Weekly Wildflowers #8

Miracles, 3 Quick Takes, Abiding Acceptance

Friends,

It has been a transformative two weeks for our family. When I last wrote to you here, my son Jacob was preparing for a major surgery on August 6th. Today (8/20), two weeks to the day later, he is sitting in his classroom at his hybrid school (1 day in school, 4 days at home) and chatting with his classmates and teacher with his usual cheer and banter.

I don’t often use the word miracle but I think this qualifies. This miracle started on August 6th and has consistently made itself known since that day. It started with Jacob not needing all the recommended surgeries, cutting his stay at the hospital by a full week. Next, it was the pain. Jacob did experience some initial pain, as you would expect with having the bones in your legs broken and rotated, but then the pain went away. After the first 5 days, Jacob has experienced almost no pain - answered prayers!

Finally, as the days have gone by, Jacob has surpassed every single prediction, and expectation, even with some hurdles thrown in his path. Today his is back in his class with me just down the hall to assist with some transitions and ensure safe maneuvering as he continues to gain strength, stamina and confidence in his newly aligned legs.

Miracle

I know we often expect miracles to be showy, in our face, and spectacular. We think they have to be significant to count and something we can use to show others just how amazing God is. Yet sometimes, no often, miracles are something much more personal, something near and dear to our soul’s desires. Something God does to show us His love for us, His desire to fulfill our soul’s longings, and as a means of equipping us for ministry to others coming behind us on this faith journey.

I’m so eternally grateful for a God who loves us like this, knowing that in every way He moves in our life is a miracle in and of itself, changing us, growing us, loving us into a cruciform shape to then bring others along this narrow path as well.

Claude Monet, The Artist's Garden in Argenteuil, 1873

3 Quick Takes

1. Today we had the most beautiful experience at Mass. A man came up, and knelt down next to my son and I in the handicap pew, and he began to share his awe that Jacob had come with his walker, and casted legs, to Mass. He shared from his heart how beautiful this was to him, to see a child come to Jesus despite obvious difficulties in their life. I may have had to hold back tears. He spoke of how seeing this pricked his heart, convicted him, and he walked away teary eyed and sat back in his pew. There is something powerful about each of us living our lives for Christ. Quietly, without fanfare, and diligently. My son Jacob was doing what he had always done - gone to Mass with his family. Yet God used him today to speak to a complete stranger, not with words but with simple actions. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again - each of us are influencers. People are watching us. We can still be a light to the world and the salt of the earth. All we have to do is wake up, give the day to the Lord and watch Him work. It's beautiful beyond words friends.

2. “Be a Catholic: When you kneel before an altar, do it in such a way that others may be able to recognize that you know before whom you kneel.” St. Maximilian Kolbe. I will most likely be writing about this in more depth on my Monthly Newsletter after the guest article, so stay tuned. Catholics, it’s past time that we live out our faith in a steadfast and unashamed way. The Eucharistic Congress was such a great example of Catholics coming together, worshiping God together, and being authentically Catholic. I couldn’t attend as we were preparing for Jacob’s surgery but I did listen to the talks. One of my favorites was from Bishop Robert Barron. Also be sure to check out this article as well discussing ways to keep the Eucharistic revival going.

3. Car rides with our children are an underrated way to build relationship and rapport. Some of the most incredible and unassuming conversations with my children have happened as I pull onto the highway (usually a semi right there blocking the lane, as I attempt to squeeze in before the car behind them rushes past and the lane ends, but I digress). My mind is only half listening and then there it is, a nugget of wisdom and a thought forming, as they share a small piece of their heart with me, or a worry, or a question. I’m not sure what it is about being in a small tin can hurtling down the highway at 65 mph that allows for these unique conversations but as my children have grown and we’ve reached these middle years of parenting, I find I truly treasure them and I hope they linger for many years to come.

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   Devotional Corner

Deep, abiding acceptance.

Something for which our very bones ache - a Love so enduring, it sees us wholly and as holy, laced with Mercy and Grace for all our transgressions while coaxing us into fullness and complete healing.

Into life.

An acceptance that allows our full humanity to exist - our pride, our selfishness, our laziness, our anger - and still calls us to Himself by name.

An acceptance that sees, indeed has felt, the battering of many wounds life has dealt, some still bleeding or only just scabbed over, all with stories of pain, betrayal and struggle - yet calls us to hope and glory in Him.

A Love that still calls us Good, Beloved - even when seeing us as we really are - that covets us and seeks us out, that beckons us out of our rot, out of our sin, and into the light, into peace, into rest - into life.

Deep, abiding acceptance.

I pray you know of His heart for you, where you are at this very moment - not only with perfect prayers, holy thoughts, and good deeds, but all the dark, can’t speak about it, ugly sides too. That He accepts us as we are - as we really are - and is calling us into fullness, into holiness, into healing, into life itself with Him.

“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name: you are mine.” Isaiah 43:1

Discussion Questions

This section is a starting off point to help you go deeper with topics discussed above.

1. Take a moment to think about how you view yourself. The good and the bad. Then take a moment to think about how God sees you. Does He view you the same way you see yourself? Or is it possible He knows you better than you know yourself? What does this mean for your relationship with Him? That He still chose to die for you despite everything He knows. Sit with this, ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you in these moments of pondering. “Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.” Luke 12:7

2. In what ways have you noticed God calling you to Him? Maybe you haven’t really noticed anything at all in all the busyness of life. That’s ok. Give yourself 5 minutes to sit with this, and ask God to show up. Try writing down the ways, big and small, that you’ve seen God calling you to Himself over the past day, or week or month.

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   Quote of the Week

“Give us, O Lord, a steadfast heart, which no unworthy affection may drag downwards; give us an unconquered heart, which no tribulation can wear out; give us an upright heart, which no unworthy purpose may tempt aside. Bestow upon us also, O Lord our God, understanding to know you, diligence to seek you, wisdom to find you, and a faithfulness that may finally embrace you; through Jesus Christ our Lord.” - St. Thomas Aquinas

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Which way do you place the toilet paper roll?

When last I wrote, I left you with the very important question of which way you all place your toilet paper rolls. A handful of you took me up on this lighthearted question and to my joy I found out we all are playing for the same team! So here are the results.

This week’s poll.