I wanted to continue with my writing for my mom today. Part two was on Sept 4ths blog. The Saint Agnes Band was a large part of our lives growing up. We had attended the school as well. Some of us went on to Arlington Catholic too . It was a great life.
One of the best parts was that my mom and dad were present in our lives. My dad managed the equipment truck and trained other fathers to get their bus liscences, so that the band members and color guard could get back and forth from parades and competitions. Like I said, my dad was everyone’s dad in the band and they loved him. He loved all the kids too. I would like to remember also in this moment my fathers assistant in the equipment van Mr. Callahan. My dad loved this man as did all of the kids in the band. He was awesome:) He went to the Lord some time ago, God Bless Him too.
My mom was always in the stands with all kinds of food, extra sandwiches etc. When we came off the field of competition, we would change out of our uniforms and get our street clothes on and off we would go into the stands to find her. Each one of us ( her) kids had extra kids( friends) with us.lol We were all hungry and my mother was accustomed to that fact 🙂 and had sandwiches and stuff for them too. She also had jugs of homemade pink leomonade too.If my mom ran out Mrs. H was there with her food and was good for potato chips and chips ahoy cookies too.:)
In the band we would wear uniforms on the parade route and in competition. The uniforms had wool pants, Satin tops and a cumberbund wrapped around the middle.. It was topped off by a band drum style hat with a neck strap.We all wore white bucks (shoes) as well.
It could be 100 degrees in a parade or competition and we survived wearing those uniforms. The bottom line is this, we would roll in on the buses sometimes at 11:00 at night at the parking lot from a competition and needed to be back the next morning ready, uniformed and ready to go back out in competition once again or on a parade route somewhere. The uniforms needed to be laundered and ironed. The judges took points off of our score if things were not perfect. A lot of parents were not engaged with their kids or were unable to be there to support their kids. So, the kids were upset because they’re uniforms would not be ready for the next morning. It was a big deal. So My mom, Mrs. R said don’t worry honey, give them to me I will have them ready in the morning. Remember, my mom had 5 kids and worked full time. But you see, she saw a need and offered it up and got the job done. She made those kids feel special, and they were. She was a brick in their foundation as was my dad. I can remember her standing in the kitchen in front of that ironing board ironing one satin shirt after another. They were ready for the judges 🙂 She even carried Kiwi white shoe polish in her bag and was touching kids shoes up, nice and white.
My mom’s ilness, She was a Miracle and also showed the Doctors , staff of several institutions that, God is for real.
As I wrote in the past blog about my mom, C.O.P.D. progressed to emphysema and the ability of my mom to go out ,to walk stairs etc was very much diminished. She lived with a constant sense that she could not get breathe into her lungs. She very rarely complained but we understood her daily struggle. She was not going to bring her family down. She was partnered with Christ in his suffering. Like my mother would always say.
4 or so years ago in around June 2010 I think it was ? My mom went into the hospital at Mt Auburn in Cambridge her breathing was reduced even further and she was found to have a 4 to 5 inch tumor attached to her lung, behind her heart and it was obtructing the airway out from the lung. It was found to be inoperable, plus given her very poor respritory system she could not have anesthesia. Because of her strong resolve, faith and fight for life her Dr. R who was her primary for 30 plus years advocated that she should be allowed to try a plan to attack this tumor, my mom was well aware of its dangers and we all supported her and my dads decision in this matter.
She was treated by a wonderful Cancer and respritory Dr. S from Mt Auburn Hosp. He is a brain cancer survivor too. She under went chemo and very targeted radiation treatment for the cancer, for the tumor etc and when they were done the tumor still remained. She came home and was home a few days and radiation pneumonitis set in she was rushed into the hospital and ended up in Mt Auburns ER after she found to be non- responsive at her home. That particular morning, My neice, dad,brother and sister were watching her, and saw a difference in her that they never witnessed before. An ambulance was called, right away.
At the ER, things looked very grimm. we were all there. She was being given a lot of support she was filled with carbon dioxide , it is called I think, black death. It is when you breathe in and cannot expell the carbon diaoxide out of the lungs and body, so you will get sleepy, your brain and other vital organs can de deprived of oxygen and eventually you will pass away without intevention. Even with help, it is very dicey. The staff ushered the whole family into a room and brought us food and gave us some gentle words of support. Very beautiful.
My mom was moved up to the Intensive care unit and she was put onto a ventilator, by her choice, she was not done yet with her Earthly journey . She was there for a good seems like 1 and a half to 2 months if my memory serves me. My father was there everyday before 5 a.m. and stood by here because she would open her eyes and look at him at that time, he was not going to dissappoint her .Asside from that, she just slept a whole lot. He would take her hand and say, Its okay bobby, I am here just keep it in neutral.( Don’t Worry), You are going to get better. He stood there and prayed with her. All day long. All of the family would stream in and out of her ICU bed space and tell my dad to go sit down, food was being brought in by my sister, brother etc for him. We would make a prayer chain around her bed. Dr’s and nurses walked by and just watched the family through the glass windows and witnessed God in action. Eventually my mom was moved to a regular room at Mt Auburn to get her ready to transition her to Spaulding Cambrige Street Cambridge because her Dr. R ran the Vent department there. Again, God was handling everything.
At this time , It was about 6 months before I suddenly became ill with my Gleo, so I was able to be there a whole lot. Which I am so grateful for. It is what live is all about. Love, support and being there. Very Simple 🙂
I will continue with this account shortly.
God Bless You All,
Danny
My mom loved this song I am sure she was thinking of my dad when she listened to it and sang it 🙂 xoxo
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
Hello, I received this message today and wanted to share it with you all.
God Bless You 🙂 Danny
Subject: Rosary Rally Sat Oct 11 No. Reading Common 12 Noon! ( at the gazebo.:)
I am a rally captain for the 2014 Public Square Rosary Crusade, coordinated by Tradition, Family and Property and its America Needs Fatima campaign. As we all know, the United States (and our world) is in great need of public prayer, repentance and conversion and PEACE! We must ask God to save America through the Rosary of His Most Holy Mother. Archbishop Fulton Sheen said, “The power of the Rosary is beyond description!”
And Saint Padre Pio called the rosary his powerful weapon against the devil.
Please join us in the praying for our nation on October 11, 2014 at 12:00 noon. Our local Public Square Rosary Rally will take place at the gazebo on the town common in North Reading. Please contact me, Kathi Lee, at 978-604-0488 if you need any more information. There will be over 10,000 of rosary groups throughout the country all praying on this day! Let’s join together and pray for our country and our world!!
Whatever faith you are, we need YOUR prayers, too. Either join us or set the time aside to pray at noon in your churches or at home. Catholics pray for Mary’s intercession to her Son Jesus. All prayers go straight to God so please unite together in prayer with us. We love all of our faith brothers and sisters.
If you do not live in this area, you can call to find the closest rally to you at 866-584-6012. If there aren’t any near you, decide to be a rally captain for your area! Call! The blessings you will receive will be many not only for yourself but for those who pray and for those who are prayed for OR just pray at home knowing you are uniting your prayers to all of ours.
Please forward this information to as many people as you can! Spread the word!!
God Bless,
Kathi Lee
I added the following information for you as well. Danny
The Mother, of God, Mother of Jesus, wife of St. Joseph, and the greatest of allChristian saints. The Virgin Mother �was, after her Son, exalted by divine grace above all angels and men�. Mary is venerated with a special cult, called by St. ThomasAquinas, hyperdulia, as the highest of God�s creatures. The principal events of herlife are celebrated as liturgical feasts of the universal Church. Mary�s life and role in the history of salvation is prefigured in the Old Testament, while the events of her lifeare recorded in the New Testament. Traditionally, she was declared the daughter of Sts. Joachim and Anne. Born in Jerusalem, Mary was presented in the Temple and took a vow of virginity. Living in Nazareth, Mary was visited by the archangel Gabriel, who announced to her that she would become the Mother of Jesus, by the Holy Spirit. She became betrothed to St. Joseph and went to visit her cousin, Elizabeth, who was bearing St. John the Baptist. Acknowledged by Elizabeth as the Mother of God, Maryintoned the Magnificat. When Emperor Augustus declared a census throughout the vast Roman Empire, Mary and St. Joseph went to Bethlehem, his city of lineage, as he belonged to the House of David. There Mary gave birth to Jesus and was visited by the Three Kings. Mary and Joseph presented Jesus in the Temple, where St. Simeonrejoiced and Mary received word of sorrows to come later. Warned to flee, St. Josephand Mary went to Egypt to escape the wrath of King Herod. They remained in Egyptuntil King Herod died and then returned to Nazareth. Nothing is known of Mary�s lifeduring the next years except for a visit to the Temple of Jerusalem, at which timeMaryand Joseph sought the young Jesus, who was in the Temple with the learned elders. The first recorded miracle of Jesus was performed at a wedding in Cana, and Marywas instrumental in calling Christ�s attention to the need. Mary was present at the Crucifixion in Jerusalem, and there she was given into John�s care. She was also with the disciples in the days before the Pentecost, and it is believed that she was present at the resurrection and Ascension. No scriptural reference concerns Mary�s last years on earth. According to tradition, she went to Ephesus, where she experienced her �dormition.� Another tradition states that she remained in Jerusalem. The belief that Mary�s body was assumed into heaven is one of the oldest traditions of the Catholic Church. Pope Pius XII declared this beliefCatholicdogma in 1950. The feast of the Assumption is celebrated on August 15. The dogma of theImmaculate Conception – that Mary, as the Mother of the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, was free of original sin at the moment of her conception was proclaimed by Pope Pius IX in 1854 . The feast of the Immaculate Conception is celebrated on December 8. The birthday of Mary is an old feast in the Church, celebrated on September 8 since the seventh century. Other feasts that commemorate events in thelife of the Blessed Virgin Mary are listed in the Appendices. Pope Pius XII dedicated the entire human race to Mary in 1944. The Church has long taught that Mary is truly the Mother of God . St. Paul observed that �God sent His Son, born of a woman,” expressing the union of the human and the divine in Christ. As Christ possesses two natures, human and divine, Mary was the Mother of God in his human nature. This special role of Mary in salvation history is clearly depicted in the Gospel in which she is seen constantly at her son�s side during his soteriological mission. Because of this role exemplified by her acceptance of Christ into her womb, her offering of him to Godat the Temple, her urging him to perform his first miracle, and her standing at the foot of the Cross at Calvary Mary was joined fully in the sacrifice by Christ of himself. Pope Benedict XV wrote in 1918: �To such an extent did Mary suffer and almost die with her suffering and dying Son; to such extent did she surrender her maternal rights over her Son for man�s salvation, and immolated him – insofar as she could in order to appease the justice of God, that we might rightly say she redeemed the human race together with Christ� . Mary is entitled to the title of Queen because, as Pope Pius XII expressed it in a 1946 radio speech, �Jesus is King throughout all eternity by natureand by right of conquest: through him, with him, and subordinate to him, Mary is Queen by grace, by divine relationship, by right of conquest, and by singular election.� Marypossesses a unique relationship with all three Persons of the Trinity, thereby giving her a claim to the title of Queenship. She was chosen by God the Father to be the Mother of his Son; God the Holy Spirit chose her to be his virginal spouse for the Incarnation of the Son; and God the Son chose her to be his mother, the means of incarnating into the world for the purposes of the redemption of humanity. This Queen is also our Mother. While she is not our Mother in the physical sense, she is called a spiritual mother, for she conceives, gives birth, and nurtures the spiritual lives of grace for each person. As Mediatrix of All Graces, she is ever present at the side of each person, giving nourishment and hope, from the moment of spiritual birth at Baptism to the moment of death. The confidence that each person should have in Mary was expressed by Pope Pius IX in the encyclical Ubipriinum : �The foundation of all our confidence. . . is found in the Blessed Virgin Mary. For God has committed to Mary the treasury of all good things, in order that everyone may know that through her are obtained every hope, every grace, and all salvation. For this is his will, that we obtain everything through Mary.�
I had a wonderful client some years ago, He had what you would imagine you wanted financially in life but he lacked one more important thing, he had a very bad heart disease. He was so kind, he had a lovely wife and little dog FiFi, and small white poodle. It was his baby wheras they were unable to have children.
Paul was in his 40’s when he woke up in the middle of the night soaking wet in the middle of a heart attack. His heart was so badly damaged that he could not be helped. He was now permanently disabled. It was very difficult for him and was warned to stay calm. He was a man of faith, and was a real a gentleman. A man who would shake hands and make eye contact with you, that type of guy. I know he was suffering from pains in his chest all the time but had to except it and keep living. Again, an inspiration to me. A brick in my foundation.
I remember, talking to Paul about life and stuff but I only pray that I was able to help him. I was so young and I am not sure that I was that great of a witness. I just know that he was a loving and kind man Good to his , wife, mom and dad who were quite elderly too.
Paul was away with his wife mom and dad and stepped out to pick up pizza after a while he had not returned they went out and found him lieing beside his car he had gone out and collapsed. I remember his wife calling me and I visited her and Pauls parents to offer my condolences. Going back to my writing on losing something Sacred , the loss of a child . Pauls mom and dad were devestated, this was there baby that was lost.
We need to validate those we love and let them know daily. I remember these beautiful people and also know that they are with God.
Back some years ago I was working in a home of a lovely couple in their late 70’s. He was a barber his entire life after getting out of the service, and she was a wonderful homemaker who raised her beautiful family. She at the time was worried that her home would not be completed before Easter. I assured her there was no problem. During that time, there were no cell phones so I needed to answer a page that I received. They had one phone in their house located in the kitchen to use. So, I asked to use her phone she said of course. So, I called my wife and I must have answered a question about birthday plans, she heard the conversation. I hung up and just said thank you for the use of her phone she was in another room. She apparently pulled my brother B asside when he walked by the room and Bob told her yes my bithday was tomorrow. The next day as we were working , they called me into the kitchen and had a italian rum cake from a bakery with candles lit and sang Happy Birthday to me with my brother joining in.. Now, is that a God moment or what ?
God bless the Maraglia’s they were angels on Earth. Salt of the Earth.
For them , in their memory.
Etta James
I know they are dancing to this right now in Heaven
I would like to remember someone wonderful that graced my presence years ago. A wonderful client that touched my heart.
I will start with Mrs. Genese
I had a client around 30 years ago that hired my brother B and I to do some decorating in her home. She had to have been around 90 at the time. She was an adorable old Italian women wearing her little cotten flower dress with a small lace apron over it. She had one leg shorter than the other, so one shoe was taller than the other. My brother and I were working and she appeared and said to come in to the kitchen. She had very broken english. We walked in and she said sit down. On the table was fine china cups with coffee and homemade biscotti. She would not take no for an answer. It was a moment that I will never forget. She stood there with her hands clasped and smiling. She was relishing the moment of us enjoying her service and delicious cookies. That was one of lesson that we learned early on in life by my parents. It was instilled in us how valuable our seniors are and should never be forgotten. I guarantee you that she did not feel 90 either she was maintaing her home like she probably had been doing for 50 or 60 years at that point. God is good. Amen.
God Bless Her lovely Soul.
In memory of Mrs. Genese A song from her generation.
In The Beginning of true Spiritual awakening of all of us is a long time in the making. We experience different levels of awareness in God, his existence and supreme gift to us all and I m not talking about life 🙂 That is a Miracle in itself. I am referring to the gift of The Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit as far as I am concerned is our bridge to the Almighty, he facilitates all that is good, he inspires us, he warns us,he allows God to fill us with joy and allows our conscience to feel guilt for a wrong doing.The Holy Spirit will help to bring us to our knees for repentence before our Lord. The Holy Spirit that dwells within every one of us is God given and works in concert with our desires, needs and to allow us to fulfill our destiny for God and his people. We need to allow The Holy Spirit to work with us. We need to pray for his assistance in a meaningful way. I mentioned this in one of my recent blog writing that I began praying and commiting myself to God and the holy Spirit with my daily shower and telling all of Heaven that the water was my rededication and reminder of my baptismal water. I say daily to God that I surrender myself to whatever he wants from me and tell the Holy Spirit to please use me to the best of my ability. Lastly, I call on all of Heaven through my prayers for all of the Angels and Saints to please bestow on me any gifts of the Spirit that I may need in the future. Heaven is for real.:) This is a very special time that we are living in, a time like no other. It is a time of Miracles, it is a time of God’s pouring out of The Holy Spirit and Spiritural gifts for eachone of us. We all have our very own special gifts. Some we are born with some we acquire from God in the moment of his choosing. Our gifts can bend and change over a period of time based on what God wants and needs us to accomplish. The one prerequsite that God has for each of us to open our hearts and desire to be an agent of good to be the light to oneanother. It is simple. Through my childhood, adolescence and even into my 30’s I was always searching for my true God and his existence. I could feel him to a certain degree but the picture was still far from focus. During that time for me the 90’s. Life had a lot of moments of hurts from people you know, daily nonsence. Its hard to see God when you are surrounded by others who are not necessarily in Christ or God based. You are wandering around in a crowd of lost sheep many of which have no idea that they are even lost. I am not judging but it is indeed a fact. Well in the latter part of my 30’s I managed to bring my picture into a little more clarity with prayer and the assistance of others through a beautiful retreat know as Cursillo in a retreat house know as St. Basil’s in Methuen, Ma. that was I believe in Oct 1999. My wife went in November of the same year. It was life changing, the focus and picture was now crystal clear! It was an intersection where God made himself and his presence known. It is a Miracle, just as St. Basils is. You should call and look into this retreat house. It will be the best gift that you can give yourself ! So, I came back from that retreat and one of my friends called me the next day and said, hey Dan, I saw you walking on the water of the lake today 🙂 It was so funny,he knew that I was on Fire .lol Each day that we live sets the stage for the next day and action. So all of the many little or big moments of my daily journey that come out onto this blog journal are always building for a bigger God moment. They are all God moments because he is there with us getting us through. All of our Spiritual Gifts are to be shared. It is not about us. This blog tells my journey through God. It his victory over death (my) and yours. God wants my life psalm #139 shared so that all will see him, and draw closer to our Heavenly Father. 4- 5 years ago, I am not sure of the date, I was called out of the blue into some of the most intense Spiritual experiences that I could ever have imagined. I was blown out of the water, I will just refer to them as writing for my church. The details of those writings were not for us , they are for the church. I will say this anyone with a sense of Spiritural awareness just needs to look at the news or turn on the television to see what is going on. The world is out of balance. This process was stretching myself and family to the max. The Holy Spirit is just so awesome. My spiritual adviser said to me , Dan, lets just see where it goes, and we did. I will explain about this experience at a later date. My first vision, vivid dream, about 4-5 years ago during the time I was doing the church writings. I was asleep and had the most vivid dream. God uses our own lifes experiences and will make them part of his message in my case it was based in my lifes work and I have been for over 30 years through the gift of the Holy Spirit an interior Designer. I have done projects that when I had completed them looked at them and said, God, I did that! I did through God and love alone complete my projects .More on that later too!:) So, I was sleeping and my vision which seemed like forever started. I am giving my account to you exactly as It happened and was told to my priest, my adviser and friend long ago… This remember was more that 3 years before my cancer diagnosis. I walked up to the door of this house and rang the bell. I had decorating samples in my hand. A women came to the door and opened it, I just remember how pleasant she was, I could hear children laughing and she said, excuse me for a moment and walked away off to the left in the direction of the children. I did not see them but heard them laughing. So, I stood there and it seemed like a while, I being the type A personality and loving what I did. I said to myself, I will just walk in to the right here and see what she needs. So the interior was very itherial everything was a very soothing white color. It was extremely peaceful. I just kept walking and ahead of me was a hallway with a very bright light people were coming out of the light and passing me again all faces were non descript, everything was very etherial and white. I noticed that there was something on the wall that everyone that came out of the hall seemed to be stopping to look at so, I wandered over to it and looked and was a very pale colored picture I recognized it immediately. It was the shroud of Turin. I have to say this too, I had never given 1 seconds thought to the shroud in my life yet here it was . Well any way I could hear voices from down the end of the long extremely bright hallway and hear a booming voice and laughter it was pure joy. When I got to the entrance I realized, I shouldn’t be here, I had wondered from where I was left to wait. I would never wander around my clients home. So, I returned to where I was waiting by the door. I was getting annoyed and it was like 4 hours. Well, the really pleasant women was back and said she was sorry for the delay and she opened the door to the left of me. The children were quiet now and she guided me into the room. I stood there and there was a very large white table in front of me. As I stood there the women was standing to the left side of the table looking at me and there was another figure to the right side of the table looking at me as well. The women looked at me and, I felt love like I had never felt before. She said again sorry for the wait, I remember having been so angry to had to wait 4 hours for her to return and , I just responded its okay and she said to me you are an angel. Of course, I told Father I am certainly not, I am a sinner like everyone. I remember feeling intense love. I knew that it was my Blessed Mother. She without a word uttered pointed down to the table and moved her hand over the surface as if she wiped the table and the white milky color left and it now had a clear glass. It was a case. I could see all kinds of relics, bottles of oils, and religous statues related to my faith and she spoke these words to me, We want you to have many Spiritual gifts. And that was it. I woke up and is as alive today and vivid as the time that it occured. I have had years to think of why The Blessed Mother would call me an angel, because I am not. So I have a couple of thoughts on that. 1.) She knowing that I was upset with waiting for her which my Blessed Mother would know and yet I told her no problem thought that I was kind? 2.) Everything that I have done in writing including this blog through the Holy Spirit is never about me or any one of us . We are all loved the same. And what mother does not look upon her child at least as an angel in training? 🙂 Thats the best I can do on that thought last but not least the booming laughter and joy was, I know, was Our God! I was given a glimpse of Heaven. I pray everyday to continue to grow for his purpose and into his will completely . Amen. Better Is one day In Your House By Kutless https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdE03zRJtxw In Christs Holy Name, Danny
I had just completed surgery at the Lahey Clinic, the awake surgery as it is called. I did very well by the grace of God only. The doctor addressed me and then stepped out to tell my wife and daughter that things went well. He told her what he had told me. I was taken up to a room shortly thereafter. I went to the restroom in my room and got into bed. remember, I had no surgical meds in me so I felt great and was busy with my family coming in and out visiting me. I had a tv on the swivel arm it was a whole new world to me. lol I know my nephew Stevie when he was in the hospital some time ago told his parents he wanted one for his room at home . Kids are the best!
I ate dinner, and relaxed, I ordered my family to go home 🙂 My wife was exhausted and I felt great. So they agreed and I was left with the tv, it had a radio too lol. My cell phone was sitting on the little table. I got quiet and began to pray and reflect on the day. The doctors and nurses where in and out and there was nothing to report. Everything was hunkey dorey. 🙂 Well my cell rang at around 730 ish, I am guessing it was and My friend who happens to be a Catholic deacon and lives in the big apple said , Danny how are you? I responded never better, So I told him what had happened that day and he said just amazing, Dan what your telling me is just reinforcing my faith so much. He understands this is not the norm and he works in the medical field. So, I hung up with my friend and began to pray my rosary once again and I received a text. One thing that I have come to understand is that God is working Spiritually on every one of us literally every second that we are here on Earth. The only requirement on our account is to work at our personal relationship with him. God has perfect timing after all he is the author of life. This next account would give anybody shivers.
So, I am laying their minding my own p and q’s as my mom would say. I get a text hey danny, how are you ?
I responded hi how are you ? I am doing great!
she responded can I call ? I said sure
One other point that I would like to share before I continue is that the only reason that my friend at this time had my cell # is that we worked together. I had changed jobs into her department and schedules were staggered for arrival time and I felt bad she was juggling two boys and work. I had offered to come in on all of her 5 am shifts and cover for her, For the record she never took me up on the offer, she gets things done. We also never spoke outside of work. You see God knew that she needed that number for just this moment! So she had it and I had her in my address book, I do not answer calls that I do not recognize.
My phone rang, I answered and she said Danny, did you end up having surgery? I said yes, and that I was in the hospital overnight . I said, God has it, I feel great…
Now some background on how I met this person. Because of the slowing economy one year prior to my diagnosis which would have been the spring of 2011 I took a job at a local Home Depot part time to close the gap and to try and stay ahead of our monthly expenses here. I would be up at 330am and punch in before 5 am. I would work until 10 am , then go off to my clients homes to complete their work usually working to around 7pm. Speaking as a man, I have always believed that a father has to lead his family by example, so work and sacrafice should be the norm. My father witnessed that to me and is the finest man I know. And finally, by nature of my Catholic Faith, I am called by God to lead my family Spiritually.morally and ethically. God does have a standard. It does not mean that I have always hit that mark but God knows, I do try.
Let me state for the record my wife always lead with me, and when I was at my weakest SHE took everything over ! So women can do exactly what a man does without the ego of course! LOL, I don’t think I’m getting back any of that power back either! So funny! she is small but fiesty. xoxo
Well, during my time at home depot I met so many wonderful people from all walks of life. I met a very nice person , I/we value her as a wonderful family friend now. This person worked side by side with me at work for the last think about 4- 6 months or so while I was at home Depot prior to my illness. She has/had a really protective shell, she is very bright, witty,smart and tough. I am easy going but agreesive in sales and I love to work. My typeA personality really shows up. I honesty love working with people and love to fulfill the clients needs. To give them more than they barganed for so they will build on that relationship with me. You have to be sincere all the times. So, things were tough a lot of people there were having their own worries, doesn’t everybody? I would walk around the building on breaks and connect with others supporting them, offering my prayers. Their we’re lovely people there doing the same for me.
My friend, foe at that time called me Danny sunshine or something to that effect. She called me a phony on more than one occasion. I just did notlet it bother me. I was always giving it up for God and would tell everyone offer up the stuff and suffering. She would say to me ,you piss me off. LOL . I would laugh with my co workers and say, you love me, she would snap no, I don’t. You know what, I appreciated that she was /is authentic she said what she felt and that was great, I said God tells me different. So this continued for a few months, I was always hugging everybody, it my nature and way anyway. She saw me with clients in action. You have to practice what you preech, people are watching and listening. As a matter of fact, I feel that if a person is phony with people and proclaim that they are God fearing that this action not only does harm your relationship with God and our soul but this action can also destroy what people who are searching for God the opportunity of meeting God through you! I believe that we are accountable for our failures of not helping others. We are the fisher of men after all.
So any way this person and I really ended up having a good relationship at work, I loved her for who she was and respected her. She could not figure me out and thought I was nuts and that too was fine with me. 🙂
God had ordained this situation for us both to learn. And, back to the account , She calls, and we are speaking about surgery and she broke out in the most beautiful deeply routed tears from her soul, it is called a healing, another miracle as far as I am concerned.. She continued to cry, and said you don’t understand Danny its because of you that I believe in God. You told me that you had to go through this and were not afraid, I can’t believe, well any way that conversation was beautiful and we hung up. I sat there on my bed and said oh, I still have not finished my prayers yet . I said a special prayer for my friend. With that my cell phone slipped on to the floor so I did what any brain surgery patient would do, I rolled onto my side stretched down to the floor to retreve it. How stupid that was now that I am remembering it but, it was for a purpose. after I finished my prayers I thought of my friend and I had a message from God for her, It was now around after 9:00. I sent a text hey-, I just finished the rosary and before you go to bed tonight say a special prayer to God,The Holy Spirit and the Blessed Mother ask them to reveal to you that they are in the moment with you.They will.
She called right back saying OMG. As, I sent the text she was on the knee’s beside her bed asking for God’s presence she had not done this for years, so my text and her action proved that God and heaven were indeed there in that exact moment. Joy burst her heart . and she was on the road again towards the cross. Our God is an Awesome God! He loves us all so much 🙂
Finally believe it or not…..
A man came into my room at around 10 ish, I was suppose to be in a slumber by now. But, I was still going strong. I guess you could say that I was God strong. 🙂 He said, hi I hope I am not disturbing you, I said no. He said he was the head Chaplin. I said oh that’s good could I get the Eucharist please, he apologized and said he was not Catholic, I said okay:) So he said can we speak? I said sure , he grabbed the chair and sat beside me. He said there are a lot of people who are talking. They are upset, patients, staff here etc, can you tell me what happened earlier downstairs, what they had witnessed. I said nothing, I had surgery and smiled. That is the moment that God through the switch on in my head to realize what God was truely doing through me. I declared to him that it was God, and we spoke for a few more minutes about the events. He thanked me and gave me a Blessing and he left.
As a side note, a few months later a women approached me in my church who is a eucharistic minister at Lahey and said her boss, the one I was talking to that night had been speaking about my witness to him and she said I know him. You see we are all connected.
I will be putting a very special psalm onto my blog in the next day or so . God revealed this psalm to me nearly three years ago in writings I had done in the Holy Spirit. It makes all the peices of our lives fall togeather. We really have no worries.
The day after surgery, I got up put the shower cap on to protect my wound and hopped into the shower, all by my onesies, I survived but the nurse said, I should of just let know. oops That does make since but then again, I felt so well. I was going to be discharged and the bride was coming to get me.lol
I ate my breakfast, watched the news, the team of doctors came in and one was a women she was so lovely her presence was very kind. I am guessing she was assisting the doctor or surgeon the day before in the OR. You know with the gowns , breath masks and hats it is hard to deceifer who is who .lol
What happened next is the gospel truth,
The doctors came in and they were assessing me, and I said I don’t think I can go back to what I was doing before. ( meaning work) because, I realized my left side was effected and I said do you think that there might be a job here somewhere for someone like me? I need to make money, and I want to help others, they all looked shocked, I had surgery not 24 hours before but God is hope, God is our protector the Holy Spirit was helping me look forward by his grace to a future and I was not living my diagnosis!
She started to get emotional and said, I told my husband last night what happened in the hospital yesterday. Then she said excuse me and left the room. She came back from her office with some information that I could look into, she said you can’t think about work right now you have to fight this illness thats what matters. I thanked them , God Blessed them and they departed the room. I sat on the bed my wife was there by my side the whole time. After a short while the nurse came in with my discharge instructions. He was a very kind person also and after I signed the discharge papers and he hugged me , I thanked him and said God Bless You , he hugged me again and said no one wanted me to leave. What God was doing through my illness was showing his glory. People were not responding to me. What they were responding to was the Spirit of God it is just that simple.
God Bless You All!:)
Danny
p.s, I am taking a couple of days away from the blog to recharge, God’s time.
Hi this post is for those who are particularly young and are following my daily post. I posted todays blog, God of wonders. I then sat back in my reclined and listened and watched it once again. I wanted to be in the moment with what I had just posted. I had very deep thoughts while listening and when the video was over got up and let my dogs Jessica and jerrimiah out. I walked outside on my deck and stood there for a few minutes taking in the sights, sounds and the beauty of the day. And up cropped a sorrow in my heart , I thought of all the young kids that are searching for God, the truth and what it means to you. Just remember its okay and God meets us all where we are at and their is not one life problem that is too big that God to handle. He is with you alway’s.
I just wanted to say that I know what is going on out there with the culture, tv,news, what it is being tought and how hard it is for you all to see and absorb.. I know parents who’s children want to go to church and the parents are aware and tell me they are lost in their day and it does not happen. What I will say to you young ones is number one , I am not a priest, I am not a deacon, I am a human being just like you , and you count! I have 4 kids, and their friends are like my kids too. I have a very noisy house LOL. I will try and select things that may help you make your way to your faith. Remember, you guys as children may be able to open your parents up to the concept of their faith as well. Thats why God created families to love and take care of oneanother. Parents are so busy, working tending to your needs, bills, shopping, sports etc. Sometimes we as parents me included have difficulty carving out time for church and for themselves. So, maybe you can share this blog so they can too see my blog too. It is always important to share internet stuff with your parents.:)
Just Danny Speaks 