My Christmas Gift

On December 28th, it will be the one year anniversary of my wife's passing.  The week before she passed, we attended a Taizé Candlelight Service at her church, which was something she very much wanted to do.  She had battled cancer for four years and was known for digging deep, and did once again, finding the strength to attend the service despite her rapidly declining health. 

For weeks this year, I have felt an urging to attend the Taize service.  I have not been back to the church since my wife's memorial service, but felt her guiding me to attend the Taize.

 A little history of our Christmases together:  I am red/green color blind.  Sensitive to this reality, my wife would always incorporate something blue into our Christmas--   one year a blue ornament, another year blue wrapping paper, a blue bow, a blue card and even a blue sweater.  So I guess I shouldn't have been surprised when I walked into the Taize service last night only to find the most amazing Christmas tree on the altar-- covered top to bottom in  blue lights.   It was spectacular.  Once again, my wife managed to give me the typical blue Christmas gift.. this spectacular tree. 

The blue Christmas tree has put a new light and face on my Christmas, changing it from one of avoidance to that of joy.  A photo of the tree is on my phone's wallpaper and is a daily reminder of the spirit of the season and knowledge that my wife is thinking of me from the other side.  The best gift I could ever receive!  

Posted by a friend

Offertory Gifts

Shared by a friend:

On Sunday, May 18^th, 2014 I attended Mass with my two children.  Due to their busy schedules, it was rare that we could attend Mass together.  I was grateful.  As we arrived at the church my children were asked by the usher to bring the gifts up during the offertory, which they agreed to do.  

As I knelt to pray, I suddenly realized how special the request was – May 18^th was the 26^th anniversary of my mother’s death.  The last time my children were asked to bring up the offertory gifts was August 26^th, 2013, my mother’s birthday.  Coincidence?  No!  God had given us such a gift on both those days.  As we left church on May 18^th, I asked the usher why she had chosen my children to carry up the offertory gifts.  Her response was that she saw something in their faces and that God wanted her to ask them.  I explained that it was the anniversary of my mother’s death.  She was grateful I had told her for she now understood why God had her ask them.  Thank God for his wonderful winks!      

Pennies from Heaven

Shared by a truly wonderful friend.. today's God wink:

When my father died and I was absolutely bereft and grief stricken, I found a penny in a parking lot at the door of my car. I could have chosen any number of spots to park. This penny was from 1982 the year I was married - a very happy time.  I truly felt that God had said everything is ok try to be happy as my father had lived an exemplary life. 

God Winks

I have been in a prayer group for 16 years and over that time, we share what my friend Terry Blevin calls God wink stories.  You know, those experiences and instances that are more than circumstance.  The edge of the veil is lifted and you happen to notice at exactly the right time what is being shared with you.  Some folks call it "a God thing", I've gotten to noting them as my friend does as being "God winks."

So.. the only purpose of this blog is to share God winks and to hear about your God moments, spiritual liftings, and winks as well.

To kick off God wink's, here's a post from someone with a wink that has a site on Ignatian spirituality.  As a Jesuit educated person, I love this connection...

GOD WINKS by ANDY OTTO

I was driving home the other day and was listening to the song “Lost in the Wilderness” from the musical Children of Eden. In the song Cain expresses to Abel his loss of faith in God because they are in the wilderness, not the garden. As I pulled into my driveway Cain sang, “Don’t you ever watch the eagle fly to the sun and wonder how he got to be so free?”

At that moment, perched on the wall in front of me, was a small sparrow. It was just standing there looking around, as if it were taking in the beauty of the day. The bird was not rushing off somewhere. For a couple of minutes it just stood there, and I sat in my car just staring at it. Like the eagle in the song lyrics, the sparrow seemed quite free. This moment for me was what I’m calling a “God wink.” Those are moments we feel touched by God in a unique and unexpected way—as if God were winking at us.

“Not one sparrow is forgotten by God,” I recalled from Luke’s Gospel. This reminded me that God deeply loves all animals—even that very sparrow on the wall—just as God loves me. 

For all the focus I put on finding God in all things, I sometimes forget that God can find me. God winks are little, sometimes humorous, reminders that God wants to tap me on the shoulder and say, “Hey, I’m still here! Don’t forget me!”

When have you experienced a God wink?