Prayers Answered
I’d started the devotional practice of praying the rosary daily in Aug. 2002. As you may know, it is a meditation on the life of Christ. So many things have happened since I started giving more attention to my prayer
life. That year I decided to pray a 27 day novena especially for my children’s souls & their salvation. Even though I wasn’t conciously thinking of my birthson, I think God must have
included him since that October 8 was when my birthson wrote his 1st letter to me (unknown to me, of course) & started the process of finding me through the adoption agency that placed him. It was a closed adoption & he was now 27 yo. All that time I never knew what had became of him.
That November 23, on my birthday, our oldest son, Nick (who had joined the Navy in ‘00), who was at that time stationed in Sicily, was in a rollover car accident on the 10 mi drive home from work on the Naval air base. (I later found out it’s considered one of the most dangerous stretches of road in Italy; they like to drive really fast there.)
The car flipped over, busting out all the glass & landing on all 4 wheels. N walked away with
just a few scratches on his hand. He phoned me later to tell me about it. It had been one of my fears that he’d get injured while being over there & not
have family to be there with him! One of the things he said in telling me about it was, "There was something that scared the **** out of me; there was
a rosebush stuck in the grill. Nothin’ grows around here!"
[When I recently sent him this testimony, he recalled:
“I’m not sure it was a rosebush at this point, but that’s the first thing that popped in my mind when I saw it. The most interesting thing to me was how it was wrapped perfectly around the twisted bumper. It was almost like someone had put it there after the wreck, because there’s no way that thing got there, and didn’t get damaged in the accident.”
That was a sign to me that God’s hand was surely in this; even though that thorny bush may
not have actually been a rose bush, it was how N described it. I believe Our Lady is a powerful intercessor & she was helping me to trust in God’s protection & that He is indeed watching over us.
And the next month, Dec. 18, I rec’d Doug’s letter which resulted in our reunion in June, '04. Events which transpired during the next 6 months were also proof of
His work in that N was able to get his leave time during the time D. was able to be here in June, even though it looked like it wouldn’t work at
first! During the time N was trying to arrange his leave time paperwork, another person who worked on the base brought up charges against N. which
turned out to be bogus & were dismissed immediately when brought up to the officer in charge! That was really a tense situation for Nick. I made sure I
was praying at the same time he was being interviewed by the CO.
Plus, our other 2 boys (each over 16 yo) were accepting of The News (about the reunion). I’d never had a reason to tell them I had another son. Although shocked, they
at least were not rebellious as my dh had feared that a possible reaction. I think, since that trusting
relationship was already in place, it made the reunion easier.
Doug turned out to be a kind & caring person & desiring a lasting
relationship which is a great blessing. I often get teary-eyed myself just
thinking about all that, & how undeserving I am – it’s all Grace! Doug got to meet my dad the summer before he passed away, too.
Doug & I have kept a “S & S” list (similarities & synchronicities); it’s over 50 items now. Sad
to say, both our moms passing away from cancer in their mid-sixties is the newest one.
Doug’s mother was diagnosed with lung cancer in April '07. I started a novena to St. Therese, the Little Flower at that time.
Sept. 18 - I thought I’d buy a rosary to send it
to her, though we’d never met, but I knew she was Catholic. I went to a local store to select one. There were 3 available, all
lovely. I chose the blue one. I was unsure if I should send it; the next week (9-26) I got notice that she’d passed on. Well, at the funeral, the casket was open for paying our last respects. Wrapped around Dorothy’s hands, as is common for a
Catholic burial, was a rosary, if not exactly just like the one I’d bought, a very close duplicate!! I went to look at it for a 2nd time to make sure of what I was seeing. It had the same iridescent blue glass faceted beads as the one
I had bought! Those were the roses sent by St. Therese! I’m keeping it as a memorial of her. Doug can verify this as I’d shown him. The funeral was on Oct. 1, which was the feast day of St. Therese. On the memorial card was her picture!
Have faith, and pray the rosary!
Mimi
(given name, Miriam, just like Our Lady)
Rosary and Mass - it is scheduled for 3 hours…we’ll see.