When my daughters started this school year, in both classrooms, were sign up sheets for various programs for family’s to help out with through the year. As I looked about my fifth graders room sheet, I had noticed no one has signed up for the 5th grade retreat, which would be taking place this Advent. I had never helped with one and figured I would, since no one else would.

Time had passed and months flew by until I was contacted about two weeks ago. Her teacher had caught me in person and mentioned that she would be emailing me the information and we needed to sit down and discuss what the theme would be along with other items that would be taking place. I waited patiently and another week came and went. No email. I asked my husband if she had emailed him and he did not receive any information either. So I sent her an email asking her what we needed to do. For some reason, the email never go through. A few days later, I received a general email from the school, in which all family’s were notified, talking about the upcoming retreat and that we needed to nail down a date. I responded back, being it was a Friday, I knew I wouldn’t hear back until at lease Sunday evening. The email bounced back. It seemed as if something didn’t want me to partake in any way shape of form in doing anything for this retreat I had signed up for, months ago, that no one wanted to do.

That following Sunday, I had entered the Parish Hall between Masses and our Pastor was there. He had called out to me from across the room, but called me by another name. I looked at him and he did it again. I said to him, no Father, I am Peggy. He said your not so & so? I said no Father. My name is Peggy, you know, Violet and Chloe’s mom? He laughed a bit and called me that other persons name again and said he wanted to talk to me about the upcoming Seventh grade retreat. I said to him, Father, that is not me. We haven’t nailed down a date yet for the retreat and I haven’t heard any news as to when it is yet. He said yes we did and I need to talk to you about it, calling me the other persons name again. Once again, I told him, I was not her and did not have a child in the seventh grade. He looked at me puzzled for a moment and with that his eyes widened and said, okay. Your Violets mom. It finally registered with him. I left and went back home, immediately checking my email to see if any news came through and nothing was there, once again.

The following morning, my husband took our girls to school and I had him inform my daughters teacher that all the emails I had sent were bounced back and I just could not get any information through to her to get this going. The day after that, on my way into school to pick up my girls, a parent told me that she was working on the retreat and was wondering if I could help them. I informed her of all the things that had taken place and would love to help along with telling her I was grateful that someone was doing something as it was like I was being sabotaged at every turn in trying to do anything for this event. It seemed as if everything I was doing, was blocked and just couldn’t get anything through. As if I wasn’t supposed to be doing this even though I had volunteered for it. She had informed me that the day for the retreat was just set for December 10th and it would only be a few hours in the morning. I was grateful for any information and thrilled that it would be taking place. Along with being very grateful to our Lord, that someone had done something to get the ball rolling. She told me she would email me some ideas, I left and went home. Guess what? No emails received. He knows what we NEED before we ask.

Last Friday, First Friday, as I attended Holy Mass with the school children, something happened. Keep in mind my health is not the greatest and I have struggled with many strange things over the years, out of the ordinary things, from needing emergency surgery for a Spontaneous Heterotopic Pregnancy to congestive heart-failure that had originally been diagnosed as seasonal allergies along with degenerative disks in my spine that once, pinched my spinal chord in my neck and made it seem as if I had a stroke. Last Friday, was no different. While at Holy Mass, just before the Consecration, it was as if someone jabbed me just under the ribs with a knife on my right side. It brought me to my knees as it took my breath away for a split second and as fast as it happened, the pain was gone. I continued to concentrate on our Lord and joined my pain with His Wounded Sacred Heart, as through the rest of Holy Mass, I was at peace with Him, although still in slight pain. As I left Mass, I was a bit perplexed as to what this could be. I had my gallbladder removed just last year and hadn’t had that type of pain since back when I still had one. I prayed. The next day, I attended Holy Mass again as it was First Saturday and I was meeting with my Carmelite Brothers and Sisters for our monthly meeting. As I sat in prayer and contemplation, the pain returned a few times, although not as strong and I knew something was up. Something was wrong and needed to be looked at. Being that it was the weekend, I would put it off until Monday to call since the pain was not so great and could be dealt with by just taking it easy. Our Lord had me completely at peace and I continued on with light chores and prayers.

Sunday came and after my family and myself attended Holy Mass, I received a phone call from another classmate of my daughter, in regards to the retreat. We spoke at length of different ideas she had designed and asked my opinion on a few other things and we agreed on all of them in regards to how the children would have a wonderful morning. It was done. I only had a few ends to tie before this coming Thursday for making Advent Calender’s themed for the Year of Mercy, for the remainder of Advent until Christmas. As I hung up the phone with her, it dawned on me, our Lord provides. He knew I was going to have health issues that would get in the way of doing as much as needed to be done for this Children and He, in His MERCY, provided for them. Although most of what took place seemed to be one way, in which it looked as if I may have dropped the ball, or someone did, it actually wasn’t. All these little inconveniences, steering me away from what I wanted to do, even though through good intention, needed to take place to ensure the children’s fifth grade retreat was able to be taken care of, by someone other than me, because I was not going to be in any shape to follow through with it. Our Lord is MERCIFUL. He knows what He is doing and He knows EVERYTHING. He knows the plans He has for us.

I had called my doctor yesterday, Monday, and gave his nurse all my symptoms. They made room and got me in today, beginning a whole series of tests. I will not have my blood work back until Friday, as they are currently looking for something wrong either with a bile duct or something with the liver or pancreas. My doctors orders are to RELAX and REST and not to do much of anything while he plots out the next course of diagnosis, be it CT Scan or MRI, after he discuses this more in detail with the Radiologist. If I get a fever or worse pain, I am to go to the ER for emergency treatment. All this, while I discuss it all, with our Lord, the true Doctor, in contemplation and prayer. That being said, it would put a HUGE damper on this Fifth Grade Retreat that WILL now take place on this Thursday, without me, if I was kept in charge of it. If I had anything seriously planned, if I had been given the entire task. It would have been compromised by an unforeseen, by me, health issue that our Lord most surely did know about. That is the mercy of our Lord as seen by a very grateful soul. Praise, glory and honor to our Lord, Jesus Christ, now and forever. Amen