Eyes to See

I had the opportunity to "see God" on my birthday. As a gift to the 5 men in my family, I usually plan my birthday so they don't feel bad and I don't feel bad. I ran out of steam this year and figured, I can handle one year of no events.

But I wasn't prepared for an dark and empty house at 5 when I got home on my birthday, plus no gifts, no cards, no calls. Hmmmm. "Is this what I communicated?" I had to ask myself. I began processing the inevitable emotions of neglect and feeling sorry for myself and set my heart to be proactive and take care of myself.

This is where God came in. First, my daughter unexpectedly got off work early. She told them it was my birthday, it was slow, so they sent her home. She brought me flowers and a wonderful card. I then suggested she and I go to Bella Monica and get a pizza. It was raining, the lights went out at the restaurant and we had a lovely, cozy time together talking about her future in candlelight.

Then another son wandered home with a Cheesecake Factory cake and we sat and talked about his life and his ancestors.

Then another son wandered in with flowers and we talked about the Enneagram and his life.

Then I got 2 phone calls from children far away.

God took care of me, gave me my type of birthday, unplanned, casual, kind, natural, sweet, intimate - tailor made for me - from my Creator. He knew for me, talking to my children about life was the best gift ever.

Eyes to see.

The One Who Shuffles

A mentally impaired gentleman has recently been hired where I work. My heart is so tender towards him; I feel the compassion of God every time I see him.

He is young, but walks with his head down and with a shuffle . . . the kind of shuffle that takes a great deal of concentration. And sometimes I look at him and imagine what he would look like and act like if he had a different brain.

And I pray for him. I know what it is like to be confused by life . . . to know just enough to be tormented.

And I think, if I, a mere mortal, feel compassion for this struggling one, then surely God has compassion on you and me - the other shuffling ones - just a little higher up the ladder.