Being an Influencer

Okay....this is longer than my usual "long", but it describes major influencers in my life. When I come to Tulsa, I squeeze in as much as possible because there are so many precious friends and family here. Yesterday was no exception. First was attending mass at my home parish and sitting beside my Tulsa “family” who mean the world to me. My godson brought us all together when he was a very sick newborn. My husband and I fell in love with this family long before his birth, but it was his little precious and vulnerable life that cemented us all together. Isn’t it amazing how what seems to be the worst of times, brings out the best in people and the best of times? Owen is 13 now so it’s been 13 years of watching God perform miracle after miracle in his life. Since my husband passed away, Owen has taken his place beside me in church and he still holds my hand and wraps his arms around me with abandon. Be still my heart! I was thrilled to have lunch with them and seeing the two youngest in their costumes for Trunk or Treat that followed. This family has been amazing influencers in my life.

After church and before lunch, I made a couple of quick visits to see two amazing “older” women. My first visit was to see Margaret, the mother of my brother-in-law, She lives in a skilled nursing facility, If you need a pick-me-up, go see her. I walked in her room and she was beaming from ear-to-ear and excited to tell me “I’m 96 years old now! Just look at these paintings on my walls. I painted them all!” Margaret is a dear, optimistic, light-hearted friend that as long as I’ve known her, her outgoing, and warm personality made me feel loved. She influenced me.

Then I headed over to spend time with my mother-in-law. I took her dinner the night before and we caught up then, but yesterday I savored our time together once again. She's gone through a lot physically, but now that she lives with Karen, my husband’s sister, she's become stronger and filled with so much vitality. She boasted “I’ve gained five pounds!” And that says a lot! I can’t begin to tell you how much she has influenced my life -- the most of which are her prayers for us. I asked her “What are you going to do today?” She quickly responded, “I’ve got lots of calls to make!” She has a list of people she calls to encourage. She is sure not done yet. She’ll be 96 on Wednesday.

Lastly, I made my way to another dear friend and mentor. Oh, how I love this precious saint, Sister Marie Pierre. After 50+ years of ministry, she retired and lives in a small space at St. Joseph's Monastery but it is everything she hoped for in this season of her life. A few months ago she had a pretty bad fall and had to have hip surgery. I was shocked to see that she was waiting at the door with her walker for me when I arrived. She wasn’t setting any records, but she was up and moving. Another nun waited with her and she asked: “Are you a teacher?” I replied, “Yes, I am, but I’m also one of Sister Pierre’s children.” We made each other cry as we shared sweet memories, and about our future....getting to graduate to heaven. We talked about how our loved ones and the saints and Jesus are cheering us on to the finish line. I could tell she is longing for the day when she'll go home, but in the meantime, sitting at her feet, feeling God's presence and His peace all around her, is the place to be. God continues to use her to touch our lives. She has MANY children -- of course, not biologically, but she sure had a hand in raising many of us in the ways we should go.

Why do I go into so much detail about my life and share it on social media? One, it will be forever an archive to remind me of those people who passed my way. I’m quite sure they were all a part of God’s Master Plan for my life. Placing value on those people and acknowledging them as precious and valuable makes them matter in the grand scheme of God’s almighty handiwork. I love to give credit where credit is due. Each teacher, mentor, encourager, family member, friend, and even casual acquaintance are strategic in God’s wisdom to co-partner with Him. I am so grateful for those who helped “make” me.

The point is to embrace God’s plan AND people that come into our lives – there’s a reason for them all. I’m so thankful that mine has made me purposeful in my mission and determination to finish strong. Perhaps you’re thinking of your own life and those who have contributed to who you are today. Maybe phone them or pay them a visit to let them know how thankful you are for them. Why do I go into so much detail about my life and share it on social media? One, it will be archived to remind me of those people who partnered with God to fulfill His Master Plan in my life. Acknowledging them is giving credit where credit is due. Each teacher, mentor, encourager, family member, friend, and even casual acquaintance are strategically placed in our lives by God. I am so grateful for those who helped “make” me.

The point is to embrace God’s plan AND people that come into our lives. There is a reason for them all. I’m so thankful that mine has made me purposeful in my mission and determination to finish strong. Perhaps you’re thinking of your own life and those who have contributed to who you are today. Maybe phone them or pay them a visit to let them know how thankful you are for them.

The Sower Sows and Sows and Sows

Day 240 of Photo Inspirations -- The Sower Sows and Sows and Sows
"Be still and know that I am God."  Psalm 46:10.  That almost seems an impossible feat to find a place of quietness, a place to be still and a place without the so-easily-achieved distractions. That place to hear God's voice and feel His presence so near and dear.

I found it Sunday with other ladies when we went to St. Joseph's Monastery for a mini-retreat, and, oh, what a heaven-sent afternoon we had.

Sister Barbara Austin took us on a reflective journey about the Sower and the Word (seeds) from Mark 4:14-20, but more than the seeds, she talked about the Sower who sowed and sowed and sowed. He never ran out of seeds even though some fell on stony ground, some were devoured by birds, some fell among thorns and some fell on good ground.  But, bottom line, the Sower continued to have plenty of seeds. He just kept on sowing.

Sister Barbara's emphasis was on THE SOWER and what the seeds would do.   She said, "God is the Sower and His grace and generosity is abundant. He doesn't pay attention to the 'issues' that we have. Let Him just keep sowing and sowing in your life. Swim in His generosity. Then turn around and YOU be the sower of His generosity to the world."   I had never heard it expressed this way but it made such sense to consider Father God and His unlimited blessings in our lives -- those "seeds" He plants in us.  He is SO generous.

She sent us, individually, to other rooms or to the grounds to be still and meditate on the lavishness -- the undescribable generosity of God.  I found a quiet, peaceful little room -- and I knew I was in a holy place.  I thought about the Sower Who gives and gives and gives to us. Great is His faithfulness. I quietly sang this old song "Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face, And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace." I was in that place. I soaked in His generosity and left feeling "I have been with my God!"  I was still enough and quiet enough to KNOW He IS God!  I was full.

Just in case you can't seem to find a place where that peace is found, I highly recommend hanging out at a monastery -- a holy place where God is found not only in these precious sisters who have dedicated their loves wholly to God, but where the presence of God is almost tangible.

Sister Marie Pierre -- God's Messenger of Love and Joy

Day 38 of Photo Inspirations - Sister Marie Pierre
I was so thrilled to see this precious lady at a luncheon on Tuesday -- I just knew she would be my photo inspiration for today.  She retired to St. Joseph's Monastery a year or so ago -- after being over Pastoral Care at Church of the Madalene for many years.  She'll be celebrating her 60th year as a Benedictine nun later this year. Sister Pierre is the epitome of deep devotion and commitment for God, His Church and His people, and at the same time -- she is so real and down to earth.  She is delightful and hilariously funny, yet exudes her love for God and His people in such a practical way. She moves slower these days, but her charm and wit have never ceased.

I'll never forget hearing her tell her personal story.  She said, "I made my first public appearance on December 17, 1928.  When the news of my birth reached the party lines the whole country fell into a depression."  Her own critic, she said,  "I had the kind of hair that belonged under a veil.  My cousin said it looked like the first rays of the morning sun reflected in a pan of cold dishwater.  I struggled with it until the day it was shorn and I had no regrets over that. There was a movie star that had her hair around her head and I thought it was so pretty and I worked and worked to try to get my hair like that.  I still can't figure out how she did it.  But the movie star I looked like was Mickey Rooney."

While teaching at Marquette she had this experience.  "I was on the playground with Cora Jackworth one time.  She was the 4th Grade Teacher.  One of her kids got in a fight and she sent him in to write about which commandment he had violated.  They were learning the Ten Commandments.  After a while she brought me his paper and he had written ten times, "Thou shall not commit adultery in vain."

I just wanted to share how much she has meant to me.  She was relentless in her visits to the hospital and to our home when my sweet husband was so ill....and after he went to heaven, she continued to check on me to be sure I was okay.   This precious woman of God, no doubt, will one day have a royal homegoing and I'm quite sure the red carpet will roll out, the bands will be playing, and choirs singing.....but most importantly, there will be lines upon lines of peope there giving her a standing ovation because of how she impacted their lives with God's love.  Whether here, or up there with her, I'll be among those singing her praises and celebrating the gift God gave us in her.