Heroic Love and Sacrifice

      Spring was just around the corner, and we were quite ready to say goodbye to winter! Jonathan and I had booked our pilgrimage for the fall.  We also made arrangements to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary in September with a Mass, where we would renew our vows, followed by a reception, for family and friends. We were very excited!

     My deepest wish was that my sister Sarah would live to be present at our celebration. She had just had a reaction from one of her treatments which meant that it would have to cease. We felt troubled because the cancer had responded well to it, but that door was now closed to her. She had felt so blessed to have had minimal side effects from her treatments and had little to no symptoms from the cancer since her diagnosis 3 years ago. She was still receiving radiation and if needed, she could have chemotherapy.

Do Whatever He Tells You

      Raphael called the two men aside privately and said to them: “Thank God! Give him the praise and the glory. Before all the living, acknowledge the many good things he has done for you, by blessing and extolling his name in song. Before all men, honor and proclaim God’s deeds, and do not be slack in praising him. A king’s secret is prudent to keep, but the works of God are to be declared and made known. Praise them with due honor.”                                                                 Tobit 12: 6-7     

     As the nudge from God to write again was revealed to me, I wondered just how long it had been. To my shock and amazement, it had been over 11 months! So very much had transpired in that time, and so much of it, miraculous in nature.

     God’s hand in my life, and in the lives of those I loved, was so evident to me now. I knew it was time to tell the story and give God the praise that was long overdue! In order not to shortchange God, it will take a good number of posts.     

Do Not Lose Confidence in God

     “Do not surrender your confidence; it will have great reward. You need patience to do God’s will and receive what He has promised.”                                                                                                                                                                                            Hebrews 11 vs 35-36



     As I spoke to my spiritual director, he listened attentively. I was sharing with him struggles I was experiencing and how I was at odds with the situations. I wanted so much to be able to “fix” things, but knew I couldn’t. I didn’t understand why they were happening.