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Personal Pray-er

Posted by eph21920 on April 11, 2024 in Answer, Faith, Friends, Grateful, Life, Struggles

Many months ago, I started meeting with a Stephen Minister. This is someone who is trained to walk along the journey with someone perhaps going through a hard time. It is spiritual in nature, but how much is up to the participants. I usually meet with my Stephen Minister every week, but we missed a couple weeks due to different circumstances. I was happy to meet with her on Zoom tonight. As I recounted events over the past few weeks, it helped me to realize how much God is caring for us. I was grateful for that insight. At the end of our session, she prayers for and with me in very personal and specific ways. It is so comforting.

I Found God today in personal prayer.

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Blessed Pilgrimage

Posted by eph21920 on April 10, 2024 in Children, Friends, Life, Opportunity

A friend of mine and her husband have made a few walking pilgrimages in Europe. They other day they started a new route called Camino Portuguese which is an alternate route for the Camino de Santiago – the Way of St. James. This time, they brought their 10 year old grandson with them. My friend is really good about updating social media every day where she shares all the details. They usually walk an average of 10-12 miles a day and stay in hostels along the way. She described what a blessing it is for her and hehe husband to see this adventure through the eyes of their grandson. And I can only imagine what a huge impact this trip will make on him. I really enjoy reading her updates and virtually take the pilgrimage with them.

I Found God today in the blessed experience my friend, her husband, and her grandson are experiencing.

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Dizzy Relief

Posted by eph21920 on April 9, 2024 in Answer, Doctor, Family, Happiness, Healing, New

My daughter in law has been suffering from dizziness on and off for many years. She has been to several doctors who have not been able to help her. Recently, a chiropractor friend of theirs recommended a doctor for her. She has seen him a couple of times now and I talked with her about it today.  The doctor found that she is having some difficulty with the right side of her head, neck, and eyes. He is doing neurological treatments for her and gave her exercises to do at home. From the very first treatment, she has received some relief. She said it has been such a long time since she felt “normal” that she almost forgot what it felt like. And she can already tell the difference it makes when she does the exercises. She was elated that this doctor is actually helping her. I am just so happy for her.

I Found God today in the relief my daughter in law is receiving.

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Sharing Eclipse

Posted by eph21920 on April 8, 2024 in Connected, Creation, Family, Friends, Grateful, Present, Weather

I was excited to see the eclipse today, even though we weren’t in the path of totality. I found our glasses that we used in the past and got ready for our 79% coverage.  My siblings were texting as one brother was camped near Dallas and hoping the clouds would disperse. My other brother planned a trip to Dallas, but cancelled due to the cloudy forecast. A group of friends were also texting as one was in Dallas and another was in Arkansas. It was fun hearing and seeing everyone’s experiences. My brother got a very nice picture of the diamond ring to add to his collection. I made a pinhole projector in a pizza box so I could share my own photo. Unfortunately my mom was very tired today and slept through the whole event. At one point, the familiar prescription delivery woman came. I asked if she had seen the eclipse. She had not. So I invited her to use some glasses and take a look. She was amazed. She said I had given her a very special blessing. I was happy that it meant so much to her. This natural, though somewhat rare phenomenon urges millions of people to look up and witness a spectacle that is incredible and exciting. No person can replicate, control, or alter the event. To me, it is also another way to demonstrate what an awesome world we live in and how we all hang in the balance.

I Found God today sharing the amazement of an eclipse.

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Litany of Trust

Posted by eph21920 on April 7, 2024 in Faith, Jesus, Mercy, Prayer, Trust

On this Divine Mercy Sunday, I was reading and listening to reflections by St. Faustina who was given the image of the Divine Mercy to share with the world. I came across a Litany of Trust. It was written by a Sister of Life who took the name of Faustina. This litany touched my heart as I continue to struggle with trusting God. The prayer basically went through everything that keeps us from surrendering to Him. Here is the prayer:

From the belief that
I have to earn Your love
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear that I am unlovable
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the false security
that I have what it takes
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear that trusting You
will leave me more destitute
Deliver me, Jesus.
From all suspicion of
Your words and promises
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the rebellion against
childlike dependency on You
Deliver me, Jesus.
From refusals and reluctances
in accepting Your will
Deliver me, Jesus.
From anxiety about the future
Deliver me, Jesus.
From resentment or excessive
preoccupation with the past
Deliver me, Jesus.
From restless self-seeking
in the present moment
Deliver me, Jesus.
From disbelief in Your love and presence
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being asked
to give more than I have
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the belief that my life
has no meaning or worth
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of what love demands
Deliver me, Jesus.
From discouragement
Deliver me, Jesus.
That You are continually holding me,
sustaining me, loving me
Jesus, I trust in You.
That Your love goes deeper than my
sins and failings and transforms me
Jesus, I trust in You.
That not knowing what tomorrow
brings is an invitation to lean on You
Jesus, I trust in You.
That You are with me in my suffering
Jesus, I trust in You.
That my suffering, united to Your own,
will bear fruit in this life and the next
Jesus, I trust in You.
That You will not leave me orphan,
that You are present in Your Church
Jesus, I trust in You.
That Your plan is better
than anything else
Jesus, I trust in You.
That You always hear me and in
Your goodness always respond to me
Jesus, I trust in You.
That You give me the grace to accept
forgiveness and to forgive others
Jesus, I trust in You.
That You give me all the strength
I need for what is asked
Jesus, I trust in You.
That my life is a gift
Jesus, I trust in You.
That You will teach me to trust You
Jesus, I trust in You.
That You are my Lord and my God
Jesus, I trust in You.
That I am Your beloved one
Jesus, I trust in You

I Found God today in a Litany of Trust.

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So Much Help

Posted by eph21920 on April 6, 2024 in Answer, Family, Friends, Grateful, Home, Life

When we left the house last week, we wanted to make sure it was ready for the roofers. We took the pictures off the walls and put several knick knacks away to make sure nothing would fall and break. It was so nice to get home yesterday, but the house was in a bit of a shambles. Yesterday afternoon a caregiver came for a couple of hours and helped do laundry and dust off wall hangings while my mom was napping. Today my son came over and put the big pictures back on the walls after my sister and I cleaned them. My mom dusted off some of the knick knacks and made sure we put things away in the right place. In the afternoon the housekeeper came and gave the whole house a good cleaning. At the same time, there were a couple technical issues at the cabin. So my other son and grandson went up there and resolved the problems. I was very grateful today for all the helpful people.

I Found God today in so much help.

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Finally Home

Posted by eph21920 on April 5, 2024 in Family, Grateful, Home, Life, Struggles

I stopped by the house last night and saw that the workers had finished replacing our roof. I was elated and excited to finally go back home today. Mom has been saying for a couple of days that she wants to go home, but sometimes she says that  even when we are at home – part of dementia. I think mostly it is an unsettled feeling that she has that she can’t really articulate. So, we packed up this morning after breakfast and headed home. Our driveway was clear and cleaned which was a nice welcome. Inside, the house was somewhat of a disaster. There were stacks of pictures and such all around as we had pulled everything off the walls. Mom commented on how bare the walls were. I’m grateful that the housekeeper is coming tomorrow so we can get everything cleaned and back in place. After a busy morning, my mom was exhausted. She took a long afternoon nap and just wanted to go back to bed after dinner. All in all, I would say the hotel adventure was alright. The biggest challenge was trying to get decent sleep. But, the room was comfortable and easy to maneuver. I was able to cater to Mom the majority of the time since I didn’t have anything else that needed to be done. We ate leftovers the whole time and somehow still had food to bring home. Mom was a trooper – as my sister says – and hopefully it won’t take too long for her to get comfortable in her home. I am grateful to be back.

I Found God today coming back home.

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An Outing

Posted by eph21920 on April 4, 2024 in Family, Grateful, Shopping

After another good night’s sleep, my mom had good energy this morning. It was a sunny, beautiful day so I thought it would be good to get my mom -and myself- out of the hotel room. Not too far away was Scheels sporting goods store. I got my mom bundled up so she wouldn’t get cold, got her comfortable in the wheelchair, and off we went. Just outside the entrance, we were greeted by big bronze statues of presidents. We passed by Ronald Reagan and mom pointed out Abraham Lincoln. Once inside we stopped at the 3-tiered aquarium and watched the fish for a while. Then we went by the ferris wheel, which wasn’t running at the time. We went to the upper level and looked at the wildlife display and the amazing candy store. When we went back down, the ferris wheel was running. We stopped to watch and the man taking tickets struck up a conversation. I told him we were on an outing. He asked my mom if she had been on a Ferris wheel before. She said she had. He asked if maybe she would like to take a ride in that one. She thought about it as I made the “no” sign to the man. It was a kind offer, but in reality mom would have been very scared. We decided maybe another day. Then the man gave us some coupons for free drinks in their cafe. We thanked him and enjoyed a milkshake. On the way back the sun was warmer and we had a good view of the mountains. It was a beautiful day and I was so glad to get mom out for a while.

I Found God today enjoying an outing.

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Accessibility

Posted by eph21920 on April 3, 2024 in Answer, Family, Grateful, Life, Struggles

It has been an adventure away from home. After two sleepless nights and days, I was determined to try to do “normal” things. That included getting mom in the shower. We are staying in a handicapped “accessible” room. It is really set up quite well. The bathroom and shower area accommodates either mom’s walker or wheelchair. I wheeled her into the shower space and flipped down the seat that was attached to the wall. She was easily able to get situated. The removable shower head had a couple different settings. She still got cold and wasn’t particularly happy about showering, but it was so much easier than manipulating the one at home. I am grateful for the blessing of this hotel. And I am even more grateful that Mom slept well last night. A few straight hours of sleep felt incredible.

I Found God today in the blessing of an accessible space.

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Unwavering Trust

Posted by eph21920 on April 1, 2024 in Answer, Faith, Family, Life, Trust

Yesterday we had a truly blessed Easter. My sister, mom, and I all went to church. My mom doesn’t get out very much any more because she gets very nervous and confused. When we arrived at the church, the wind suddenly picked up. My mom was afraid getting out of the car, but my sister and I kept telling her it was ok and she made it through. She did really well during Mass and even got an extra douse of holy water sprinkling from our favorite priest. After church, my sons and families came for Easter lunch. It had been a long time since we all got together. I was so glad that my mom didn’t seem overwhelmed and enjoyed the food and company. We have been wondering what to do since they will start working on our roof in the next day or two. After much debate, discussion, and weighing all the options, my sister and I decided it would be best for everyone’s sanity to check into a hotel for a few days. While my mom was napping, my sister and I packed everything up. We got all the breakables into safe places so the roof pounding won’t send them crashing to the floor. I was grateful that my son helped pack the cars and get all the pictures off the walls. After my mom got up, we told her what was happening and got her in the car. We got to the hotel and settled in for a little while before bedtime. We explained things to my mom and got her in bed. This morning after only a few hours of sleep, we started our regular routine. My mom needed to be told exactly what to do and how, but she wasn’t upset or distressed. I was just amazed at all that happened in the past 24 hours and how my mom just went along with it all. Her total trust in me and my sister was just incredible to me. I supposed I completely trusted her when I was a child. She took me to school, doctors, churches, and trips. I never questioned my safety when I was with her and knew that she was always thinking about what was best for me. I feel blessed that she trusts me now in the same way. And I have a lot to learn from her. As I have been focusing on surrendering to God more this Lent, I hope and pray that I could trust Him the way my mom trusts me.

I Found God today in my trusting mom.

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