Marveling about how God works...

I often marvel about how God works. He really has everything under control--most times, unbeknownst to us. Every so often He makes us aware of the movement of the Holy Spirit and how He may be working through us to inspire others.

I'm thinking about Clara right now, a woman I "happened" to sit near while waiting to be seated for lunch at a restaurant. Recently when I was out doing "back to school shopping" with the kids, we decided to have lunch out together. We were told that there would be about a fifteen minute wait for a table. My kids decided to go next door to the pet store to look at the puppies since we had to wait. I sat down in the waiting area next to a mother who had her month old baby near her in his baby seat, also waiting to be seated. I admired her little baby and we got to chatting. It's amazing what kinds of conversations can transpire between total strangers, especially with women. My kids sometimes give me a funny look when they see me carrying on a lengthy conversation, seemingly out of the blue with someone I had never met before in my life. But, it happens, quite often I'll admit.

During our conversation, Clara told me how she had had three Cesarean sections and that her doctor told her that only three Cesareans are allowed. I told her that I had five Cesareans. She was very surprised that having five cesareans was a possibility. We talked about welcoming life - she expressed her opposition to abortion and explained that her doctor told her that if she conceived "too late" in life that she should abort the baby since it would have defects. It's really very sad that we live in a society where human life is not valued.

After sharing notes on motherhood, we were called to our tables and we parted with joy in our hearts knowing that we had come together not by the coincidence of happening to sit beside each other, but because God in His goodness had it all under control. I was very happy knowing that I had the opportunity to share with Clara the fact that I brought five children into the world through Cesarean sections and lived to tell the story! Not that I shouldn't have survived, but because I chose to welcome life, despite all of the negativity and cautionary warnings (because the medical profession is afraid of a lawsuit over the extremely unlikely chance that a uterus would rupture) to not do so. Clara would like more children. She most likely will be able to have more and is now open to that possibility.

God is so very good and has everything under control. We have to be open to His whispers to our hearts and souls. I believe that it's up to all of us to offer ourselves first thing in the morning - every morning and ask Jesus to use us at all times. We throw ourselves into His arms offering our lives to Him, we give Him all of our prayers, works, joys, and sufferings and ask that He perfect them to be used for His glory. We ask our Blessed Mother to guide us and protect us, while bringing us closer to Her Son.

Thank you, Lord for Your love and Your blessings! Jesus, I trust in You!