In All Circumstances

My Darling took much of the day away from his job yesterday. I refuse to say that he took the day off, because he spent the majority of the day on the gigantic roof of the gigantic master suite portion of the addition nailing down shingles. It was hot. And bugs, after land-drenching rains, are thicker than London fog. But there he was, in full sun, wrecking his back so that rain doesn't wreck our home.

The part of the day that he was working for his job, I actually got to go with him. Every now and then the kids get to go to work with Dad. It's a family-owned business, and our nieces and nephews go in with my sisters-in-law, but it's a treat for our kids to be there. It's rarer still that I get to watch My Darling work.

The job was about 15 miles from here, and it was to put up a sign for a new development in a gorgeous location. It's one of those signs that says, "Lots from $XX,XXX," and, "Build your dream home here," (and then I can't help but think of "Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House") with a little map of the subdivision and little "SOLD" stickers over the lots that have already been claimed. The landowners (a very sweet couple who have been blessed by 31 years of marriage!) loved the sign (of course they did!) and indeed proclaimed it to be "GORGEOUS!" The job took about an hour, so clearly it qualified as a date. :)

It was such a lovely day, with beautiful sunshine and a clear blue sky.......but so many bugs that my Monkey now appears to have a flourishing case of chicken pox. Clearly that's not the case, but if you weren't in my backyard yesterday to witness the swarms of mosquitoes, you'd think it was.

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God is good! Do you take time to thank Him for the little things? Do you remember to bless Him and be thankful in all circumstances? Because I'll tell you, He uses even the really hard stuff to bless us with...so the least we can do is bless Him right back.

Let me share.

Yesterday, being the 19th, was exactly four months since I miscarried our baby, whom we named Gabriel, into the arms of Jesus and Mary. I learned with the death of my dad that numbers on the calendar become more than memories, and that in that first year after you lose someone you love, every monthly anniversary is difficult...and that every special day that year is just a little painful (or sometimes a lot painful).

But wait! He's going to bless us through our grief!

Yesterday's biggest blessings were amazingly obvious. Like the part where during our family Rosary--yesterday being Thursday, and Thursday being the Luminous Mysteries, and the first being the Baptism of our Lord--God clearly revealed to me who this baby's Godmother is supposed to be. Of course, the second Luminous Mystery being the Miracle at the Wedding Feast at Cana, He then clearly reminded me to "do everything He tells you to do," through those words spoken by His Mother, Mary. Since we've been praying about this for a long time, this was a great blessing.

Then there was the part where after we finally retired last night, and I was reading myself to sleep, I felt a little bump. Then another. Then another, and another! Now, I had been feeling little gurgles here and there, but this was so obvious--and I could even feel it from the surface of my belly! I swatted My Darling awake (he who sleeps immediately upon touching any cushioned surface, especially if it's after 8:00 P.M.) and placed his hand on The Spot, and he was able to feel our baby, too.

The first thing we both thought of was that this was the four-month mark since we lost Gabriel. Again, God was choosing to bless us.

I love it.

Sometimes we need to get knocked off our donkey in order to see what God is trying to tell us. Sometimes the landing hurts more than others. But if you wait for the voice in the stillness, you will see that He does bless us in all things, and that choosing to see those blessings makes it all worthwhile.