Daily Bread

Tuesday Evening 12/5/06

I wish I had the time to share everything that Paul says and does that keeps me so centered in Jesus! We will be talking and out of the blue, he will say something so spiritual with a serenity that steers me right into the path of God's love. I have found myself dwelling on when Paul will be able to get back into school, or will he ever be free of his headaches, or some other present issue at hand, and then will hear him say something that melts all the stresses away. I don't mean to say I would give up helping him to recover to his fullest, but his thoughts and statements can take the level of stress away.

On Monday, I was driving him to work, and was deep in thought about whether we should see if he could put in more hours each day. I know we need to stretch him mentally, as well as physically. The sky was absolutely brilliant blue and it had wispy clouds that seem to occur with very chilly weather. I was distracted by the beauty and mentioned it to Paul. He chuckled and said "You know, I was just noticing it and was going to say something about it to you." I smiled and then my mind began thinking of how gentle Paul's face looked and then remembered how he had tenderly touched the face of Chris when we visited him last Friday. I told Paul I was so happy we had gone there and thanked him for being so kind and prayerful for Chris. He said it was great, because he knew our family had really been helped by so many people praying. I said that I was most especially touched by how he talked directly to Chris and prayed for a miracle. Paul said, "God had a message for Chris and needed him to know it." I looked over at Paul and said, "What do you mean?" He smiled at me and said, "It isn't like I hear God talking directly to me, but I know when God wants me to share something with someone. I will have thoughts come into my head and then will just know it is something I am supposed to share at that moment. That is why I said those things to Chris." In my head, I said to myself "And you are worrying about what Paul is going to do with his life! Whatever God wants him to do!"

Later that day, I got another 'breadcrumb' from God. I call these little visual signs breadcrumbs, because I sometimes feel like Gretel - following my breadcrumbs along the pathway God intends. I got a Mass card from my son Jon. He said that it was the first Mass available at their church. It is for December 22, 2006. That date is very meaningful for us and I remembered it instantly. Last year, on 11/16/05, Fr. Kevin Peek said Mass for Paul in his hospital room, while Paul was still in a coma. He brought with him the zuchetto (skullcap) worn by Pope John Paul II at a Mass Pope John Paul II celebrated on December 22, 1996! Fr. Peek placed it on Paul's head while Mass was being celebrated. We already had a picture of Pope John Paul II and the Blessed Mother Mary above Paul's head and we had been praying that Pope John Paul would intercede for our son and asked that he pray too that our prayers would answered. We asked Blessed Mother Mary to make our prayers more perfect before Jesus, her son. Then Fr. Peek came with the zuchetto and we all knew God had heard us and was letting us know. So when I opened the Mass card and saw the same date - December 22 - I smiled and thought to myself - God's letting me know He is leading Paul and I don't have to worry about it!

Wednesday 12/6/06

For the past 3 days Paul has been experiencing some abdominal pain that has stayed persistent. This morning, we called his primary care physician and were told that he probably needed to go to the ER, so tests could be run to rule out appendicitis or some other problem that would possibly require surgery. We are here now and have had an ultrasound and are waiting for a CT scan. The pain is most noticeable to him when he walks and moves. This morning, it was hurting whenever he took a deep breath. It was after Paul got his ultrasound done, and was waiting to be brought back to his room, he asked me to pray with him. He said he really is hoping it won't require surgery because he is feels he is so close to getting better. I told him that I agreed and that we have worked too hard getting his weight up! He smiled and said "That's right........I finally weigh 159!" (He weighed himself on Sunday and got off the scale and did a little dance when he saw how much he weighed. He also laughingly said that it was 'all fat' and no muscle.) I am keeping a positive outlook since Paul has been talking a lot about what we will be eating for dinner!
Hopefully............God will provide THE BREADCRUMBS!

Today's Gospel reading is from Matthew 15:29-37 (the miracle of the fish and loaves).
From my Magnificat daily prayer book-
Jesus went up on the mountain. Great crowds came to him, "having with them the lame, the blind, the deformed." Thus, many of the sick had to be carefully led or actually carried up the mountain to get to Jesus. When our own hearts believe that 'this is the Lord for whom we looked,' nothng prevents us from bringing all to Jesus. The Lord's response from the mountian is to provide a rich, miraculous feast."

Dear Lord, bless all who are suffering today and lead them to the 'Joy of your holy mountain".

Thank you for your prayers and we will let you know as soon as possible what they determine.

Love,
Jon and Rebecca