About the Spirit

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This blog started out with "about me" in the title. My whole life has been "about me". I hope that the entries that I make will be about the Spirit and how He has changed my life because it has always been about Him and how He works through us.

Thursday, December 20, 2007

What a week!

I'm reading a book titled "From Image to likeness" by William A. Simpson. The general theme of the book is that through our journey God is an image but as we open our hearts to the Holy Spirit we become a likeness to God. There's a chapter that deals with seeing God in our everyday lives. I surely have seen Him this week. I have a friend whose husband goes through dialysis treatment on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday of every week. Well, I saw her yesterday in the patient waiting area and stopped to say hi. I knew something was bothering her as I asked how she was doing. Suddenly she grabbed and hugged me as she explained that her husband's cancer had returned. She broke down in tears as she told me that he had lost the use of his right leg. He was having an MRI done as she waited. I left her there after a few minutes and was leaving the hospital as I saw her husband in the x-ray waiting room, he was sleeping in his wheelchair. I stopped and put my hand on his shoulder, feeling his shoulder bone through his shirt. I just said hi and left. I went to St. Mary's Chapel to say a Prayer for this wonderful man and woman and you know I don't even know their names. As I sat in front of the Eucharist I remembered how I first met them over two years ago. She was taking him to his treatment on Thursday morning and I was in my coffee shop with "Swing" (WWII era) music going full blast out of the CD player. After she took her husband in she came out and told me that the music I was playing was his favorite. That afternoon I saw my brother Steve and asked if he would make copies of the CD and he took them home and brought them in the next day. I saw her the following Tuesday, gave her the CD and watched as tears welled up in her eyes. I never said much to her after that knowing that she had many things on her mind and everything revolved around her husband and I didn't want to appear like a pest. We just smiled as we saw each other every other morning. Well, today is Thursday the day of his treatment and what a wonderful day in turned out to be!
First I want you to know that I love the hospital where I work, some wonderful things occur there everyday. Today we had a blind person playing the piano and singing Christmas carols at the top of her voice. Someone opened the door to Dialysis so then patients could hear the music, I looked over and saw that it was the lady whose husband was sick. I walked over and asked how the MRI turned out. She looked at me with tears of relief as she told me that it wasn't as bad as they thought, the symptoms were brought on by a recent bout with the flu and the cancer hadn't returned. She hugged me then and thanked me. I went to Chapel today and thanked God for this wonderful job, for the wonderful people I get to know, for my family, and for my wife...all of which I surely do not deserve.
I could go on and on about the things that happened today and I think I'll add some more but I think its time for me to stop for now.

Saturday, December 15, 2007

Been Busy!

This is a very busy time for Mom and me with Christmas preparations at our Church and being busy at my coffee shop. The hospital had their Christmas party this week and I caught up in moment decided that I would stay and help. Well, just to let you all know that good things do happen to those that have good intentions, after the party began and the high school choir took their first break I heard a voice yelling "grandpa! grandpa!" I turned to look to see who it was and saw my number two granddaughter running towards me with her friends. Allison ( Allie Oopie) was in the choir and at her first chance came to say hi to me and to share a loving hug. The choir began to sing again and the Ooper and I traded smiles as she sang and I served coffee. I am truly Blessed and it is moments such as these that Jesus nudges me in the ribs just to let me know that he is always here. The love that I and a believe Allison felt for one another as we smiled is proof that Jesus shows his presence through Love. I think that I was being reminded that the Christmas Season is about the one true gift that God gave the world...His only Son!
So, slow down and remember to always look for those little "knowing" smiles" because that is Jesus' nudging you in the ribs...and heart.

Tuesday, December 4, 2007

Well, it's over...

After a pretty hectic day we arrived at the Va Hospital in the cities at about 2 pm. I waited around for just a few minutes then was taken into an office and asked a lot of questions and blood pressure was taken 155/77 pulse 98...thanks city traffic! Driving in the cities isn't like driving at all, its more like a competition on just how many people you can cut off at 70 miles per hour!
Anyway, after the questioning I sat around to about 3:30 (little over an hour) then taken into the operating room. Mom went with me and held a wonderful conversation with the doctor (a first year resident) as she (the doctor) was cutting into the back of my neck. It took a lot longer and was more complicated then I thought and lasted for over an hour. Another biopsy will be taken to find out it they got it all, if not then I'll have to go back and do it all over again.
I took today and tomorrow off from work, mainly because I have this huge bandage covering my neck and I can't take it off until tomorrow night. Plus, I'm in a little pain but it's not too bad. I hope this is the end off this...I don't want to go through this again!

Saturday, December 1, 2007

Hi!

I'm sorry I haven't been posting lately, it's been a very busy and very long week. Next Monday I go to the VA Hospital in the cities to have my skin cancer removed. No big deal, I was assured that it is a very common cancer and once removed won't come back. I took Tuesday off just in case I have a stiff neck or something so I'll be home all day Tuesday if anyone would like to call.
I have a new Hospice patient. He has throat cancer and is unable to talk. Well, I guess it's ok because I probably couldn't hear him anyway:) He's a destroyer sailor just like me. I printed a picture of his ship and took it to our last visit, he really enjoyed it.
I go on Retreat next weekend and will spend this week preparing myself Spiritually for my three days there. I've been going for the last twelve years and it is a wonderful experience. I would like to suggest that if you have a chance, go on a Retreat it will change your life.
As Mom wrote in her blog, we finished up on our Bible study Thursday afternoon. Just like our study last year, this was a wonderful experience. I enjoyed talking to other men about our journey, it was very enlightening. I guess what really stood out for me is the realization that not all Catholics are super critical of other Religions nor are they (most anyway) judgmental. Just like many in other Religions, most of us are just trying to find our way to Christ . The strange thing about this journey is that it isn't a "road trip" of self denial, although for some of us that have been "of this world" for most of our lives it is certainly that, but it can be a very rewarding very happy time . I guess for me, realizing that there is more to life then the horror, selfishness and the egoism of my former self was a wonderful awakening for me. I attribute this awakening to the Holy Spirit that, at a time when I knew I couldn't continue on my own, I asked (Prayed) would enter my life. He did, and I will never look at life the same way again.
I love you all, thanks for "hanging in there" for me. I truly don't deserve you and I Pray in thanksgiving for all of you.