God's Presents (Presence)

 

My birthday was last week, or as I say, it was another anniversary of my 29^th birthday.  I expected some cards and perhaps a call or two.  Since this pandemic, no one has actually been in my house for almost a year, and only a handful have visited at the door or on my deck.  I expected Monday to be just another day.

I knew something good was different and I felt uplifted when a special friend dropped off some gifts (and a cake, too!!) over the weekend.  I had received some cards (before and after the day, since Monday was MLK Day and no mail), but that was my expectation.  The porch visit and gifts and beautiful smile for me gave me great joy, joy words could not describe, but Monday brought more.

I received calls from relatives and close friends, and some once-close.  A former co-worker, who I hadn’t spoken to in perhaps 5 years called to wish me a happy birthday, and say he was back from his overseas assignment in Germany, and noticed it was my birthday.  He called to renew our relationship and “we’ll golf this summer.”  That was a shock.  Then a friend I hadn’t spoken to in over a year called, because “I hadn’t spoken to you in a long time and felt I should call.”  She didn’t even know it was my birthday!  And then a close friend called to tell me to not make dinner; she was bringing it over.  Later, she came by to drop off 2 dinners and a bag of presents.

And, as I said my prayers that night, I thanked God for the people He has put into my life, and their presents.

But I hadn’t yet seen what I presume was His present.

Tuesday morning, I opened my email and saw a late-Monday-night note from a local hospital.  It asked me to schedule my first Covid shot, which I had this past Friday.  The shot didn’t cause me any serious pain, as I read others felt, but I wasn’t surprised.  I mean, it was a gift from God.

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I’ve seen and heard many calls to use this lockdown time, this extra time we now have (or should have) to pray more, to establish a closer relationship with Jesus.  I, for one, certainly have been praying more.  I’ve not been visiting Jesus’ house, but I feel His presence at my house, more than ever before.  Although I speak common prayers, I also just talk to Jesus, in my living room, in my den, and in my bedroom.  I’ve made statues and pictures of Jesus and Mary more prominent at my prayer sites.  In the quiet of my home, I talk, and listen.  He seems quieter than when I was at His house, but there are days, like Monday, when He just seems everywhere.  I feel His presence, and presents, the whole day.

I don’t pretend to like or understand the events of this world right now, but I know in all these things He is with me, as I am sure He is with you, and all the people in my life.  It is my daily prayer, and …

Jesus, I trust in You,