My Mom....
Mom is simply the best! She has that "free spirit" about her that my Dad loved and we as her children benefited from. The reason is, Mom always gave us room to be who we wanted to be, and although she had standards to live by, she always respects the thoughts and expressions of others.
After my Dad's death, Mom needed time...time to grieve...and time to heal. Although Mom was faithful in attending Mass and participating in church activities, when it came to religion she seemed to be looking for "something out there"...not satisfied with the whole religious agenda that labeled us as "Christian".
And, Mom did grieve...and Mom did heal...and at some point found her peace from the loss, a part of her heart that would never be recovered, yet enough of her heart to carry on with life.
And...then it got a little weird...
Mom had gotten involved with a group that met in one another's homes and had..I guess what you would call a type of church service. There were even a couple of nuns from a church not too far from our own that came to these home meetings.
One week-end morning, Derik, Charity, Shawn, and myself were all eating breakfast at Mom's when Mom began to explain how she had joined this group that meets once a week and offers a "different spin" on the whole God thing.
In fact, what had happened was Derik had left the Catholic church and joined Charity's church. Derik had expressed to all of us at different times in the last year of the need to know and understand Jesus in a more personal way...kind of like a close friend.
I mean...don't get me wrong, Derik was cool about it...yet he made it clear on certain issues where he stood. One day Derik asked me if I felt I was a Christian, and I responded: "Hello Derik, did we not all get baptized in the same church..when we were still babies? Aren't we all..."Christians?" Derik smiled and said: "Well...not really...but I respect your thoughts Annie...I just will trust the Holy Spirit will do His work...in all of us." I thought to myself...Holy Spirit?...What?...I never did fully comprehend the "Godhead thing" anyway...and honestly, I have no clue who the Holy Spirit is...my only guess is He is somehow mystically connected to God that helps us be nice to one another...that's about all I know.
The thing about Derik...and Charity...they were genuine...and I love that about them.
So, at the breakfast table Mom begins to explain about these "home meetings" she was attending. She pointed out the fact how they read pretty Bible verses, prayed, and called upon "Spirit" to guide them. The thing is about "Spirit"...He could connect you with people of our past...even in our own families. Mom then went on to explain how she had recently been visited by Grandma, and Grandma says Hi and how she misses all of us.
Needless to say...there was a moment of silence at the breakfast table....like for almost a minute...until Shawn nudged me and wanted me to pass him some butter.
You see, Grandma had been dead...for over 10 years.
Derik was the first to react. He almost had a smile on his face when he spoke, yet he looked Mom straight into her beautiful eyes and said: " Mom...hasn't Grandma been dead...for like over 10 years, and hopefully she is with Jesus? I have not read anywhere in the Scriptures where we are to communicate with the dead...how do you know it is really Grandma?"
And then Shawn spoke up...with a much more direct approach: "Mom...this is a little crazy...I know losin' Dad was a tough one...but I don't want you to wander off into "Fruitcake Land".
Mom smiled and said: "I know it sound strange...but I do think it was Grandma...what do you think Charity?"
Charity kind of looked over at me and then at Mom: " I think all of our beliefs about life need some type of common ground...like we as Christians anchor our personal beliefs on what the Sacred Scriptures dictate. I agree with Derik...not because he is my fiancee'...".
Everyone including my Mom jumped up: "What??!!! Fiancee? Derik had given her a ring the night before...and asked Charity to become his wife...and we got excited...even Shawn seemed happy...and gave me a real big hug! Charity was now...one of us!!! Mom was in tears, Derik held Mom tight, we all were so happy!
Oh...Grandma?...I guess Grandma had left the building........
Mom is simply the best! She has that "free spirit" about her that my Dad loved and we as her children benefited from. The reason is, Mom always gave us room to be who we wanted to be, and although she had standards to live by, she always respects the thoughts and expressions of others.
After my Dad's death, Mom needed time...time to grieve...and time to heal. Although Mom was faithful in attending Mass and participating in church activities, when it came to religion she seemed to be looking for "something out there"...not satisfied with the whole religious agenda that labeled us as "Christian".
And, Mom did grieve...and Mom did heal...and at some point found her peace from the loss, a part of her heart that would never be recovered, yet enough of her heart to carry on with life.
And...then it got a little weird...
Mom had gotten involved with a group that met in one another's homes and had..I guess what you would call a type of church service. There were even a couple of nuns from a church not too far from our own that came to these home meetings.
One week-end morning, Derik, Charity, Shawn, and myself were all eating breakfast at Mom's when Mom began to explain how she had joined this group that meets once a week and offers a "different spin" on the whole God thing.
In fact, what had happened was Derik had left the Catholic church and joined Charity's church. Derik had expressed to all of us at different times in the last year of the need to know and understand Jesus in a more personal way...kind of like a close friend.
I mean...don't get me wrong, Derik was cool about it...yet he made it clear on certain issues where he stood. One day Derik asked me if I felt I was a Christian, and I responded: "Hello Derik, did we not all get baptized in the same church..when we were still babies? Aren't we all..."Christians?" Derik smiled and said: "Well...not really...but I respect your thoughts Annie...I just will trust the Holy Spirit will do His work...in all of us." I thought to myself...Holy Spirit?...What?...I never did fully comprehend the "Godhead thing" anyway...and honestly, I have no clue who the Holy Spirit is...my only guess is He is somehow mystically connected to God that helps us be nice to one another...that's about all I know.
The thing about Derik...and Charity...they were genuine...and I love that about them.
So, at the breakfast table Mom begins to explain about these "home meetings" she was attending. She pointed out the fact how they read pretty Bible verses, prayed, and called upon "Spirit" to guide them. The thing is about "Spirit"...He could connect you with people of our past...even in our own families. Mom then went on to explain how she had recently been visited by Grandma, and Grandma says Hi and how she misses all of us.
Needless to say...there was a moment of silence at the breakfast table....like for almost a minute...until Shawn nudged me and wanted me to pass him some butter.
You see, Grandma had been dead...for over 10 years.
Derik was the first to react. He almost had a smile on his face when he spoke, yet he looked Mom straight into her beautiful eyes and said: " Mom...hasn't Grandma been dead...for like over 10 years, and hopefully she is with Jesus? I have not read anywhere in the Scriptures where we are to communicate with the dead...how do you know it is really Grandma?"
And then Shawn spoke up...with a much more direct approach: "Mom...this is a little crazy...I know losin' Dad was a tough one...but I don't want you to wander off into "Fruitcake Land".
Mom smiled and said: "I know it sound strange...but I do think it was Grandma...what do you think Charity?"
Charity kind of looked over at me and then at Mom: " I think all of our beliefs about life need some type of common ground...like we as Christians anchor our personal beliefs on what the Sacred Scriptures dictate. I agree with Derik...not because he is my fiancee'...".Everyone including my Mom jumped up: "What??!!! Fiancee? Derik had given her a ring the night before...and asked Charity to become his wife...and we got excited...even Shawn seemed happy...and gave me a real big hug! Charity was now...one of us!!! Mom was in tears, Derik held Mom tight, we all were so happy!
Oh...Grandma?...I guess Grandma had left the building........
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