I believe that we are all Miracles from conception and just by our births. There is nothing more valuable than a baby.
I have Never heard this song before but listen and I agree 100% No matter what situation a young lady or man finds themselves in. That the Miracle of life that you may be carrying may be a gift from God that is meant to save you!
God wants us to heal. Pray for his revelation and rewenewal daily of your body ,mind and Spirit.
My mom as I began to tell you was very engaged in life and very committed to God. Growing in the generation that she did it was a very common practice to smoke. It had a social component too, so many people did. I too confess that being brought up in a family and culture that touted its use, that I too smoked for a while. But, fortunately for me the non smoking message was getting out to my generation. I also had gotten married and my wife did not want to have children and have them exposed to it. So, I gratefully was able to stop the smoking. I was not a heavy smoker , but then again as the years unfolded I came to realize that one cigarette was really one too many.Here’s why,
About I guess 15 years ago, while my wife and children were vacationing on the beach in N.H, my mom and dad took a day trip up to see us. We thought that we would take a walk with our kids and stroller up to the boardwalk for ice cream.
My dad came up the stairs to our unit on the second floor and said Hi, we are downstairs when you are ready. I said wheres mom? He said she could not do the stairs she is not feeling well. I remember running down to see her, she was standing there smiling and said hi, I could see her breathing was labored. I said, mom whats wrong? She said nothing and took out her inhaler that she supposedly had for allergies. Well, I do not think that we got ice cream with her that night because she could not walk 10 feet without being winded. My family was devestated. She told us it was allergies for the longest time and my father respected her wishes and did not tell myself or my siblings a thing. Finally, we all got together and told her we need to know. She said that she had C.O.P.D. from the smoking. My mother did not want to burden us, typical mom. You see, both my mom and dad smoked probably 40 years of their lives, they had both quit 8-10 years prior to the onset of her COPD. It came from no where. When you smoke the lungs become clogged and you go from breathing okay and suddenly you cannot breathe. As she would say, the damage was done. She would often say darn cigarettes.
My mom showed so much courage through out her battle that it was just so amazing to witness but it was heart breaking to us all. My mom eventually was on oxygen at her home. She had portable tanks that she in the beginning would get into her car and go to the store for short stints. She used to pull up at my work in her car and she would call me from her cell phone and say, Hi honey, are the other boys in the office too? She was referring to two of my brothers that worked with me. She said come out to the car, they had sales at the store so I picked up stuff for all your families with my coupons, hurry because your father is probably getting worried he’s going to kill me .LOL My mom as she would say, just kept on trucking along. So loving, so generous. As she was ready to leave the parking lot she would blow me a kiss and to tell the boy’s the same, I know that there was no way that she could carry those bags and place them in her car, there must have been an angel loading them at the store for her. I would alway’s start to say mom, this is too much and she would flail her hand at me and smile. She then took her index finger put it straight up over her lips and gently shushed me. She then would do a 10 point turn in my driveway before she left. She did it her way 🙂 My brothers would walk into the office and say whats this, meaning all th bags? And, I said mom was here and sends her love eachone of us has bags here and theres chicken packages and stuff in the refrigerator too. My brothers would look at me and would fill up with emotion then each one would call my mom to thank her. She was Christ in motion. The progression of COPD to full blown emphysema was slow and steady. In about 2008 she was now pretty much in the house, she started to attend St. Eulalia Parish for church because it was easier for her to park and get in to the sanctuary. Plus outside of the church is a large statue of the Blessed Mother so when she was too tired to walk etc, my sister would take her up and sit in front of our Blessed Mother and do the Rosary. It brought here so much confort and joy .
My Father, prayed with my mother everday and she was suffering you could see it but she would say I am fine and smile. She would say offer up the stuff. She did her St. Raphael oil from the healing ministry at church and the prayers etc. We did it with her all as a family when we were together. You see, Prayer to us is not an embarassing thing. It was not ackward. It was no accident that God selected my dad for her and gave her the 5 children that she was told that she would never have. We were there to comfort, honor her, and love her in the time of her need as God was preparing her for her salvation and glory that awaited her, God himself. She had her Christian music on and watched a little tv, EWTN etc. She was more of a reader always looking to read something. A very bright women. The last movie that I remember her seeing in the theatre was I belive Jaws. LOL More importantly she had all of her family surrounding her as she so richly deserved.
When I see people regardless of their age smoking, I always think, God I wish those things were outlawed. Especially seeing what it does to beautiful people. My mom did not deserve it thats for sure, I will continue this shortly .
God Bless You !
Dr. Cohen presents “Smoking Stinks”
A song for my mom. We need to remember and celebrate those that we love. Amen 🙂
Another Miracle from God happened this evening that I will share shortly. As I have said before God is closing the circle in so many of our lives right know. bringing people back together it is breath taking to watch and experience.
God loves us all so much, and wants the best for us.
I was getting ready today for Physical Therapy and was reflecting on my mom and part one of my blog tribute to her. After a few moments, I looked in the mirror and started to think how far I have come, and then how far I have yet to go physically. Again, my mind went to my mom and dad and thought of their courage, this song popped into my head. This is certainly not a song that I would normally think of but that as far as I am concerned was God and Holy Spirit sending me a message to stop the negative thoughts. so here it is . And, thanks Mom for the inspiration as well
In my life, I was Blessed by God with my mom. I spoke of my Dad a week or so ago on this blog and in this very moment I felt that I would begin to share about my mom.
My mom to the world was known as Roberta. My mother was a very unusual women, very beautiful too. She was extremely strong, bright and family oriented, Faith was very much a part of her foundation and her parents my nana and papa were the reason for that as was her grand parents Nana and Nonno. She was an advocate for the under dog. She was double promoted in highschool and met my dad when she was 16 years old at a back yard barbeque. My mother had a list of sayings that she used and lived by. She and my dad wed when she was I believe 18.
She had a very high standard for my sister and her 4 boy’s to meet. My sister is the spitting diecast of my mom. A force of nature ! Oh by the way, My mother was told that she would never have children. She went from Church to church with her grandmother doing novenas asking God for children and after 5 years of marriage she became pregnant and had 5 children within 7 years.Thats, God for you. The last pregnancy nearly took her life and my brothers. The doctors actually told my dad that he needed to decide which one would survive thanks be to God they both rebounded and recovered. Again, that was God and another Miracle.
My mom lived first and foremost for her family. Like I wrote in my blog about my dad, my mom was part of her mom and dads adult care, taking care of their needs daily. She witnessed to us everyday with an amazing strong and positive attitude and influenced our lives in so many ways. She always Sacraficed, and was so energenic. She commanded respect from everyone. You just loved her. The Holy Spirit was shining. My mom worked in concert with my dad to keep the reighns on her 5 children. She was very aware and knew if something was not quite right with one of her children and took that issue on right away. She would not allow things to festor as she would call it. She definately had a special gift of the Spirit to know stuff. She sensed things and acted on them. She was so devoted to God, Jesus , Her Blessed Mother, St. Anthony, St.Theresa, St.Rachael, St. Michael, St. Faustina, Saint Pio the list went on and on.
She alway’s said I have 5 children and each one is as different as the fingers on my hand. And I know you well, and she did. She was switching gears all the time to manage eachone of us in the way that we needed to be. Whether we were 3 or 52 that never changed. Not one of us ever felt that we were not loved or treated the same or equally. And if they did I never heard about it, and would not agree with that assertion anyway. 🙂
My father was her true and only love for 58 years of marriage and they knew eachother before marriage for a couple of years.
My mom was extremely loyal to all that she knew and loved. The cord of the phone back in the day was clearing all of the counter tops in her kitchen as she paced back and forth and counseled everyone giving them hope . 🙂
No adversity was ever too big for her, not one of her children could ever be unlovable to her. But she did not put up with nonsence either. She would hunt you down ! lol.
She did not care what people thought, because she lived the way that God was guiding her. And raised us the same way. She never said it, but I will, She lived the road less traveled because she was walking towards Calvary and her God. She raised our family with my Dad the same way. None of us is perfect including my mom ,she would tell you that too, only Christ is. If we the kids made a mistake in judgement, She would say if you think for one minute that I think this is right, then by golly I will tell you otherwise. But having said that, None of us stirred the pot to cause trouble with other people because if my parents were to think that we were not respectful of others they would correct that situation immediately. My parents would say, remember who you are and where you come from. I know my personal fear as a young man and is to this day that I might ever disappoint my Dad or my mom’s memory. I will not allow that to happen, they have been the best parents that one could ever ask for. They were God’s gift to my myself and my siblings.
My mom would say all the time.
Say, what you mean, Mean, What You Say, But, don’t be mean when you say it. ! When we were little, my mom was painting ceilings and walls while my dad worked two jobs. Hanging laundry outside on the lines at 2 am in the morning. My brother S and I were talking recently and he recounted this story to me, his window faced the back yard and he would hear the back door slam and he would silently watch my mom hang laundry and to make sure that she was safe. She made sauce and cooked nonstop at night, as she ironed everything. Pillow cases and all there were no dryers then. She was listening to talk radio and David Brodnoy 🙂 etc.
My mom went to work Full time when my youngest brother hit 1st grade. She worked day’s and my dad worked nights the ring of security was around the family her kids had 24 hour surveillance. LOL
My mom topped the Civil Service Exam and kept turning down job offers if they would be invasive in her life and would detract from her family including her mom and dad.She adored them.
My mom worked in the State highway department as a clerical employee/ manager. She turned down countless promotions to Boston, it was too far from home and kids at that stage of her life. As she got older she did not need to financially do that so she was very happy staying at the district office she worked 30 years before retirement.
What she did do though was to become a union President for AFSCME and a member of the AFLCIO during her younger years.
She found herself toe to toe in courts with attorney’s fighting greivances for other union members. She did not get paid for this. She felt called to do this and she mopped up alot of the lawyers in court. You See, they looked at her and did not realize who she was and her resolve to help the little guy. She would spend hours in the middle of the night typing summaries and notes for court and was prepared to go to battle for the person who needed their case resolved. Her life was one big ministry of love. She never missed a beat.
My mother never really slept. She just did and got the job done. My mother would throw the sunshine yellow colored toaster cover over her hair and run out of the house in the rain to drop us off at St. Agnes school in the morning.
One day, She ran out during the winter in the morning to drop us off at school, with her nightgown on,raincoat, slippers,wool socks and sunshine yellow toaster cover protecting her hair doo. LOl She dropped all us kiddies off at school and as she looped through the center to go home. The car ran out of gas . So, she had to go into the store and get help, her pocket book and money were at home. She always laughed about this incident and someone obviously helped her out. 🙂 I do not think that ever happened again:)
My mother was generous with everyone that she knew whether family or not. But was also a very frugul money manager. She added water to the soap containers like my wife does .:) So cute :). As she would say ,We work too hard to throw the money away. Stuff was not important, she had peace and when someone else needed something, she would say, I have a little put asside.
Her parents lived in the depression and she was born in that era, so her parents instilled the value of money in her as well.
She loved the Cursillo movement. It rejuenated her again. She would cry when she spoke about its beauty.
She was an inspiration. and Miracle to my family and everyone that she met.
Some other saying that she instilled in us are…
Knowing what you stand for, limits what you fall for.
Emulated by some, surpassed by none 🙂 about herself, and she would laugh.
You cannot do another persons inventory.
We have no right to judge.
I should give you a crack ! lol
What Would Jesus Do.
As God As My Witness.
Offer It Up.
Laugh at the good times, because the sorrows can be many.
That’s life.
The squeeky Hindge gets the oil.
Let it go.
Let go, Let God.
Do not give away your emotions.
Do not give them head space.
, She was brilliant. She was not a pushover either.
She was God strong.
Of My Dad,she would say, He is a class act !, He’s one in a million, She Adored him. He was her darlin.
She would say the man never stops! He is alwaying moving and doing for his family.
My mom loved music especially Christian music. But would listen to most everything. She liked to dance too. 🙂
My mom loved these songs, I can remember her telling me when I was very little.
She loved Irish music:)
St. Patricks Breastplate. Angelina EWTN
The Irish Tenors.
Danny Boy, My mom would call all the time to check in and from time to time if I did not answer she would sing Danny Boy to my message service. She did that all my life right up to her last day’s on Earth.
My mom and her dad use to sing this all the time. I can picture them now in Heaven doing the same 🙂
I hope you are all enjoying the beautiful Labor day Weekend. I had these particular things and thoughts in mind and when I was in church this weekend was inspired by My Pastor Fr. Rons sermin and thought to myself, I need to put theses links on to this blog. So watch, and enjoy. God is talking and we all need to be fed Spiritually. Amen.
As far as Danny world is concerned. My wife and I have been going non stop , my youngest daughter moved to college on Friday. Beautiful , yet a little sad for mom, dad and her little pug Jerrimiah too. 🙂 So, we trust that we tought her the best that we could, values and our faith. We also trust that God’s got a plan for her and that all will be well.
And to put the cherry on the Sundae this weekend here at the homestead is that the Ac is here is caput. I guess that will be next springs project. It is currently 90 degrees in the bedroom upstairs. yikes LOL That’s life, I told my wife we will offer it up 🙂 Another reminder that this is not Heaven here. 🙂
Its All Good.
You will love these messages.
God bless You,
Danny
Father Leo Clifford: The most Important Commandment.
Just Danny Speaks 