View From The Top

 

 This past week I had the opportunity to run away to the mountains in Virginia. It was a week of hiking, mountain biking, zip-lining, horseback riding, and golfing. In other words, I got to run away from my everyday responsibilities and just play in the sun as I did in my childhood. It was fabulous! One afternoon we rode two chair lifts and then hiked to the summit. It isn't hard to feel close to God on a mountain.

 Being on top of a mountain is breathtaking and changes your view of the world. As I looked over the edge, my everyday worries and problems were too small to keep in focus. Instead, I just marveled at the beautiful world God had created. As a gentle breeze chased the sun's heat away, I was entirely at peace. Life is filled with big and little moments. It is filled with moments when you feel big and moments when you feel small. I was utterly content being very small, on top of a large mountain, loved by a merciful, omniscient, almighty Father. I felt very blessed.

 Most people would agree climbing down a mountain is more manageable than climbing up. Physically, I would agree this is true. The tricky part about climbing down, though, is remembering the perspective God shared with you while you were at the top. As your feet hit street level and everyday stress bogs you down, remind yourself that you are small. On bended knee and with a whispered prayer, God can carry you back to the top of the mountain. He never tires of sharing His peace and love with us. Just being a child with God is the best!

-Susan 

My Mother Is So Beautiful!

 

 While I'm babysitting, my one-year-old granddaughter loves to look at the pictures on my wall, especially the ones of her mom. Several times a day, we go over to the wall, and she smiles when she sees her mom. It makes my granddaughter, Angelina, so happy to gaze at her mother's face. It is reassuring for her to remember her mother's love, even when she can't see her. Then she turns her attention to another wall. Next, she points to my picture of Mary, and we say "Hi" to our mother in Heaven too. My granddaughter may not yet understand how blessed she is to have Mary as her heavenly mother. Still, she is filled with happiness, gazing at Mary.

    Tomorrow we will celebrate the Feast of the Assumption of Mary! What a glorious day! Mary is assumed body and soul into Heaven and is crowned Queen. God is so generous with His love. He celebrates Mary's pure heart by allowing us to be loved by her as well.

 I encourage everyone to spend some quiet time with Mary tomorrow. Find a way to gaze upon the beauty of her soul. Let her love heal and strengthen you. Talk to her heart to heart. Don't be afraid to ask her for a little motherly advice. It would bring her great joy!

-Susan

 

It's a True Crime

 After returning home from a family wedding across the state, I was shocked to find half my outdoor Rosary was missing. The Rosary was made out of two-inch blue stones and laid right in front of my statue of Mary. Who would take half of a Rosary? Also, the three rocks with the words printed on them were missing.  The three rocks were "Trust," "God," and "Love." Are you kidding me?  Trust God's love is the Divine Mercy message.  Was this the work of Satan? I was fuming. Theresa suggested we check the house security cameras, which began our full-blown investigation. 

 It wasn't long before we discovered who did it. The crime occurred in the middle of the day while we were away. The criminal looked right at the camera as he took one stone and another. He shoved them in his mouth, ran away, and then returned for more. It was one of the neighborhood squirrels!

 Why would he do this? If I knew he was out evangelizing the squirrel community, I could jump on board with him, but I feared this may not be the case. Theresa googled the habits of squirrels and found that they usually buried their treasure and then marked the area. "I bet you it's under a leaf," Theresa deducted. 

 "Theresa, we have hundreds of leaves in our yard. There is no way we will find them," I replied. Theresa paid no attention to my pessimistic attitude. Within a few minutes, she found one of the buried rock beads. Unfortunately, we did not discover anymore. 

 As I collected the remaining rocks in front of Mary, I wondered if it made her sad. I thought about this the rest of the day. Is it possible that squirrels aren't the only creatures that gather Rosary beads and then hide them? Is it possible people do that as well? Perhaps not in the ground, but forgotten somewhere in a drawer. That, too, is a crime. 

 Then I had an idea. Maybe we could start a neighborhood watch. We could pull out our rosaries daily, pray with Mary, and encourage our neighbors to do so. That way, we could be assured that no more rosaries would get buried again! Satan may have gotten to this squirrel, but let's help Mary step on that snake's head and allow God to have the last word.

-Susan