There is something so special about fall. God, the master artist, paints such beautiful pictures for us in creation. I hope you are enjoying this beautiful fall day. Whether it is sunny or rainy, take a few minutes and delight in the beauty of God’s creation; you will be so happy you did.
Now, to the matter at hand. Have you ever heard someone say, “I’ll get to it when things are back to normal,” or “I’ll be happy when things are back to normal?” I know that I have said it many times, but recently, a friend responded, “The only thing normal is a cycle on the washing machine!” We had a great laugh, and then I started thinking about it.
My guess is that each of us has a different definition of normal. For some, it may mean a time with no stress, a time spent in their personal comfort zone, a time when everything is going as planned, or a time to be in charge. There is nothing wrong with these definitions of normal, but I go back to my friend’s quote, “The only thing normal is a cycle on the washing machine!”
So, we can live our lives looking for that normal, or we can live each day with the fresh opportunity to see what God has planned for us. We need to be open to encounters with God in our daily life, for they are there. We may not like all of them, but the truth is that God is with us no matter what and His plans for us are plans for the good. I am sure that Jesus never lived a “normal” day in his life from beginning to end. Still though, each day He experienced the Father’s love and presence. Jesus modeled for the Apostles how to experience each opportunity with fresh eyes and heart.
We too can learn to look at life this way. Whether we are searching for what to do with our lives, looking for a job, recovering from natural disasters, or human ones, God is always with us. The day is not “normal,” but it is full of the awareness of the presence of God. With everything that is happening these days we need to know that God is with us. We need to make the choice to see God in our everyday happenings. From experience, I know that it is not always easy, but the more we practice it, the better we become at recognizing God’s presence in our lives.
To close I will share a simple example of a recent God incidence in my life. Months ago, I made plans to lead a retreat for a group of women in a parish I once taught in. As God would have it, a former student, is the Associate Pastor there. I realized my arrival was even more providential when I learned that his mother had passed away and I was able to attend her wake and funeral along with so many of my former students. For me it was an extraordinary experience that took over a normal day!
My prayer for you this week is that you don’t experience any “normal” days, except when you do your wash!
Till next week
Sister Theresita
PS: Another God incident this past week was my location (Norwich CT) which allowed me to witness the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights). Who Knew!
