Innholdsfortegnelse for Oct/Nov 2022 i Mysterious Ways

Matt and I got married this past May in Southern California, where I grew up. The ceremony took place outside, on the same Los Angeles beach I frequented as a kid. Of course, there were family members on both sides who’d passed on, and whom Matt and I were missing that day. For Matt and his family, the loss still felt recent—Matt’s grandma, whom everyone called Mimi, had died suddenly from Covid in early 2021. She was a big presence in the family. She’d seemed younger than her years, always dressed fashionably. And she was never afraid to tell it like it was. When I met Mimi for the first time, she greeted me, then quickly turned to Matt. “I like her,” she told him. “She’s good for you.” I’d…

I lay on the float in the pool, overlooking my backyard garden. Such a beautiful summer day. “I miss you, Mom,” I said. It had been nine days since my mom passed away. She had been sick with breast cancer and other health issues for the last few years—one complication after another. She’d been in and out of care facilities, each stay taking more out of her. Now she was finally at peace. After her death, I’d gone back to work at my brother-in-law’s auto shop, and life had gotten busy with my kids, who were out of school on summer break. But in the evenings, I would float in the pool to quiet my mind, and my thoughts often turned to Mom. Mom and Dad had adopted me when I…

The view from our canoes on the Buffalo River was stunning. No wonder this was one of the Ozarks’ premier destinations. Massive bluffs towered over the water on either side—nothing but the calming blue heavens above. But soon into our float trip, the rapids whipped up unexpectedly. My gnawing unease returned with a vengeance. At 28, I was plenty adventurous and a strong swimmer. Still, I felt there was danger waiting on the river. I’d been dreading this outing almost from the moment my husband, Larry, had made reservations for us and his Uncle Ronnie and Aunt Ed-na—a two-day, 10.6-mile float trip from St. Joe to Gilbert, Arkansas. The outfitters had ferried us to the drop-off point with rental equipment and had taken our truck to the end-point, where we’d…

Candleholders, picture frames and other knickknacks surrounded me in the housewares department. While my husband and I waited for construction to be finished on our new house, I enjoyed browsing for decorating ideas. A figurine on one of the shelves suddenly grabbed my attention, and I picked it up. It was beautiful, made of cast bronze. A woman danced with a young girl, their faces caught in a moment of pure joy, their skirts in motion, the girl looking up adoringly at what could only be her mother. Memories flooded in. I remembered my daughter, Laura, my son, Glenn, and me, dancing around the living room, still in our pajamas. I was a nurse, which meant long shifts at the hospital, so I cherished these moments with my children. “Having…

I lay in bed, unable to sleep. It had been two days since my dad died, and he filled my thoughts. Not just him, but also my sister-in-law, Laura. She and Dad had been close. Unfortunately, Laura lived states away and couldn’t be there during Dad’s final days. With her birthday coming up, I wanted to get her something special, but I had no idea what. What would Dad want me to get Laura? I thought. “The brown glass fish in the little brown box,” a voice said. My eyes flew open. Without a doubt, I’d just heard my dad’s distinct voice. Even though the words made no sense to me, I threw back the covers and got out of bed. I had tons of trinkets and craft supplies around my…

I sat at the teacher’s desk in the school’s science classroom waiting for the final bell to ring. This wasn’t our usual classroom. I taught an accelerated studies class for social studies and language arts, and my last class of the day usually met in one of the modular classrooms far from the main building. But today, the science teacher heard how far we had to go, so he offered us his empty classroom near the office. It was a relief to take a break from the long trek to our normal classroom. Just a few minutes before the bell, one of my students, Justin, got up from his seat. When I saw Justin’s face, I knew something was wrong. He groaned and looked completely out of it. Justin needed…

Actress Roma Downey, best known for her role in the television series Touched by an Angel, encountered a heavenly sign at a young age that helped shape her faith. When Roma was 10 years old, her mother passed away from a sudden heart attack. The first time Roma and her father visited her grave, flowers in hand, a butterfly flitted past them. It could be her mother’s spirit, her father suggested. A sign she would always be with them. “I have always felt that that butterfly was a gift from God, a reminder of his loving presence,” Roma wrote in her book Box of Butterflies: Discovering the Unexpected Blessings All Around Us. “Since that day, butterflies have appeared to me throughout my life, bringing with them peace and reassurance.” They’re not…

As a military officer, I ask a lot of my family. We moved 11 times in 18 years—each time I received permanent change-of-station orders. My wife, Elizabeth, has had to give up jobs she loved. Our three daughters have had to leave behind wonderful friends. I think that’s why our cat, a tortie named Wembley, came to mean so much to us. Elizabeth and I had adopted her right after I’d come home from a deployment to Iraq that was tough on both of us. Elizabeth pulled a tiny tortoiseshell kitten out from under a box at a pet adoption event and knew she was the one. It was early in our marriage, and Wembley was our first baby. Her love helped us heal the pain of that deployment. In…

Three years ago, our family was looking to adopt a dog. I was on Facebook one night when I scrolled past a new friend suggestion. The person in the profile picture was my pastor, Brett. Weird, I thought. We’re already Facebook friends. I clicked on it. Only then did I read the name on the profile and realize that it was my pastor’s new wife, Deanna. I didn’t understand why the profile photo was only of Brett, but I sent her a friend request, and she accepted. The next day, she posted about a stray dog she’d found. They’d searched for the owners without any luck. Now she was hoping to find the pup a good home. Could this be our next dog? I messaged her, and we set up…

When I was 15, my parents filed for divorce. I wished Poppie and Nana were still around for support. I’d been really close to my grandparents. Sadly, they had both passed. One night, I had a dream. In it, I was on their screened-in porch. Nana and I were sitting together on the porch swing. She had on her yellow shorts and a shirt with bedazzled lemons on it. It was one of my favorite outfits of hers. Poppie was sitting in his usual rocking chair, wearing a shirt with his signature pocket protector. They looked just like I remembered them. “Grace, I’m proud of you,” Poppie said. I was speechless. I just hugged him tightly. He smelled like I remembered, like the hand cream he’d always used. I cried.…

Judy Jenkins It was Dad’s birthday, the first one since he’d passed, and I was missing him a little extra as I tidied the house. A sweet man who loved music, Dad was happiest while performing in his barbershop quartet. I’ll never forget the way he would smile onstage between songs in his red-and-white-striped vest. When he’d passed away, his old quartet members surprised my family during the funeral with a moving rendition of “Amazing Grace,” Dad’s favorite song. I swore I could almost hear his voice that day, as if he were still with us. I sighed at the memory. Needing a distraction, I switched on the TV. A familiar tune filled the room. It was the world-famous quartet Il Divo, singing “Amazing Grace”! I laughed, then teared up…

The beaches on Vaadhoo Island in the Maldives hold a wondrous secret that reveals itself only after the sun goes down. In the darkness, the waves that lap against the shore glow an otherworldly blue, with pinpricks of sparkling light mirroring the shimmering stars in the night sky above. It’s how this breathtaking phenomenon got its name—the Sea of Stars. While it seems like magic, there is a scientific explanation for the radiant display. It’s caused by microorganisms called phytoplankton. These tiny creatures are bioluminescent, meaning they have the ability to generate light. The blue glow is a defense mechanism, which frightens off predators and keeps them from being eaten. Its incredible, awe-inspiring beauty is just a side effect.…

“Dad, I can’t find my shoe!” Joe Dusavage from Wappingers Falls, New York, was getting ready for work when he heard his four-year-old son, Jake, call for him. Joe went to find Jake standing in the middle of his room with only one tennis shoe on. “Just think,” Joe said. “Where was the last place you had it?” “I don’t know,” Jake said. “But those are my favorites.” They searched all over the house—in closets, under beds and couches—but it was nowhere to be found. Joe checked his watch. If they didn’t find it soon, he would be late for work, and Jake would be late for school. “Jake, I think only God knows where that shoe is.” Joe sighed. Jake suddenly stopped what he was doing and looked upward.…

A life of faith is a life of gratitude—it means a life in which I am willing to experience my complete dependence upon God and to praise and thank him unceasingly for the gift of being.Henri J. M. Nouwen, PRIEST AND AUTHOR Faith is the unfailing lamp that lights us on our way.Helen Keller Faith is not the belief that Godwill do what you want. Faith is the belief that God will do what is right.Max Lucado Faith sees the invisible, believes the unbelievable and receives the impossible.Corrie ten Boom, AUTHOR OF THE HIDING PLACE Faith is what makes life bearable, with all its tragedies and ambiguities and sudden, startling joys.Madeleine L’Engle Where real faith is present, fear tends to weaken and lose its power. It must be emphasized again…