as everyone told me over and over again. Even though it was filmed before I was born, it was still very relevant. It is strange how things can change so much, yet the core of our human condition remains the same. I thought about the message of the movie and what a difference people make in the world without even realizing it. My sister and I have been best friends forever. My friend at the craft fair has been a huge part of my life for about 30 years. The relationship I have had with these two people alone has had such an impact on my life. They have helped to make me who I am. And so it is for the other friendships that I have and countless others who I may have only minimal contact with. I am grateful for them all. We cannot underestimate the influence we have on the people around us.

I Found God today in the impact of relationships in my life.

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What Good is Prayer

Posted by eph21920 on December 4, 2015 in Faith, Prayer, Tragedy

Like most people, I have been listening to the news about the shooting in California and taking in all the personal comments that have followed. One particular magazine cover I saw read, “God Isn’t Fixing This”. The article itself was berating particular presidential candidates for sending prayers to the victims and families but not taking any action towards stopping the violence. In this case it was promoting gun control. Of course, there were many arguments that followed by both the pro and con group. I thought a lot about the statement. What about me? I like to think of myself as a prayerful person. But is there something more I can and/or should be doing? I am just an ordinary person trying to get through my own set of events each day. I was happy that today I was able to attend Mass. The priest helped to put things in prospective for me. He said that we can all complain about a certain group of people or attack another’s ideology, but the problems run much deeper than these. And as a society, we seem to be doing our best to keep God out of it. So we are ending up in the classic battle of good vs. evil. What good do our prayers do? They don’t change God – he is unchanging. We can’t talk Him into doing what we want. But if we will cooperate, they can change who we are. We can allow God to give us the courage, wisdom, and faith to overcome our fears and the obstacles we face. This looks different for each individual and can change over time. But each one of us can always do more. For me, for now, that means being more committed to prayer, to speaking to God and listening to Him, and to try to be a positive, loving influence on those around me. At this point in my life I may not be able to change laws or rally for a specific cause, but prayer is the thing I can do. And I have faith that it does make a difference. I also have faith that God and good will reign in the end.

I Found God today in prayer.

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Embrace the Day

Posted by eph21920 on December 3, 2015 in Children, Connected, Family, Life, Present

Today I talked to my daughter-in-law and got caught up on the family happenings. I called back a little later and my grandson answered as his mom was driving. He filled me in on his upcoming birthday plans which of course he is very excited for. He told me about Thanksgiving and how different it was since there were fewer people in attendance than usual. We talked about how things change over the years, but there are still fun celebrations. When my other son and I were there, we had a tradition of playing Monopoly. The players included some of the adults, my older grandson, and the younger kids “helping” one of the adults. Evidently this year, the kids all played and my younger grandson won the game. It was then his turn to talk on the phone and he told me all about it. He was so excited about it that he took a picture of his winnings. He sent me the picture so I could also revel in his glory. I thought about how different Thanksgiving was for me too and how much I enjoyed getting together with my son’s in-laws. I thought about my own words to my grandson – things do change as the years go on, but that doesn’t make them less meaningful. A quote came to mind, “Grow where you are planted.” I don’t even know where I heard it, but it came during a time when I was struggling trying to figure out what my life had in store for me. I took it to heart and tried to stop worrying about the future and live each day to the fullest.

I Found God today in connecting with family and a reminder to embrace each day.

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Late For Advent

Posted by eph21920 on December 2, 2015 in Advent, Grace, Patience, Trust

Sunday was the first day of Advent. I started getting Advent reflections in my email but the past few days have been so hectic, I haven’t even been looking at them. I was already feeling guilty for not starting right away and now being late. Today it was time to get back on track. The reflection was a quote by St. Francis of Assisi, “Start by doing what’s necessary, then do what’s possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible.” That is just what I needed to hear. It is so easy for me to get overwhelmed. Christmas coming up can add more stress and anxiety. I think about the things that need to be done. I think about the things that I want to do. I think about my parent’s health. I try to be faithful in prayer and action, but often fall short of my own expectations. But as I pondered these words, I thought about the events that have occurred over just one year. I never thought I would be able to handle the things that have happened – but I have learned so much and grown so much. Some days I did have to focus only on doing the next thing that was in front of me. As my parents and I have worked through the year, it is clear that God’s presence has been with us every step of the way. It has helped me to grow in faith, patience, and love. I will continue trying to take each day as it comes, do my part, and leave the rest to God.

You can find today’s full reflection including a personal story and prayer along with info on how to sign up here:  Dynamic Catholic Advent

I Found God today in a reminder that I should do my part each day and leave the rest to God.

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Football, Family, and Faithfulness

Posted by eph21920 on December 1, 2015 in Answer, Faith, Family, Fun, Grateful, Opportunity

The past few days have been a whirlwind – but in a good way.

At the beginning of the year, my son said he really wanted to go to a specific football game. I put it off as it would be an expensive and hectic venture, but it lingered in the back of my head. Over the summer it became clear that it was not going to be possible for me to fly out to visit him as I thought I would. I knew this would be a once in a lifetime opportunity, so decided to spring for tickets and took him and my nephew to the big game on Sunday. We got to the stadium very early so we would not have to walk so far and got a great parking spot. We still had a while before we could actually get in, so we walked around and took in the tailgating and festivities. We also got to see some of the players as they arrived. Once the gates opened, we made our way to our seats and were thrilled at their location. It was very cold, so we were all bundled up along with the rest of the fans. I was glad we were well prepared and had some hand and toe warmers along with all the extra clothing. Then it started snowing just as the game kicked off. Luckily, our seats were just under an overhang, so at least we were shielded. The game was so exciting. And it happened that all the scores our team made were down at the end we were sitting near, even when they made the game winning score in overtime. They were not expected to win, so that made it even more exciting. The crowd roared and cheered well after the game, all the way to the parking lots. We had such a great time. I was just so grateful that all around it was really the best case scenario.

After the game, we went to my sister’s house to drop off my nephew. My son was flying back to college first thing the next morning, so the plan was to stay the night at my sister’s and head to the airport very early. However, the roads were already bad due to the snow and my sister said they were expecting it to be worse in the morning. We decided to go ahead and get to the airport that night and stayed in a hotel there. My son only got a couple of hours sleep, but he was at the terminal with no worries. His flight was not even delayed, which surprised me, and he made it back with no problems. After my son left, I went back to the room to get a couple more hours of sleep before I headed home. The drive was longer than usual and the roads were sloppy, but it was not too bad. I was so grateful for safe travels during that whole day.

My was so grateful that my sister stayed with my parents while my son, nephew, and I experienced our big adventure. My mom had a doctor’s appointment mid morning and I intended on being back to take her. When it was obvious that I would not make it on time, my sister said she would. I did actually meet them at the doctor’s office just as the neurologist and my mom were talking, so I was happy about that. The doctor said she would get my mom set up with physical therapy to help her recover some of her strength as she has been struggling since her stroke. Later in the afternoon, both my parents had an appointment with the heart doctor. Due to some unusual circumstances, at first the appointments were cancelled and rescheduled for the end of the month. I was really hoping that they would not have to wait so long to see him. Then, the office called back and asked if they could come in right away, which we did. The doctor’s time was freed up because of the unusual circumstances, so he spent almost an hour talking with my parents and explaining things. He was able to help us better understand some of the symptoms and feelings that my parents have been experiencing. And he had some suggestions that they will try to see if it makes a difference in their overall wellness. We were all very grateful for the time spent by the doctor and all that we learned.

I knew it was going to be a very hectic few days. I knew travelling in the winter is always unpredictable. I knew it would be a tiring day of doctor’s appointments. I prayed long and hard that everything would work out and it did.

I Found God today in His faithfulness and help to get through some crazy days.

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A New Phone

Posted by eph21920 on November 28, 2015 in Answer, Family, Grateful

I was happy to take my son’s old phone when he upgraded to a new one. At the time, I was using a phone that had the slide out keyboard. The thing I liked most about the new phone was the ability to take pictures. I love taking pictures and this phone was the next best thing to having a good quality camera. He gave it to me 4 years ago. The phone and camera have worked very well until recently everything started slowing way down. I knew it was time to get a new one, but have been putting it off as I don’t look forward to learning how to use a new device. I was glad that my son was willing and able to help with the process. We went out yesterday to a couple places in the crazy Black Friday madness. We looked at what was available and talked to the sales people about my options. But we ended up going home so I could just think about what I wanted to do. We went back to the phone store today after I woke up with a decision. The reps there were all very nice and helpful and got me all taken care of. My son is now spending time with me to teach me as much as I can take in before he goes back to school. I am so glad he was here to help.

I Found God today in getting the help I needed from my son.

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