Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Phil 4:6-7



Thursday, April 13, 2017

At Long Last Daybook







In the great outdoors...
...tulips! The sun came out in February, the crocuses came up, and then it snowed. Then the sun came out  in March, and the daffodils came up, and then it snowed. I had hope for the tulips and in April we have tulips! These are my favorite -- purple tulips just in time for the end of Lent. 




I'm thinking about...
...at long last -- at long, long last -- I feel our period of adversity, is possibly ending (knock wood), or at least easing to a point at which we can breathe. And the timing is not lost on me as we started Lent last year in this state and we end our Lent this year in a new state.




The last time I blogged I was starting a new job in retail. Life was crazy, my friends, working retail, at all hours of the day and night, and my home life suffered. The manager was scheduling me to close 3-4 days a week (that's 5 to 9:30 or 10 p.m.) and that was hard being away from my family, leaving dinner for them to eat without me, Faith needing help with homework, but me not able to receive most texts in the mall, much lest help with homework remotely (not to mention getting up at six and working that late, and being on my feet for an entire shift).


I had just decided to quit, and then second-guessed myself and decided to stay, but not as a lead sales associate, just one day every other week, in case I needed to ask for more hours. Within a week, a paralegal who works in the office across the hall from where my mom works popped her head in the door to say they were looking for an administrative assistant and to ask if my mom knew anyone "just like her." She told them my situation, they called, I interviewed last Tuesday, and I started Monday (which, considering today's news -- again, thank the Lord!). I work four days a week from 8:30 to 3, so I leave after Faith leaves and I'm home before she comes home. I get off in time to pick her up if I need to, and when our grandbaby comes, I will go down to three days a week so I can keep baby two days a week as we already planned. There are two attorneys and a paralegal, all women, all incredibly kind and very flexible. I feel so grateful to have landed in a soft place, after a very bumpy ride.

Doug has another client now -- another church doing a campaign restoration -- and he is busy every day. And so, though life is nothing like it was before last February, it's looking up incredibly. 

I am amazed at the changes we've made in a year. We went from comfortably homeschooling one child, one at home in college, one married, one doing well on his own, to being unemployed, unsure of anything, and fearing the future. I can see God's hand in what we've gone through, but, of course, will never know why until the veil is lifted. Doug started going to weekly adoration and became a daily Communicant. I responded to a request to be a regular lector at our parish. Would our lives have taken the same path had we not made the choices we did to rely on him completely? I doubt it. Only God knows. And now a grandson on the way and our two children moving in with us so we can enjoy him so much more.


I am reading....


I am creating...
...a baby blanket, what else?




In the kitchen...

...we had Balsamic Browned Butter Tortellini and Asparagus Spears for dinner. The tortellini for the crown of thorns, the vinegar for the vinegar-soaked sponge given in Our Lord's response to "I thirst," and the asparagus spears for the spear that pierced His side after death. A simple, but potentially symbolic meal.




Around the house...
...playing catch-up to get ready for Easter. Low expectations this year!


Plans for the rest of the week...
...Good Friday service, the Easter Vigil (pray for me -- I have two readings), and Easter morning Mass.


A few of my favorite things...
...Holy Week
...my view from my new desk -- no windows but a fish tank with Dori and Nemo.






Prayers sent heavenward...

...for my husband and children, to do God's will every day

...for my prayer warriors -- you know who you are and I am so grateful for you. You helped bring us through this past year and I will never forget the gift of your prayers!

...for my new job and wonderful trusting (and Catholic) employers

...for that sweet little grand baby

...for all priests and religious
...all babies whose mothers are contemplating abortion, for a change of heart
...for friends who have asked for prayers



18 comments:

  1. OK, so I missed the whole "working at Gymboree" thing. I thought you were cooking up a storm still!! Wow, lots has changed all during lent! I haven't been on as much with lent so I suppose that's how I missed it! I'm so happy for you!! I hope things just get better and better!

    Much love and (((hugs)))!

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  2. Thank you, sweet lady. Yeah, I had to quit the cooking because my kitchen was taking a beating, as was my body. I really thought Gymboree was going to be great, and it would have if I'd been scheduled during the day. But, now I see it was just a stepping stone. I gained confidence and saw what I could do if pushed. I'm still doing the laundry on Fridays (two clients) until baby comes.

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  3. Oh Barbara, This is great news! Praise God! I am so happy for all of you. God bless you and your family and may you all have a Blessed Easter!

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    1. Thank you, Julie. And thank you for your prayers! A blessed Easter to you, too.

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  4. So beautiful to see your faith and trust. I'm doing the Consoling the Heart of Jesus Ignatian retreat through my church with book and videos. It's been amazing. What pleases Our Lord most and what comforts Him most is when his Faithful have complete trust in Him. Also when we just sit with Him, meditate on His passion and hold his Hand. 💕 Thank you for your beautiful witness. Please pray for me as well. Need healing for traumatic abuse in my childhood. Going on JP2 Healing Center retreat next week. It's going to beemossionaly draining and I'm apprehensive. I also have lack of faith. I doubt I will ever be healed from this deep wound, inflicted a quarter century ago that still hurts. I need to trust & surrender. Thank you, my dear friend. Today I will be praying with that beautiful Chaplet of Sorrows you made me.

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    1. I will be praying for you, E. Trust in God. There is nothing he can't do.
      CCC #322 Christ invites us to filial trust in the providence of our heavenly Father (cf. Mt 6:26-34), and St. Peter the apostle repeats: "Cast all your anxieties on him, for he cares about you" (I Pt 5:7; cf. Ps 55:23).

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  5. Answers to prayers, so happy for you sweet friend. You have been a model of faith and I thank you for sharing it all. Continue, please.

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    1. Thank you, Allison. I may have tripped a few times in my faith, but I never truly doubted God had the answers. Thank you for your prayers!

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  6. Yay! Yay! Yay! I'm so happy to hear your good news! That's the best way to get a job, isn't it? Just have it fall in your lap. That sounds like God's will to me. You'll be awesome, of course, and that's great that you can drop back to 3 days when the baby comes. The tulips are beautiful surrounding Mary. Enjoy your BLESSED Easter!

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    1. I'm convinced it is the best way to get a job, but I find you can't ask friends if they know OF jobs. They really do have to just "happen." It certainly feels like God's will. I know it's only been a week, but I like going to work -- something I never thought I'd say! Enjoy your blessed Easter, too!

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    2. PS Thank you for your prayers!

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  7. God is good, naturally, all the time, but I'm so happy you can feel His Goodness too. It's been a long year for you, and the Easter season is a great time to receive renewed hope! Retail sales is hard work - not as physical as some jobs, but still very hard. I'm so glad you found something easier on the feet, and on your home life too. Have a blessed Easter, Barbara!

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  8. What a lovely feeling to visit a blog and find an answer to prayer!

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  9. What a lovely feeling to visit a blog and find an answer to prayer!

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  10. Congratulations on the new job! Deo Gratias! It sounds like the perfect Easter present, to have it fall into your lap like that after such a hard year. Hope all goes well for you. What a blessing to have Catholic employers too. I'm very happy for you!

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  11. I'm jut now keeping up with all I missed during Lent. This is so good to read!!!!

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I appreciate your comments -- sometimes I feel like I'm talking to myself!