Walking on Faith, Swearing Like a Sailor

      The last year of my life has been rife with opportunities for learning.  These opportunities are probably lessons I need, but they are definitely not lessons I would have sought freely.  My husband lost his job, my son got in trouble in school, the truck needed a new transmission and the well needed repairs.  Things happen, but for the longest time, I couldn't get a solid footing.  I panicked.  I flailed.  I was fearful. Then when we hit the year mark, something unusual happened:  I stopped being fearful.

     I attribute this change of heart to grace and nothing else.  I have continuously prayed for our highest good, whatever that may be.  I  realize that the struggles of the past year are part and parcel of our highest good.  My son and husband spent more time together.  We learned to make do with less. My son is very conscious of not wasting food and of  donating the things he doesn't use to others. If I lost this house, and I still had my son and my husband, I would be rich.  My revelation dovetails nicely with my recent readings on Ignatian  spirituality.
     I recently read The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything by James Martin, SJ.  This book made the examen, the Ignatian approach to prayer, very accessible.  The book is rich in detail and I will refer to it as I integrate the examen into my prayer life.  However, two points in the book apply to my current situation.
    When he writes about obedience, Father Martin discusses surrendering to the future.  He details some examples from his own life.  A dear friend asks him a pointed question,"Can you surrender to the future that God has in store for you?"  When I read this line, I had to put the book down.  It was as if the question had been asked to me at the very moment I needed to hear it. The answer is "yes", by his grace.   Father Martin notes that, "For most people, obedience is not being sent to work in a foreign land. It is stepping onto the path of daily life and continuing on it."  I am willing to walk the path.  I am  not brave, but I know that God goes before me.  Proverbs 3:6 reminds us "in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight."  Please note Proverbs does not say acknowledge him and everything will be easy.  However, at least I'll be headed in the right direction!

Now if I can only stop swearing....

      A second quote from Father struck a cord with me.  In his discussion of magis, doing more or greater for God, Father Martin mentions the variety of work that serves God.  He says, "Great works are often quiet works."  This spoke to my heart.  I have been a stay at home mom for thirteen years.  When my husband lost his job, I cursed myself for ever leaving the work force.  My years at home left me with out of date skills and little earning power.  Yet, I have raised and taken care of a boy who has weathered his share of health issues.  My son is healthy, knows right from wrong and is an independent thinker.   His values are in place.  It was my values that needed a realignment.
     I have done more than my share of swearing this year.  Happily, I've also prayed from my core; this has made all the difference.  2 Corinthians 5:7 reminds me: "We live by faith, not by sight."  When I closed my eyes and stopped flailing, the eyes of my heart opened.  Now, I can see parts of my path that I had overlooked.   Go ahead, walk boldly.  You do not walk alone.

The Accidental Filipino

     I am a very white woman of a certain age.  I have green eyes and freckles.  My hair, thanks to my stylist, is still the same luscious brown it was when I was 21.  My physical description says white, but my last name screams,"Filipino!".  My husband is half Korean and half Filipino.   Despite my obvious whiteness, my last name has been a passport into a warm and kind Filipino community here in Utah.  I met my new friends while working at a ski resort this winter.
    Usually I am introduced as "This is Mary, her husband is half Filipino."   Living in a country other than your own encourages a sense of community.  I have found my Filipino friends to be so generous.  They are gracious to guests and fellow employees alike.  This last year has been heavy with  my husband's unemployment and my son's health issues.   My new friends lifted my spirits without even knowing the depths of my struggles.  I see a parallel between the Filipino hospitality that I received and the unconditional love that Christ calls us to.
      If we were to recognize the Light in each person, regardless of race, creed, politics or sexual orientation, we would see that we are all members of the same community.  We are all children of God.   The openness and hospitality we show to others is a blessing to them.  We don't always know the burdens that others carry, or what they are going through.  I do know that kindness matters and it can be a lifeline for those who are struggling.  I am going to work on seeing the Light in each person that crosses my path; it makes a difference.

Yes, I realize I do not look Asian.

      Through the kindness of others, I have transitioned from 'Accidental Filipina' to 'Honorary Filipina' and have weathered a rough winter.  Gandhi said, "Be the change you wish to see in the world."  I 'm in.  Be blessed.

The Patron Saint of Physics

     I have done many things in my life.   I traveled on a rail pass through Europe.  I learned to drive on the left side of the road in Japan. I know how to clean and cook squid.  I  read Boswell's "Life of Johnson".  I graduated from a very challenging bachelor's program and I earned my RN degree in an one year while doing an accelerated program.   I have shoveled gravel, put up drywall and was the general contractor for my house renovation.  Despite all these adventures,  there is one thing  I have NOT done:  I have NOT taken physics; this omission has become a very current regret.
     My son is very mechanically inclined.  He loves science.  When he didn't make it into Honors Chemistry, he had two choices:  Science for people who don't like science or physics.  We chose physics and it has been brutal.  Happily he has a superb teacher who has help him hone his math skills.   Last semester he brought his failing grade up to 79, just one point from a B!  Thank you, Jesus!  I spent most of this year praying, not for an "A", but for his  hard work to bear fruit.  The physics angst in my house got me thinking...Is there a patron saint of physics?  To my delight, there is.  Meet Albert the Great, patron saint of scientists.
     Though many clerics, in particular Jesuits, have been quite learned, Albert Magnus (1206-1280), a German Dominican friar, stands out because of the scope of his knowledge.  Catholic Online notes that he knew chemistry, astrology, biology, theology, physics (my personal favorite), zoology, geography and metaphysics. He espoused two very modern ideas:  Experimentation and the scientific method.  Many scholars of the day simply used discussion and theory while Albert used observation and experiment.  His forward leaning views got him accused of witchcraft, but he managed to weather the storm.

     The Catholic tradition sees saints as friends who have gone before us.  They know the trials of this life.  We call on them as friends and experts.  Now that I have found my science ally, Albert the Great, I will be lighting a candle and whispering a prayer for physics intercession as needed.  Be blessed my friends.