HAPPY 25TH BIRTHDAY
DEAREST JON !!!
_______________________________
Yesterday morning at Mass, a friend mentioned that a local high school student was involved in a serious car accident and was thrown from the vehicle and had suffered a serious brain injury. He was in critical condition at the same hospital where they had taken Paul after his accident. I could picture how crowded the waiting room and hallways around the waiting room would be. I thought about the family all through Mass and on my way home. Paul was awake when I checked in on him and I mentioned what happened to yet another young man. Paul said he had seen the headline in the newspaper, but didn't read it. He didn't want to know the details, but he would remember the name as he prayed. Paul was laying on his bed and I sat down beside him. He was staring at the ceiling and we sat there quietly for a few moments. Then, very gently he said just one word..........."Mom". I cannot really explain it in words but the softness of his voice and the loving tone in which he said it made it stand out like never before. In the few seconds between hearing it and my responding, I had an instant flash of how beautiful it sounded - how wonderful it was to hear him say my name and then I flashed on how much the mother of that young man (his name is Daniel) would love to hear her own son be able to mouth that word......."MOM". I could imagine her at his bedside, holding his hand and watching his face for some sign of consciousness, for him to open his eyes and look at her. He would not even have to speak the word, his eyes would say it for him. Just like Paul did when he first woke.
I answered Paul with "What dearest?" He kept staring at the ceiling, off in deep thought and he finally asked very gently, "When will I be free from my head pain?" My only answer was the same as always, "When God is finished with His plan. He has called you by name Paul and He needs you to do this for as long as it takes for Him to finish His work." Paul just nodded and then said, "Okay, I'll wait."
Today's reading is about the vines and branches. Jesus is the vine and we are the branches. If necessary, God will prune the branches so they will bear more fruit. I smiled as I thought about how we've been pruned! It is a way that God tends to us, and before a branch dies, God will 'prune' it in an effort to save it, as explained in today's homily. We need not be afraid of getting 'clipped'. We can be "certain that nothing will happen to us that we cannotuse as a source of the greatest good for His glory and the sanctification of ourselves and others, ad that everything that happens is either willed or permitted by Him and that therefore, far from lying under the shadow of fear, we have only to say, "Whatever happens - God be praised!" (Venerable Charles de Foucauld) Yes, come out of the shadows and let the sun shine on the branch, so it will bear much fruit.
We are called by name, each and every one of us. As beautiful the sound of a son or daughter saying "Mom" or "Dad", the sound of God calling us "Son" or "Daughter" is infinitely more magnificent.
And I want to say to my son, JON....................Happy and blessed 25th birthday to you!! You have brought more joy and love into our lives these past 25 years than we can express in this posting! You are a most beautiful gift from God and we will rejoice in this day the Lord has made. God bless you always.
Happy birthday to our most devoted commentor on this blog.........KATIE ! You are a shining star! God bless you too.
Our prayers were answered yesterday in that Paul had one of the best days he has had since he came home a few weeks ago. He got his dog fed, got ready for Mass and work, without prompting. Later, he and Judy walked the dogs for a mile. While I was cooking, Paul, Jon and I were playing card games and we had so much fun. Then Paul visited with our neighbors Bob and Barb and then went to Jerry's to spend the night, since Jerry has Wednesday's off. It was a very full day and we are hoping that this will continue to be the trend for Paul. Getting him back on track will be terrific. It is slow going, but as long as we trend up, we are most happy. It seems like we are on a merry-go-round in that we have to keep starting the recovery process over, but my niece Sarah sent me pictures of Paul comparing him to one year ago and last month and it is remarkable how much progress he has made. The recovery this time around was slower because of the air pockets allowed into the ventricles and also having 3 surgeries in 2 weeks. That's a lot of anesthesia for the body to get out of its system!
"I am the vine, you are the brances. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing." (Jn 15:5)
May we always bear fruit for the glory of God,
Love,
Jon and Rebecca
I answered Paul with "What dearest?" He kept staring at the ceiling, off in deep thought and he finally asked very gently, "When will I be free from my head pain?" My only answer was the same as always, "When God is finished with His plan. He has called you by name Paul and He needs you to do this for as long as it takes for Him to finish His work." Paul just nodded and then said, "Okay, I'll wait."
Today's reading is about the vines and branches. Jesus is the vine and we are the branches. If necessary, God will prune the branches so they will bear more fruit. I smiled as I thought about how we've been pruned! It is a way that God tends to us, and before a branch dies, God will 'prune' it in an effort to save it, as explained in today's homily. We need not be afraid of getting 'clipped'. We can be "certain that nothing will happen to us that we cannotuse as a source of the greatest good for His glory and the sanctification of ourselves and others, ad that everything that happens is either willed or permitted by Him and that therefore, far from lying under the shadow of fear, we have only to say, "Whatever happens - God be praised!" (Venerable Charles de Foucauld) Yes, come out of the shadows and let the sun shine on the branch, so it will bear much fruit.
We are called by name, each and every one of us. As beautiful the sound of a son or daughter saying "Mom" or "Dad", the sound of God calling us "Son" or "Daughter" is infinitely more magnificent.
And I want to say to my son, JON....................Happy and blessed 25th birthday to you!! You have brought more joy and love into our lives these past 25 years than we can express in this posting! You are a most beautiful gift from God and we will rejoice in this day the Lord has made. God bless you always.
Happy birthday to our most devoted commentor on this blog.........KATIE ! You are a shining star! God bless you too.
Our prayers were answered yesterday in that Paul had one of the best days he has had since he came home a few weeks ago. He got his dog fed, got ready for Mass and work, without prompting. Later, he and Judy walked the dogs for a mile. While I was cooking, Paul, Jon and I were playing card games and we had so much fun. Then Paul visited with our neighbors Bob and Barb and then went to Jerry's to spend the night, since Jerry has Wednesday's off. It was a very full day and we are hoping that this will continue to be the trend for Paul. Getting him back on track will be terrific. It is slow going, but as long as we trend up, we are most happy. It seems like we are on a merry-go-round in that we have to keep starting the recovery process over, but my niece Sarah sent me pictures of Paul comparing him to one year ago and last month and it is remarkable how much progress he has made. The recovery this time around was slower because of the air pockets allowed into the ventricles and also having 3 surgeries in 2 weeks. That's a lot of anesthesia for the body to get out of its system!
"I am the vine, you are the brances. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing." (Jn 15:5)
May we always bear fruit for the glory of God,
Love,
Jon and Rebecca
3 comments:
ahh, Thanks for the birthday shout out, rebecca! this turning 30 thing is gonna take some getting used to. it's kinda freaking me out. anyways, Happy Birthday to your son! I so wish we could trade years...me be 25 instead. :)
Happy Birthday, Jon!
Hi all-
Happy Birthday wishes to Jon, congratulations to Michael, and a heartfelt "...do not grow weary..." to Paul.
Yeah, I'll take 25 again in a heartbeat, but only if I get to go back AND not be stupid. Keep your way holy and blameless, Jon; the rewards are great beyond your ability to imagine.
Best wishes and God's blessings to all the Fideros!
The St Louis Browns
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