A little Miracle

The last few days I have been trying to catch up on some of my scrapbooking... (I'm a little,, scratch that-- a lot behind!). But I came upon this picture and it brought back feelings and emotions of hope, faith, trust, and love... and so wanted to share.

About two years ago... I was at a pretty low point in my life. I was going through some really tough times, and just had a hard time with understanding God's plan and if He was even listening to me, my thoughts and prayers. I was training for my first half marathon, less than two weeks away, when I went for a long run on my birthday. I always wear my Miraculous medal and Crucifix, (basically never comes off unless I'm swimming). When I got home, I realized my chain broke and I lost everything except my Miraculous medal that somehow stuck to me. I was so sad, as I got them both while on my trip to Croatia a few months back, and my dear priest friend, Fr Don blessed them. They just both had a lot of meaning to me. As the week went on, I ran that same path a few more times, praying I'd find the crucifix, but came to realize it was like looking for a needle in a haystack. I then started praying that whoever found it (hoping it wasn't a bird or animal), would treasure it as much as I did, and keep it close to their heart. Ten days later, the day before the half marathon, and after a rain shower, I went for a quick 2 mile run to keep my legs loose. To God's goodness and my absolute amazement, as I was running, I stopped dead in my tracks when I realized what I saw!!! MY CRUCIFIX!!! God is so good!! And it was literally only two houses away from my home on the sidewalk (that I walk everyday!)!! It truly was a miracle!! "Jesus said.... 'Have faith also in me.'" ~John 14:1-2

That quiet morning I came to realize how much Jesus really does love me. How much He cares for me. Even in the difficulties of life, the sorrow, the worry, the loneliness. Jesus cares so very much. And never forgets or leaves us. And sometimes we need a little miracle to help us remember that, to truly believe it again, and to not have doubt in the one who created us in His own image. I know for a fact I needed a reminder that simple day. And it sure is a special moment to reflect back on to remember Jesus' love, as I continue to learn how to depend on Him more and more each day.

Each Special Web

Do you ever look back at how God has weaved the most beautiful, perfect story?!?

This weekend, I had the opportunity to do that... and it brings tears to my eyes, to see how God has worked through so many people over the past years to bring about the most special day.

A dear and special friend of mine got married yesterday. She was so beautiful! And I'm pretty sure she had a permanent smile on her face, along with the groom, her husband. It was such an honor to be a part of their day... actually I wouldn't have missed it for the world!

You see over the past 6 years, I've witnessed first hand how God works through us. How His plan is always the best. There are many, many times when we don't understand why or what. When we want to scream and say, "Come on God, help me out! I don't understand!" But then... then one day, we will see more of the picture and what God was doing in our lives... and all we will be able to say is "THANK YOU!" As we will be filled with so much gratitude. 

I picture our lives as a spider web... we can only see one part of the web, maybe even only one strand at a time during our life... where God can see the entire web in it's completion.. so perfectly formed, and so beautiful. Each one is different. Our lives are like that... all different, but all so beautiful in their own, special and perfect way. 

This beautiful bride, my friend Nicole... we met when we both started nursing. We worked on the same unit. She had a special little boy named Ryder and he was her world. One day, at the end of 2010... she noticed a lump on his neck. The doctors checked him out, and the worst was confirmed. He had cancer. They both fought a long, hard battle (10 months worth)... but in the end, Jesus wanted Ryder back with him. Ryder did his job on this earth that he was born to do. Mostly teach us about love, about kindness, about the beauty of a stranger's compassion, and about how much Jesus loves us. He went to be with Jesus two weeks after his 3rd birthday. During this fight against cancer, I asked my priest, and dear friend, if he would come with me to visit them at the hospital. That first meeting, spiraled a beautiful grace... as Nicole wasn't close to any faith, but to witness how Jesus worked through us... it's just so beautiful. As a month before Ryder died, Nicole asked Father to baptize him in the hospital. When Ryder died in Nicole's arms, another priest from our church was at her home praying with all of us, and just being present as Jesus. After Ryder's funeral... Nicole came to Father, and said she wanted to join the church. Three other members of her family also decided to join. I was blessed and honored to be her sponsor through RCIA. Father was able to baptize her also that Holy Saturday night. That connection she had with Ryder through baptism, and then receiving Jesus in the Eucharist for the first time-- no words can describe!! 

Then time passed, and she met a guy... a loving, kind, loyal, Catholic man. :) And you guessed it... they fell in love. They became engaged. She was going to get married! Well... then we realized she had to get an annulment to be able to get married in the Catholic Church, since she was married before. This is where more beauty and grace comes about... as she had to wait almost 2 years for her annulment to go through and be finalized. So many others asked her "why?"  Why wait for this? Why don't you just get married? You see... she wanted to get married in the church so badly. She wanted to do this right! She had grown so much as a person, so much in her faith! She didn't want to get married outside of the church, and then not be able to participate in receiving the Eucharist. The one thing that so much connects her to Jesus, and to her son Ryder. She was not going to lose that gift God gave us no matter what.

So yesterday, when she stood up near the altar, and they said their vows to each other, God, and us... it was so special in more ways than one! It's the whole story of how and why she got there (and there's so much of the story that I didn't share... this is only skimming it.) It's the trust, the faith, the hope, the love. And what brought tears to my eyes even more, was how much Jesus was present during the Mass and the Sacrament of Matrimony yesterday... how one could feel Him and Ryder with us everywhere. It's the real thing. So when we start to doubt God, doubt in His goodness, doubt in His mercy and love... I hope this story, along with others you hold in your heart... I hope they come to the surface to be a reminder of God's goodness. Of His love. And of His most perfect plan!

Most special--- With the beautiful bride and Father!! 

The benefits of Christmas lasting long in the Catholic Church... no need to decorate! :)

Love this!

Special friends!

So much to be grateful for!!

Their look... priceless.

Ryder is smiling down on these special ladies! 

Precious

After the last few days of work, and of just everyday life... I want to share one thing. LIFE IS SO PRECIOUS!!!  If the New Year has taught me anything in its first three days, it is that one never knows when God is going to say, "Well done, good and faithful servant," and take one back with Him. Life can change in an instant. So hug a little tighter, smile a little bigger, and don't be afraid to say "I love you" a little oftener.



If you like this, you also might like Never Just a Nurse or Heavy Heart

Our Own Happiness

Happy New Year! It's 2017! Wow! I am pretty sure that the older one gets, the faster time goes by. I'm not sure how or why, it just is. I do wish it would slow down just a bit, but that's for another day.

I have a blog, I write on it as much as time allows me... so I feel like the obligatory thing to do would be to write about my top ten favorite things of 2016, and then write about my New Year's Resolutions for 2017. I mean, that's what everyone who writes blogs does, right?!? :)  I guess I could, but then again, maybe I won't. And looking back on 2016.. so many great moments. It would be hard to pick just a few. I guess that is one of the reasons I love pictures so much, because there is proof that our life is a gift! That we do have so many blessings. That there are so many people and things to be grateful for. Don't get me wrong.. there is plenty of sadness and suffering, plenty of times I had tears running down my face (just read my journal if you don't believe me). But Jesus means for us to be happy, to be grateful.
Then again, I could write about all my hopes and dreams and goals for 2017.. but we all try to make resolutions and they are so hard to keep. It's kind of hard for us to "resolve" anything.  But I do know, I've learned a lot this past year through all the trials and joys, and wanted to share one reflection.

Every year, we aim to be happy. We aim to have a great year! We want to say, "This year, 2017... it's going to my year!" But then when we are trying to plan our lives, God throws us a curve ball, as if saying, "Hold on a minute... wait for me. Let me show you my plan for you. Trust me and my will." And then we might get upset, sad, depressed, as our life is just not as we have planned. Things may have happened as we wanted, or may have not happened as we wanted in our life. We may try to change or control others and think that then we will be happy if this just happens. But just a minute... deep breath.. flash news---- We only have control over ourselves. We are the only ones that can make ourselves happy. We need to be happy with ourselves, by what we say and do. We need to live our life for Jesus. Not for others.. by what they say about us, or do for us. Others can't make us happy. And we have no control over what they do. Sure, we can influence people, but they ultimately have the last choice of their own life. Life is not fair. Life is hard. There is suffering all around, and all in different ways. But we only have ultimate control over our life, over how we live. Are we doing things to receive praise from others, or are we doing things because we want to serve Jesus through serving others? We can be joyful, kind, compassionate and share that with others around us. It may not seem like much, or that we can make a difference. But I know for a fact how much a smile, a hello, a hand held, a hug, a hand written note, or even homemade cookie dough can mean--- it can mean the world and make someone's life just a little brighter. It it can be that water of grace that they just needed!

Read this quote from Dynamic Catholic this morning... and thought there couldn't be a better way to reflect and start the new year!!

"Gratitude should always be our first response for all the Blessings in our lives. Our second response should be to live a life worthy of the blessings we have received." 

And a quote by Harold S Kushner,

"Do things for people not because of who they are or what they do in return, but because of who you are." 

I just love them both.. and maybe instead trying to make resolutions that others can see or measure... maybe trying to grow "resolve" my heart more toward gratitude and kindness is something much more worth while to aim for in 2017. As then I would be sharing more in the water of grace with all those around me and be more of an instrument of Jesus's love for each of His children.

MC & HNY!

Wanted to share from my family to yours...

And wanted to share my "2016bestnine Instagram photos... :) Such wonderful memories! So much to be grateful for.

From left to right, top to bottom:
1) Christmas in NYC... my bucket list dream. To see the amazing, beautiful, incredible Christmas tree at Rockefeller center and ice skate under the tree! Pretty much died and went to heaven! :)

2) Cliff jumping from 30 foot cliff in Arizona near the Grand Canyon. An experience in itself!

3) NYC at Christmas time in Central Park... couldn't have been a more perfect and fun trip!

4) Having a Sunday that consists of Sunrises and Sunsets and Best Friends in places words can't describe makes for a perfect day! Loved our time in Arizona-- Grand Canyon and Horseshoe Bend.

5) Love that this is in the middle.... Family.. the most important. Taking the time to be together, to laugh, even in the messiness of life to make fun memories! Niobrara River, Smith Falls

6) Oh Peter... I used to ride the school bus with him to school as his nurse. Now I got to pick him up from Kindergarten... he's such a miracle and blessing! But the best part was, him running into my arms and giving me the tightest hug ever!! So much love that boy shares!!

7) There is no place like Nebraska. Dear old Nebraska U! Always a Husker fan!

8) These are a few of my favorite things... this picture should have all my special kiddos in it.. all those that bring so much joy to my heart! What a blessing they all are! And it means the world to me that I am able to be so involved in each of their lives.

9) A beautiful, perfect miracle... this picture means more than words can describe in my heart. This is more than just about a new baby... it's about hope, trust, faith, and love! And how God's plan is always, always the best!!


Many blessings to you this New Year!!