SURPRISE! SURPRISE!

“Surprise! Surprise! God is a surprise! Open up your eyes and see!”…the chorus of a song, my sister loved to play and sing along with.

This week… Christmas week…there were no pennies… turning up and surprising me in unlikely locations. ..Perhaps, I did not see! …

 I was preoccupied with a pain in my left arm (no it was not a heart attack. I ruled that out quickly. No time for a massage therapist either). I complained to my husband at least twice a day, took an anti inflammatory, meditated about it, and even offered up my suffering for someone I loved.

The pain…  to me!… was extreme, and it’s torture, as it lessened and gained strength  throughout the day and night,  reminded  me of my vulnerability, and the little control I had over this pain. I tried to figure out what happened. Did I hit the door frame when I entered or exited the room…this often happens, when I think I am so rushed for time, and  try to cut corners...literally! Did I pick up too many heavy objects?  The blame game even entered the picture…my husband, in trying to alleviate the pain, must have worsened it.  I tried to pray every time I would look for an explanation, rather than ruminate over the cause…not too successful!

Another of my sisters had given me a daily reading book titled, “God Calling”. Although I sometimes miss a day, (the cutting corners problem again), I always find the reading so appropriate to what is going on in my life. Allow me to quote one of the 3 paragraphs of the Dec 21^st reading titled “Smile indulgently.”

“Children, take every moment as of My planning and ordering. Remember your Master is the Lord of the day’s little happenings. In all the small things yield to My gentle pressure on your arm. Stay or go, as that pressure, Love’s pressure indicates.”

“Gentle pressure on your arm.”  I did smile indulgently… and laugh at the irony of gentle pressure versus excruciating pain. It reminded me of Tevya in the show “Fiddler on the Roof”…After bearing many burdens he says, “Lord, if this is how you treat your faithful servants, no wonder you have so few.”

The severe pain left that day!  It changed to “gentle pressure.”

My heart was changed that day also, as I developed a deep compassion for those who suffer pain, short or long term.

“Gentle pressure!”…A sign of God’s benevolence! Surprise!  Surprise!

See you next time...God willing! God bless!

TEST TRACK

                                                               

Have you noticed that many things we know and do are changing? There is re-imagined, redesigned, revamped, reopened, not to mention... redefined, if you follow my drift.

Orlando is a wonderful haven for theme parks, and this week Epcot inaugurated their new “Test Track” ride. I expect I’ll be visiting it soon to see how it has been re-imagined. I hear it’s an even more exhilarating ride, and has already received fantastic reviews as you are able to incorporate your own design into the vehicle.

My memory takes me back a while ago when I rode “Test Track” with my oldest granddaughter.  It was a ride that Disney imagineers created after visiting the GM auto testing laboratory. It allowed us to experience, in short form, the tests that an automobile must go through to perform on the highway. The ride went something like this: ascending steep terrain, downhill control, bumpy roads, 50 degree banked curves, hair-pin turns that test suspension and brakes at speeds up to 60 miles per hour. We were also subjected to extreme cold and heat tests, a misting of water to test corrosion and finally a fitfully high speed that ultimately stopped you in the nick of time before hitting a crash barrier. It was exhilarating and fun, my only fear being in the final high speed chase to the finale…and I wasn't certain what that was…until it came to a stop!

This morning I woke up with the image that life is much like the test track we experienced. Life takes us in many directions and situations, and it is our job to figure out our lives based on what we are in the midst of going through…sometimes  we like the results, and other times not. Life can be fun, fearful, and challenging, but it is our job to find a way to survive the bumps, bruises and tests of life, all along the way seeing the grand purpose of why we were created. Perhaps if we saw our lives more as a ride than a struggle, we would be able to laugh through the tough periods, and ease the burdens of not only ourselves, but also of others.

As the vehicle reached excessively high speeds, my granddaughter laughed with excitement, as I screamed with fear. The end result was the same…the end of the ride!

Next time I ride “Test Track”, I will remember her laughter and sit back and enjoy the ride. Some things take time. I thank her for this gift!

See you next time...God willing! God bless!

RE-IMAGINED SPACESHIP EARTH

One of the most recognizable icons at Epcot Theme Park in Orlando is the 18 story geodesic sphere located at the entrance titled, “RE-IMAGINED! Spaceship Earth”. I had visited it many times as “Spaceship Earth”, but in 2007 it became more interactive and “RE-IMAGINED” was added. I rode this awhile ago with my youngest granddaughter.

As we climbed the ball, I felt her loop her arm through mine, and grab my other hand with her free hand. Her nervousness was evident as we rode through the various stages of our planet’s development…a discovery of how each generation built upon previous generations…a celebration of human achievement!
It was not until we reached the interactive portion, where we had to choose what was important to us, that she let go, and became excited about  the choices we both were going to make for “our future”.  She wanted to choose the home as important to us, made of natural materials, and on the beach. Her favorite picture was of herself serving me a drink as we enjoyed the ocean view.
Her need for closeness in the beginning of the ride reminded me that children need us to hold them and gently guide them…Then all of a sudden they no longer need us as they become fully engaged in life. We step aside, and only surface again if their need for us reappears and we are called by love to be by their side once again.

Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor was a 37 yr. old Harvard trained brain scientist. That did not make her exempt from experiencing severe brain hemorrhaging from a massive stroke that left her unable to walk, talk, read, write or recall any of her life.

 An amazing mother “RE-IMAGINED” her daughter’s life after the stroke. She nursed her back to “communication” with love and insight. She actually began cuddling her grown daughter as if she were still a baby and would disallow people with negative energy from entering her daughter’s presence.
 8 years later with her mother’s dedication in helping her walk, read, write, and remember… along with Dr. Jill’s understanding of how the brain functions…came the result,  not only as a neurologist… but a neurologist with a book titled, “My Stroke of insight”, and a “RE-IMAGINED” view of the medical field.
Dr. Jill described it this way, “I believe the more time we spend running our deep inner peace circuitry, then the more peace we will project into the world, and ultimately the more peace we will have on the planet.
My granddaughter grew in her unique personality as we rode “Spaceship Earth”. She saw herself not as the fearful traveler that she was in the beginning, but one who was called out of herself to serve me that drink by the ocean. This is one of many times I have observed her joyfully serving others. With children like her, we are assured of living on a joyful “RE-IMAGINED! Spaceship Earth”.

See you next time...God willing! God bless!

DO...UBT

Don’t suck”…This phrase… advice for bloggers…staring me in the face…

Too late! I had already created a blog spot and posted 2 blogs before I read this. The quote, from the e-book “One Body, Many blogs” by T.J. Burdick was submitted by Marc Barnes of “Bad Catholic Blog”. It was from an article titled “Ten commandments for faith bloggers”, posted in the News Sentinel by Terry Mattingly. (Please don’t run away because I used the word Catholic). I hadn’t really categorized myself as a faith blogger either…but if it walks like…and talks like… O.K. you get the idea. No apologies!

“Don’t suck”? …allowing me to ask the question why was I doing this? …To show the world I can’t write?  To show the world I have no new ideas to infuse? I had rarely searched out blogs but decided to check out “Bad Catholic”. The title suggested a little rebellion and that totally interested me.

The Nov. 14 2012 blog was titled, “Better Than Nothing”.  The author opened with, “All things come from and tend towards Nothing”. Was this statement meant for me in this circumstance? Doubt was rarely part of my vocabulary, but this “Pregnancy Redefined” might be bigger than my capability. It was obvious the writer had developed his craft. His writing was that of a well honed artisan…mine of a newborn! I was captured by the complexity of his writing; each statement building upon the last. His ultimate conclusion “sin requires nothing, it’s always the easiest action to perform, but virtue requires effort and resistance. Sin is surrender. Virtue is resistance. Perhaps it is absurd – believing we can win – but it seems to me a far better thing than nothing”.

The message was very clear… doing something is “Better Than Nothing”… but it better not suck! It needs to be awesome!

But…It takes a long time to develop a craft! Often it starts with a suggestion from others. Often it starts from a desire within.

In Junior High School, my friend would knock on my bedroom window to have a fun game of badminton. I enjoyed the lightness of the racquet and the shuttlecock (although, at the time, had no idea what that little projectile was called). It would fly through the air with extreme ease, and I could fly with it for a few moments in time. I felt lighter… freer…  more connected to life. We could rally back and forth, striking a rhythm… no one attempting to outsmart the other…just two friends trying to stay in the game for the sheer pleasure of it.

In order to get outside and play, my friend would eloquently tell me what to write. She was happy to share… and I was happy to accept…freedom at a cost!  

It’s still ironic that I should be writing now, but that penny story set me on this path late in life. For me, it has been, and still is a way to express my inner thoughts…no craft involved….unless…?

In Junior High School, my daughter developed a love of singing. At age 15 she settled on Opera, and it became evident that the musical talent and training melded into the craft she now exhibits.

She knew about my penny stories and so called  me to describe her encounter. She had entered a practice room, and there lined up on the piano were 15 pennies, sporting the “In God We Trust” logo. She was hoping this Opera Company would be the one to hire her… a great sign of God’s divine providence.

I have been in the audience when she is performing her art, and it is like the badminton game. I felt lighter…freer…and more connected to life. The rhythm of performer and audience joining together for the sheer pleasure of it!

She had not received a callback, she was back on the road again, another audition on the horizon…searching for the place that would recognize her gift to give. Gift perfected with practice!

All that trouble about doubt!

What idea is floating in the back of your mind waiting to take flight? Call it, name it and do it with as much passion and determination you can muster, all with an “In God We Trust” mindset!

Can you DO this?...YOU BET! ... Do!...ubt!

See you next time...God willing! God bless!

EGO

Bear with me as I reminisce about Thanksgiving Day 2010!...I’m in the age category where it’s expected of me, so I don’t want to disappoint my reader…(if you join my blog I can add an s to reader)! It’s not that I don’t have anything new to say, it’s just that penny stories have become very obsolete in my realm these days, and the past penny discovery is still prominent in my mind.

It was a day like any other day when the penny surfaced again.  Some still say this is coincidental, but God speaks to each of us in a language we individually speak with him. Whenever I encounter this penny… at times when I am least aware of God’s presence… He brings me into His fold… gladdens my heart…puts a smile on my face… and builds my trust in Him.  I become like a small child being led…not that any willful small child…including myself… can be led. My only delay is my inability to comprehend His utmost love for me. I know He is building me, asking me for patience.  I am slow to commit! My own ego often gets in His way, and He has to take twists and turns wherever I go… to meet me on my terms. I know, however that He will eventually bring me to the fullness of life…here… and before I take my final breath.

Maybe you are wondering under what circumstance the penny surfaced this time. My husband had asked me to move the furniture in the living room…no joke… I’m the one who moves furniture around here! He was bringing in the Christmas tree…no it is not real; it would never survive this long sojourn if it were. (Yes, I know it’s early, but my husband loves the beauty of Christmas, as he diligently works, reminiscing about past events earmarked by a history that tells a broader story than what you see). The music he chooses shows the depth of his soul, as I ponder his most beautiful and gracious spirit. My years with him have enriched my life, and long before the penny surfaced in my life, he was the blessing that put a smile on my face, and made me aware of God’s presence.

I moved a living room chair and under it was the penny!!!

What other pennies have been hiding from me?

42 years of marriage…42 displays of ego…Coincidental?

See you next time...God willing! God bless

DISTORTION

My brother and I had fun sitting a penny on a railroad track just to watch it flatten when a train ran over it (I never saw it derail the train). Have you ever seen one flattened out?  It becomes an oval instead of  a circle….something other than what it was created for… still copper(distorted today with zinc)… but no longer able to maintain its purchasing power…although we never attempted to use it in that way!

There are machines that flatten out pennies for souvenirs, engraved for whatever commemoration you could ever want …so I hope you don’t turn me into the authorities for distorting money…it’s all legal….I think…I hope!!!

 Are we sometimes like that penny on the railroad track flattened out and distorted by circumstances and  choices we make in life… sometimes looking at ourselves, and not even recognizing who we have become? I picked up a penny yesterday in a parking lot. It was nicked, battered and fragmented along the edges. In spite of its condition, I would still be able to use it as legal tender. I picked it up and felt its “roughness”, and reflected on my own distortion…yet still usable by a gracious God.

A while ago I read a book titled, “Wicked”, by Gregory Maguire. It’s a “distortion” of the wicked witch from “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” (the classic children’s book written from Dorothy’s perspective by L. Frank Baum).  “Wicked” is not a book written for children, since it deals with distorted adult themes. It is about Elphaba…the other wicked witch …who came into this world under less than perfect circumstances, the foibles, and misadventures she encountered.  I was given tickets to the Broadway play and wanted to more fully understand the background and plot. The music, costuming, special effects, and significance danced in my head, long after the performance ended.

Most of us disliked the wicked witch described by Dorothy… Through the eyes of another observer we began to learn more about the wicked witch’s sister, Elphaba. To our amazement she became the beloved green witch, spiteful yet humble, spiny yet compassionate, smart and insightful. The book and play had you fall in love with her. Isn’t that what happens when we get to know someone, and don’t rely on our own distorted judgments, or those of others.

The penny was created as legal tender!  I have distorted this original legal tender to become a symbol of God’s benevolence. Could we change the world if we “distorted “each coin in every country…to have it represent God’s benevolence and pass it on to others one coin at a time?

See you next time...God willing! God bless!

RESPONSIBILITY

“IN GOD WE TRUST”, became the final motto emblazoned on U.S. coins, in response to ordinary people recognizing God in a more profound and thoughtful way. The Civil War of 1861 prompted much religious sentiment and appeals by ordinary people to recognize God on United States coins in order to, as Rev. M. R. Watkinson, Minister of the Gospel from Ridleyville Pennsylvania wrote, “place us openly under the divine protection we have personally claimed. From my heart I have felt our national shame in disowning God as not the least of our national disasters”.

In response to all these letters, Treasury Secretary, Salmon P. Chase wrote, “No nation can be strong except in the strength of God, or safe except in His defense. The trust of our people in God should be declared on our national coins.” The will and thoughts of the people took hold and the new coins became a reality by 1864.

In 1956 when Dwight Eisenhower, the President of the United States, declared, “IN GOD WE TRUST”, as the NATIONAL Motto of the United States, it was perhaps an additional declaration that God will not be forgotten in the makeup of American history. This declaration began the 1957 implementation of the motto on all paper currency.

I am not a historian, and am certainly incapable of giving American history lessons. I am certainly not  qualified as a writer either. However, I write this for every person in every country, because I truly believe it holds universal truths about us as people. If we are to grow we must acknowledge the need for God’s work within us as individuals. The coins are a symbol and a reminder of this gift… gift with responsibility!

I cannot exit this page without a quote from Dwight Eisenhower’s Farewell Address of 1961.

“You and I-my fellow citizens-need to be strong in our faith that all nations, under God, will reach the goal of peace with justice. May we be ever unswerving in devotion to principle, confident but humble with power, diligent in pursuit of the nation’s great goals.

To all the peoples of the world, I once more give expression to America’s prayerful and continuing aspiration:

We pray that peoples of all faiths, all races, all nations, may have their great human needs satisfied; that those now denied opportunity shall come to enjoy it to the full; that all who yearn for freedom may experience its spiritual blessings; that those who have freedom will understand, also, its heavy responsibilities; that all who are insensitive to  the needs of others will learn charity;  that the scourges of poverty, disease, and ignorance will be made to disappear from the earth: and that, in the goodness of time, all peoples will come to live together in a peace guaranteed by the binding force of mutual respect and love”.

 What is my responsibility to keep “IN GOD WE TRUST” alive? …What is yours?

See you next time...God willing. God bless!

 

SIGNIFICANCE!

My brother’s e-mail was especially timely since I was trying to put more trust in God, and to be more open to His loving presence. The next day I headed to an office bathroom that I seldom frequented, and once inside the stall noticed 4 pennies perched on the top of the silver container that housed the toilet tissue. The 4 pennies were a quadrupled message of “IN GOD WE TRUST”. This was like an exhibition of God’s radiant love and I felt abundantly blessed! The humor of the bathroom pennies both fascinated and intrigued me… Was there a message?  More significance unfolded as a few days later I woke from a dream, instructing mothers how to potty train their babies before they reach their first birthday. I laughed, but the thought did not surprise me as my own children had been potty trained before their first birthday. This knowledge of potty training was received firsthand as I am the 2nd oldest in a family of 11 children. I witnessed and assisted in the potty training of 4-12 month old babies. God’s humor fascinated me as I smiled about the 4 pennies in the bathroom.

At the same time I realized 4 new babies were to be added to our family through my 3 nieces and 1 nephew. More significance to those 4 pennies in the bathroom!  There were additional blessings to follow as a few months later another niece and nephew were expecting the following year…for a total of 6 new babies within a 6 month span.

My writing became more prolific as well!  My credentials are small, but my love for God’s gift of new life is not. As a result... “Pregnancy Redefined”... was born.

See you next time. God willing!  God bless!

 

THE PENNY STORY

My writings began with an e-mail from a “baby” brother over 2000 miles away titled, “Special Penny”.

“There are the usual stories about pennies on the sidewalk being good luck, or gifts from angels, but this story had a different twist. It was about a wealthy man who was entertaining his employee and his wife.  As they were about to enter an exclusive restaurant, the host stopped suddenly, looked down on the pavement for a long silent moment, then reached down and picked up a penny. He held it up and smiled, then put it in his pocket as if he had found a great treasure. How absurd! What need did this man have for a single penny? Why would he even take the time to pick it up?”

Throughout dinner this question nagged the wife and she finally asked him if the penny he had found had been of some value. As he handed her the coin, she could not at first define what he saw… “United States of America”?   “One Cent”?
 

The wealthy man had to explain, “In God We Trust”, was written on the coin. His response

was to let God know he had trust in Him by picking it up.

Have you spotted a penny lately...What was your response?

See you next time...God willing! God bless!

CELEBRATION

     It was race day …and there I was in the midst of 4 racers travelling to run the 5K race.
 

     There was excitement because my granddaughters were looking forward to meet Jenny Barringer Simpson, who just like them, grew up in Oviedo, and just like them started running in grade school. They were celebrating life as we journeyed…anxious to arrive and meet their new found role model…a runner who qualified in the track and field event for the 2012 Olympics.
 

     We found Jenny exuberantly engaged with her new found running mates …talking, signing autographs, and posing for photos… very gracious, warm, and personable.
 

      It was Nov.11^th weekend 2011 and I thought about our freedom to be here celebrating this event. I lost an uncle during the Second World War, and although I had never met him, he became part of the reason why I have a deep respect for our military and our freedom. 
 

     At 25 years old Jenny had qualified to head to the Olympics as a 1500 meter runner. Her road to Olympian athlete was a road many might say started out rocky…with infantile asthma to overcome and a disease that caused calcium deposits to form in her lungs…she would go on to achieve her goal.
 

     As the 5K race started, I thought about the unsung athletes in our midst. My son-in-law who joined his family to run… when his work commitments are ever demanding…My daughter running 3 years in pain before surgery corrected her foot problem… Even my granddaughters who were battling congestion in this race… all celebrating life when life is less than perfect.
 

     And then there was the last of 756 runners to leave the starting gate. .. A crippled man hobbling from left to right, talking to the young woman who was by his side. As he passed by I asked him how could he run and talk at the same time…he answered, “practice”…and left me with a smile.
 

     My granddaughter placed 2^nd … my son-in law 6^th and my daughter 12^th …all in their age categories. At 9 years old my granddaughter took the 13^th spot in front of the other 416 females of all ages running this race. She was a force to be reckoned with… The back of her shirt emblazoned with “crazy legs”, a name the track coach had given her, and a name that she wore with pride as members of the running family congratulated her…Her running smile… a trademark, as she crosses the finish line.
 

     The crippled man came in 3^rd to last. A celebratory win!
 

     At 6 years old my granddaughter has run a 5K race, but times and results are never tracked until 8 years old…so she was anxiously waiting to run the mile with Jenny. Jenny is part of the “Track Shack” family and she was here promoting running as fun. The race was off and Jenny, surrounded by youth paced with them… at their speed… not hers.
 

      My granddaughter would break away from the pack when the finish line was in sight with a determination captured by those who witnessed her approach to the finish line… The track coach gave her the name of “l’il rabbit”, exhibited on the back of her shirt…a name fittingly given since she is the youngest member of the Track Shack team… but by no means the slowest!
 

     Because runners never eat much before a race, proximity to a restaurant afterwards is a must. This day was no exception. A short drive placed us on Main Street, blocked off for a farmers market. One of the local restaurants had a wait so we walked the market as we waited for the pager call signaling the table was ready.
 

     My son-in –law recognized an ex neighbor who had a booth displaying fishing lures. Their conversation was heard by many as the ex neighbor recanted how in the space of this year, he had lost a son…his wife had major surgery…his daughter ended up in a divorce…and his good friend also died.  He was promoting the business he was taking over from his deceased son. The year had proved a bad one for him, but there he was engaged in meaningful activity with a promise of a better tomorrow. His jovial attitude left me as an observer… once more… with an appreciation for all those who work toward celebrating life… even when circumstances dictate otherwise.
 

       Did I mention all this took place in a town called “Celebration?”

See you next time...God willing! God bless!

 

DO!

      Hi, all you beautiful people who are curious about my blog … “Pregnancy Redefined”. This is not what you think it is. It is a series of thoughts for mothers, fathers, grandmothers,  grandfathers,  sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles, nieces , nephews, friends, and anyone else who is interested in discovering life through my  often crazy, zany, twisted,  ADD ( not a misplaced word…”attention deficit disorder”) revelations.  I will tell you how this project started almost 2 years ago in another blog. Okay, I know you may not be interested!!! The format is not at all what I envisioned it to be. It is a work in progress… just as our lives are always a work in progress…or will our lives come to a halt much too soon?
 

     I probably wouldn’t be writing about this today, except last night a Deacon’s words (It was at a Catholic Mass… and no, I am not trying to convert you…this is all about me!)  Inspired me to get off my little duff and put it out there… Ready or Not!!!… Life often hits us that way, anyway! He was commenting about the phrase, “Today is the first day of the rest of your life”. He proceeded to change it to “Now is the rest of your life”… Oh I’ve heard that before, but this “Pregnancy Redefined” project jumped front and center in my mind…AGAIN... I have always felt it’s never finally good enough! There is always one more idea to insert…one more word to change…one more punctuation mark to ponder over! Oh the life of a perfectionist freak!
 

     The deacon’s words were short and sweet… “What God has called you to do…Do!”… With this brief dissertation he introduced the lay (lay meaning not a priest or nun) missionary from Haiti. And I thought... here we go again…another request for money!
 

     The speaker was a humble looking man, with good looks, but a slightly disheveled appearance. I had noticed his prayerful presence earlier, but was unaware of his future role as speaker.

This slight man proceeded to tell about the earthquake Jan 12, 2010 in Port au Prince. He had been a missionary since he was 23 (I would say he was now in his late 50’s). In those years, he had been robbed, kidnapped, beaten and left for dead… This however was the most horrendous event he had ever lived through. This 38 second earthquake left him tossed about in a sea of rubble…shocked… disoriented… and devastated…to a point where he did not know himself! Over a period of days he managed with others, to dig out 2 seminarians from his school, who were badly in need of medical care. The other 22 lay buried in their 3 storey building, unable to be recovered. He headed to the convent where Mother Teresa’s Sisters of Charity had a hospital in Port Au Prince. When he arrived there, the lawn was full of injured, dying people. His spirit was totally crushed by the devastation, and as he decided to give up (yes giving up is a decision) one of the nuns took him by the shoulders and told him, “God can handle this, but you must handle your part. Do not give up your mission!”

He was not asking for money! He was asking each of us to fulfill our own mission, no matter how difficult. His sincerity opened our hearts… and our wallets.
 

      So here I was… again reminded of my own mission. Get going! This project was birthed out of a love for God, Family, Country and the World.  When I was a teenager I thought about being a missionary, so perhaps this is its fruition.
 

      See you next time… God willing! God Bless!