When talking with Adam tonight, I shared with him a neat story from today.
Michaelann had texted me this afternoon a beautiful picture of her nieces and said, "We're at one of your favorite places!". I knew immediately where they were in Maryland!! Then she followed up that message asking if I knew if our friend, Lisa, was there too? I texted Lisa out of the blue asking if she was in fact, at the Grotto, to which she said replied yes! A three-way texting conversation continued as I realized two of my dearest friends who have been tremendous supports over the last four years were at the same place at the same time!! The last time the three of us had a connection like this was when Michaelann and I attended the Haiti Benefit Dance Lisa coordinated in early May 2010. The reason this night is so vivid for me is because it was when I had made the decision to attend UNCG and start working on the PhD that following Fall. Michaelann was the first friend I told other than my roommate about this huge decision!
Needless to say, the rest of the afternoon, while still productive as I continued to work, also found me lost in the memories from deciding to go to NC to recalling the countless hours spent talking with both of these girls. As I told Adam and the girls today, in conversing with them via text about today I thought of something. The first time I was at the Grotto was on my way to York from NC the weekend before Lent started in 2011. I had driven by dozens of times during my babysitting trips to NC but had never stopped. On a whim that wintry day back in 2011, I pulled over, left Dusty in the car, and trekked up the hill. I distinctly recall texting Lisa from the base of the Mary statue saying I was in one of her favorite places (the same text Michaelann sent me this afternoon!). Then, that week, on Ash Wed. night, Lisa and Michael were engaged!!! I can't help but think how the last pilgrimage I went on was in Colorado when Doris, Adam, and I visited the Mother Cabrini Shrine only to get engaged that night!!
In June 2012, Michaelann gave me the Jeremiah 29:11 journal that I used when praying specifically for a spouse using the three-part prayer Lisa shared with me. I remember it being so hard trusting in God's will versus my own will. The prayer from Lisa is one that I prayed for YEARS...and looking back I'm so thankful for the pruning of the branches even though at the time I didn't understand or see why it was happening. Here is the three-part prayer:
1.) Draw me closer to my spouse,
2.) Grant me eyes to recognize him,
and
3.) Repel from me anyone who is not!
What a good word that is at the end...REPEL.....deflect....turn away those who are not to be in my life....I can now see that the repelling was totally so so so good because it cleared the path to the right one! Back to the journal from Michaelann and Jeremy, life got busy and I didn't really start using the journal again until the fall, which coincided with the Year of Faith starting in October 2012 during which I renewed my prayers for my future spouse.
I also credit both women with helping me to realize I needed to clear the path, and my heart, of those who were not meant to be my future spouse...specifically a certain gentleman from my past...so much so that I ended up cutting all ties with him for good in March 2013.
The days and weeks that followed were tremendously lonely and hard, some of the darkest I faced even when compared to previous years but I learned six months later in September at NCSC (through one of the speakers' presentations) that God was pruning the branches and even further preparing the way. Now, looking back, I'm so incredibly grateful and thankful for all that has happened and wouldn't change any of it...the heart break, the loneliness, the despair. When I do look back, Michaelann and Lisa both shine as especially bright beacons. Their love, talks, and support through the ups and downs helped me more than they will ever know.
Anyhow, fast forward to today where the days are speeding by filled with planning for the wedding, preparing the courses for teaching, learning how to be a professor at Franciscan, moving (again), getting reacclimated to being in PA for the time being (yippee!), and of course thinking about all the changes to come next year (nerve wracking yet exciting nonetheless)....it's easy to get lost in it all. However, receiving the sweet texts from the girls and hearing they both were in such a peaceful place today makes me smile.
I also realized, as I shared this with Adam tonight, that the last time I was at the beloved holy place was on St. Patrick's Day in March 2013 when I met my parents there for mass as well as took some pictures of the beautiful church. Godicidentally, I recalled that my cover photo on my profile had been the picture with my parents in front of the church...so this was one of the first images Adam saw when he checked out my profile. Pretty cool!! I had also just finished the novena to St. Joseph that week and the name of the church where Adam and I will be married is St. Joseph's! :)
Anyhow, earlier today, when I was feeling sorry for myself at being stuck indoors and not participating in fun friend time, reading of the girls being at such a lovely site, seeing the beautiful picture sent to me on my phone, and hearing about their paths crossing in the gift shop, I'm taken back to my last visit at such a gift shop....the one at the Mother Cabrini Shrine in Colorado! As I browsed the gift shop and purchased some prayer cards to give to Adam and our friend, Doris, later...little did I know that after mass at the cathedral that night Adam would propose! It's funny how memories and experiences can all intertwine like this!!
So I'm thankful to the girls for bringing some of that joy from early May in CO back simply by texting me about today's events! I'm thankful for Adam and Doris giving me those memories of that day full of touristy fun things that ended with a bang! I am also thankful for the realization that today's hard work will pay off in the near future just like all the trusting and having faith for so many years paid off in a truly spectacular way that not even I could have dreamt up in my wildest dreams! I also hope that by sharing parts of my story...those of you who may be struggling will grow in faith and trust! Fiat!!
The days and weeks that followed were tremendously lonely and hard, some of the darkest I faced even when compared to previous years but I learned six months later in September at NCSC (through one of the speakers' presentations) that God was pruning the branches and even further preparing the way. Now, looking back, I'm so incredibly grateful and thankful for all that has happened and wouldn't change any of it...the heart break, the loneliness, the despair. When I do look back, Michaelann and Lisa both shine as especially bright beacons. Their love, talks, and support through the ups and downs helped me more than they will ever know.
Anyhow, fast forward to today where the days are speeding by filled with planning for the wedding, preparing the courses for teaching, learning how to be a professor at Franciscan, moving (again), getting reacclimated to being in PA for the time being (yippee!), and of course thinking about all the changes to come next year (nerve wracking yet exciting nonetheless)....it's easy to get lost in it all. However, receiving the sweet texts from the girls and hearing they both were in such a peaceful place today makes me smile.
I also realized, as I shared this with Adam tonight, that the last time I was at the beloved holy place was on St. Patrick's Day in March 2013 when I met my parents there for mass as well as took some pictures of the beautiful church. Godicidentally, I recalled that my cover photo on my profile had been the picture with my parents in front of the church...so this was one of the first images Adam saw when he checked out my profile. Pretty cool!! I had also just finished the novena to St. Joseph that week and the name of the church where Adam and I will be married is St. Joseph's! :)
Anyhow, earlier today, when I was feeling sorry for myself at being stuck indoors and not participating in fun friend time, reading of the girls being at such a lovely site, seeing the beautiful picture sent to me on my phone, and hearing about their paths crossing in the gift shop, I'm taken back to my last visit at such a gift shop....the one at the Mother Cabrini Shrine in Colorado! As I browsed the gift shop and purchased some prayer cards to give to Adam and our friend, Doris, later...little did I know that after mass at the cathedral that night Adam would propose! It's funny how memories and experiences can all intertwine like this!!
So I'm thankful to the girls for bringing some of that joy from early May in CO back simply by texting me about today's events! I'm thankful for Adam and Doris giving me those memories of that day full of touristy fun things that ended with a bang! I am also thankful for the realization that today's hard work will pay off in the near future just like all the trusting and having faith for so many years paid off in a truly spectacular way that not even I could have dreamt up in my wildest dreams! I also hope that by sharing parts of my story...those of you who may be struggling will grow in faith and trust! Fiat!!
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