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DWTS – Stories of Suffering

Posted by eph21920 on April 6, 2015 in Jesus, New, Struggles, Tragedy

One of the things my mom and I enjoy is watching “Dancing With the Stars” together. Tonight the contestant’s dance was a representation of the most pivotal year of their life. Granted, a couple of them are pretty young and the most important year to them were those when they actually became stars. I understand. But, I would say most of the rest chose a time when a tragedy occurred. There is the millionaire from “Shark Tank” who talked about the time when his mother died. The football player talked about his broken relationship with his father – particularly after he disclosed that he is gay. The actress from “Three’s Company” dedicated her dance to a co-star who passed away. Another actress talked about her battle with low self esteem. The last dance was the soldier who lost an arm and a leg and succumbed to depression and alcohol. Why would people choose “tragedy” as a decisive moment in their life? Exactly because it was “decisive”. They each talked about the unbelievable pain they felt during the difficult time in their life. But then, they decided to work their way through the agony and found themselves in a much better place on the other side. They learned things about themselves and in effect started anew. I thought it was interesting that this came on the day after Easter. I think one of the big questions people struggle with is -“If there is a God, why is there so much suffering?” I ponder this as well. But when I take a look at what we just celebrated, it is clear that God allowed Jesus to suffer and die on the cross knowing that through those actions, His resurrection – and our redemption – were made real. But can my little suffering have any effect? I know for sure that when people come through a difficult time, they can walk with someone else who is suffering and offer compassion and understanding. We all go through pain and need a loving person by our side to help us make it through.

I Found God today in stories of suffering that resulted in new life.

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Because He Lives

Posted by eph21920 on April 5, 2015 in Eternity, Faith, Family, Food, Grateful, Jesus, Music

Easter Sunday – one of my favorite days of the year. I awoke with songs going through my head all about how Jesus Christ died so that each of us may have eternal life. I took my dog out early and saw an amazing sunrise. I was happy that we sang some of the songs at Mass. I was thrilled that my mother felt good enough to church and loved interacting with the loving people there who were all looking out for her. I enjoyed seeing the little ones all dressed up. I was blessed to spend the day with her, my father, nephew, and sisters as we cooked, ate, colored eggs, cooked, and ate some more. It warmed my heart to see the pictures and messages from those who I love that are far away. It was a day to be grateful for sure. I ended the day watching my all time favorite movie, “The Ten Commandments” with Charlton Heston. I want to share one of my favorite songs by my all time favorite artist, Matt Maher that sums up my feelings of the day:

Because He Lives

I Found God today in the reality of His Resurrection.

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Coming Together

Posted by eph21920 on April 4, 2015 in Connected, Faith, Family, Jesus, Lent

My sister’s new home is a small ranch property located in a neighborhood of sorts consisting of 10 small ranches along a dirt road. My sister’s property is at the very end of the private road. The road has been a mess pretty much since they moved in a few months ago and is in desperate need of repair and new rock. Most of the property owners got together and discussed how to go about it. Some people live at the very beginning of the road and don’t have much interest in it. Others had their own ideas of how it should be taken care of. There has been a lot of drama and emails being exchanged all revolving around the road. My sister’s husband finally took matters into his own hands, bought a tractor, and ordered the rock. He let everyone in the complex know what was happening very diplomatically, but refused to get caught up in the bickering. Today the project started. The rock was delivered and he went out to begin spreading it. Evidently the neighbors came out one a time and started to help. They were able to leave their disagreements and personality conflicts aside to work together for the greater good of them all.

Later in the evening, I saw many pictures of friends going to the Easter Vigil Mass. This is an especially beautiful service that begins in darkness (signifying Jesus in the tomb) and ends in full light so you can enjoy the blooms of the Easter flowers. Also at this time, people are Baptized and Confirmed into the faith. While I did not make it this year, I thought about all my friends who did. I prayed for all those who worked with the new Catholics and those around the world who made this commitment to Christ. I thought about these 2 events and how they are so similar. When people join a church, they are giving themselves to the greater good – trying to leave aside disagreements and personality issues. Of course, in the case of the church, the greater good is an amazing Father who created us and loves us. Once we get to know Him, we want to share that reality with others.

I Found God today in realizing how people can come together for the greater good of all, and this Easter I pray especially for all Christians to unite under the beautiful faith we have received.

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Red Sashes

Posted by eph21920 on April 3, 2015 in Faith, Jesus, Lent, Prayer, Struggles

Tonight I went to the Good Friday service at the church. As I sat down, I noticed a man a few rows in front of me that had a red piece of cloth draped over his shoulder like a sash. I looked around and saw that several people had the same red sashes. I wondered what the significance was. After we listened to the scripture of Jesus being crucified, a large wooden cross was carried down the center aisle and placed at the front of the church. The priest described some of the burdens that people carry – having a sick loved one, going through a painful divorce, grieving the death of a loved one, having a loved one in prison – the list went on. He then said that these specific burdens were being carried by people present in the church here and now, and that they were wearing a red sash. He reminded us that none of us need to carry our burdens alone and how important it is to be there for each other and pray for each other. He invited everyone to come forward and venerate the cross by embracing it, kneeling before it, kissing it, or showing some other sign of respect. He also invited us all to leave our burdens at the foot of the cross and allow Christ to take them. I started thinking of the burdens I feel that I bear, and the burdens of others that I know. I was ready to lay them down. I got in the line and looked ahead of me to see how other people were making this gesture meaningful and personal. I saw someone who was wearing a red sash approach the cross, take off the sash, and place it at the foot of the cross. As I got closer, I saw the pile of red sashes that were there. It was a very tangible way to help me remember that I truly am not alone in any suffering that I might bear, and that I should allow Jesus to help carry the load.

I Found God today a reminder that Jesus Christ suffered and died on the cross to carry my (and your) burdens.

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Holy Thursday

Posted by eph21920 on April 2, 2015 in Eucharist, Faith, Prayer

I went to church tonight to celebrate Holy Thursday. The church was packed and it was one of the most beautiful services I have experienced. At this Mass, the scripture is read about the last night Jesus spends with his friends before He is killed. While they were having their meal – the Last Supper – Jesus begins to wash His apostles’ feet. At that time, this was a job for the servants of the household. Feet got pretty filthy from walking in sandals in the desert all day. His apostles did not want Jesus to wash their feet as He was their leader. Jesus explained that if we are to follow Him, that we need to follow His example and serve one another. Typically the priest re-enacts the event during Mass by washing the feet of 12 people. When I walked into the church, I noticed several basins setting in some of the aisles. When it came time for the washing, the priest went to each basin one at a time and washed the feet of the person sitting on the end. They had been chosen before hand and were prepared when he came to them. I was sitting just behind one of the women, so got a pretty good view as to what happened. They did not exchange any words. The priest knelt down, poured water over the foot of the woman, and dried it with a towel. Then, he kissed it. He looked up at her and their eyes met. At that instance, I saw Jesus in him. He looked at her with such love you could feel it. It cut to my heart and I felt the tears rush to my eyes. It cut to the woman’s heart too, as she started to cry. He followed the same routine with each of the 12 people. I thought of all the priests who were doing the same thing in churches all around the world and thanked God for the priesthood. As Mass continued, everything was done with such reverence. The holy oils used for anointing were brought in. The altar was set. Communion was distributed. The music was beautiful. At the end, the priest processed out of the church with the rest of the consecrated hosts and placed them in another room in a tabernacle. The room was prepared for a time of adoration – when you can just be in the presence of Christ. It seemed that almost everyone followed the procession to the room. The crowd overflowed into the hallway and I stood with that group. A boy about 12 years old wanted to see what was happening. His parents edged him in front of them. As soon as he saw the tabernacle, the boy fell to his knees in prayer. I was amazed. The choir was dispersed among the people – some inside the room and some outside. They started singing a chant that included, “Stay with me…” The choir finished their part, but the group kept singing until it slowly got silent. After a while, many people went out of the room and more could go in. I was happy when I finally was able to go in and spend some time in prayer.

I Found God today in a beautiful Holy Thursday Mass.

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Not April Fools

Posted by eph21920 on April 1, 2015 in Answer, Faith, Family, Friends, Home, Prayer

Today – despite it being April Fools Day – I received news of wonderful things that happened.

Quite a few years back, I was a Confirmation sponsor for a wonderful young lady. Since then she has graduated from high school and college. She wanted to be a high school teacher, but struggled taking the certification exam. She tried a couple of times, but would be stressed and could not pass. Naturally it was depressing as she searched for jobs that she could excel in and  still share her love for youth. During the past year, I saw her turn a corner. I saw and heard more positive things from her and I could tell she was growing in her faith. She took the test again recently with many prayers being lifted up for her. She told me today that she passed the test!

Not too long ago, two friends of mine decided to start a business together. The have been moving forward on a wing and a prayer. Today they shared that they received the loan that they applied for!

My son and his wife have been working hard on trying to purchase a house to hold their growing family. They went back and forth on a specific house that they really wanted, but could not come to a reasonable price so they moved on. They put on offer on another house, but were actually outbid by other offers. The people in the first house came back to them to re-negotiate. Back to the table they went. I found out today that they were able to agree on a price – so God willing they will be able to purchase their first home!

I Found God today in so many answered prayers and such good news for people that I love.

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Just One of the Kids

Posted by eph21920 on March 31, 2015 in Children, Family, Life, Love, Struggles

I went to the store this afternoon before the schools had let out, so there was not too many people there. As I was in one aisle scouring the shelves, a woman with 4 small children was there chatting with a friend. I noticed that one of the boys was in a wheelchair and hanging on to the cart. He seemed to have physical disabilities similar to cerebral palsy. The older child who was a girl was obviously bored and started to play pretend games with the boy. They were both having fun and were very well behaved along with the other 2 younger boys. They ended up right in front of me as I left the store. The girl and 2 younger boys were along side their mom as she pushed the cart. The boy in the wheelchair was a little behind them pushing himself with his arms. The girl and mom kept encouraging him to catch up, “C’mon! We need to cross here. Watch for cars.” Then, as he caught up pretty quickly, “Don’t run over your brother!” Evidently he had a little spunk in him. To me, this looked like a pretty well balanced, loving family. They had accepted the difficulties of the boy, but did not let that stop them from functioning. While he was treated as an equal-as just one of the kids-he was outfitted with what he needed so he could get around and be a viable part of the family. This one little outing that I was blessed to witness was a tiny window of how this family lives life every day, and it touched my heart.

I Found God today in witnessing an accepting, loving family.

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Sis’ New Job

Posted by eph21920 on March 30, 2015 in Answer, Family, Grateful, Job

My sister was not treated very well at her last job. She was yelled at, cursed at, and made to feel like she was incompetent. It hurt me to know she had to endure that treatment and to see her so depressed. I was glad that she decided to go ahead and look for a new job a few weeks back. She had quite a time of applying and interviewing. She actually had options and had to make a decision on what would be best for her. She started her new job today. I have been praying hard for her, I know she has been praying too. I asked God that her new job not only be fulfilling and rewarding, but that it is a place where people are treated with the respect they deserve and that the atmosphere would help nurture her faith life. She called this evening and told us all about her day. She spent time with several people of course, and got a good feeling from the environment. They had a schedule all laid out for her for the week, which included meetings and lunches. They told her that they would not be working this Friday as it is Good Friday. It has been a long time since I have heard of a company closing down for this day and was pretty amazed. I felt my heart beat a little faster and realized that God had answered our prayers.

I Found God today in the blessing of my sister’s new job, and I will continue to keep her and her co-workers in prayer.

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Palm Sunday

Posted by eph21920 on March 29, 2015 in Eternity, Faith, Jesus, Lent

Today is Palm Sunday. I always enjoy going to church and getting fresh new palms. I do not so much enjoy reading the Passion – the part of the Bible that describes the last few hours of Jesus’ life. I don’t mind so much that it is long and typically we stand through the whole reading. But the scripture is written so that the people in the pews have a part to read out loud. It is usually the part of the crowd. The one in particular that I have difficulty with are the words “Crucify Him!” I used to think it was not fair to make us say those words out loud – that if I were there, I would not have said them. But the reality is that I am a sinner just like everyone else, and Jesus took my sins upon Himself during His crucifixion. I don’t like thinking about that. Luckily, that is not the end of the story. He did this so that I do not have to wallow in my sinfulness and that ultimately I have the opportunity to live with Him forever in Heaven. That is good news! I am looking forward to Holy Week as we take apart the Passion for a few days leading up to Easter and meditate on the most significant events.

I Found God today in participating in reading the scripture of the Passion of Christ.

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Lost Dog

Posted by eph21920 on March 28, 2015 in Dog, Grateful, Home, Problem

It was beautiful outside today, so I decided to go for a nice long walk. My poor old dog cannot handle these any more, so I sadly had to leave her in the house. I was going to take one route, then changed my mind and took another. I noticed a man on the other side of the street just ahead of me walking a little, fluffy black dog. A little further, I saw a car stopped in the street. I didn’t think much of it until I saw a young woman out of the car and holding onto the collar of a large golden retriever. As I got closer, I heard her on her phone obviously leaving a message saying that she got the phone number off the dog’s collar, that the dog was in the street and to please call or come to get him. The man reached the scene and asked if there was an address on the dog’s collar. The girl read the address and it was just up on of the intersecting streets. The battle started going on in my head – do I stop and see if there is something I can do to help, or do I walk on? Well, I made my way into the street and asked if they needed a hand. The girl couldn’t make the old dog move and was clearly at a loss. The dog sat in the street and wouldn’t budge. The man with the little black dog took the retriever by the collar and tried to coax him. He did seem somewhat interested in the little dog and took a few steps, but the man said that his dog did not like other dogs and this was a problem. I met the retriever and petted him and tried to make him move, to no avail. The man said he would go up to the house address on the collar and see if there was someone there. The girl thanked us for our help and left. So, there I was holding a strange dog in the street. The man appeared again in no time with a boy following him. The boy called to the dog, but he still would not move. A couple of other older kids came down the street and tried calling the dog too. All of a sudden, the retriever decided it was time to go and ran up the street towards home, kids right beside. I was glad he finally got out of the street and that everyone involved was OK.

I Found God today in the people who helped the lost dog make it back home and in gratitude that everyone is OK.

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