Happy Mother's Day!

I hope all moms had an enjoyable Mother's Day today!

Since it's been awhile since I posted, I thought I'd share this story:

A few weeks ago, I started having back pains -- that persistent, nagging, lower back pain that just grates on your nerves and makes everything you do uncomfortable. I tried sleeping in different positions, soaking in a nice, hot bath, and eventually started taking medicine.

Nothing touched it. I walked around uncomfortable all day. Not screaming in agony, but definitely uncomfortable.

One night, after dropping my son and his friends off at Boy Scouts, I stopped in our chapel to say hello to Jesus. I try to do that every week, since I have that opportunity.

I went in and tried to pray, but I just could NOT get my mind focused. I was antsy, and wanted to finish so I could get out and go home... in other words, I didn't have the most pious of attitudes at that moment. I wanted to show up and spend some time with Him, but emotionally I just wasn't there.

After about 20 minutes, I was ready to call it quits. I needed to get back home and help my dh get everyone to bed, so I apologized for being so "blah" that evening, said my goodbyes and prepared to leave. Just beforehand, I said a quick "help me" sort of prayer for my back.

I genuflected, blessed myself with holy water, and got to the door.

On a whim, I went back, dipped my fingers in holy water again, and blessed my back. Then I said, "Thank You, Lord!" and walked out.

My back stopped hurting. INSTANTLY.

After two weeks of constant pain, it was gone.

I was stunned... and truthfully, I was hesitant to say "I was healed" because I was fearful that I was just fooling myself, and any second now the pain would return. So I stayed quiet about it and came home. After several hours of no pain, I finally told my husband about it, and he asked, "How long has it been fine?"

"About several hours now," I said.

"You silly! Jesus healed you and you're afraid to mention it?"

Yep. I was.

So I mention it now, simply to say that I am so thankful that He cared, and that He listens to EVERY prayer -- even those mumbled in an antsy, "I want to get out of here" sort of state. I didn't need to hear angels singing, or feel any pious thoughts, to have the God of the Universe bend down to hear the prayer of a mom in upstate South Carolina who just needed some relief from back pain. Heck, I didn't need to feel anything at all! Oftentimes when we hear of miracles we hear of "a feeling of warmth" or pious feelings or whatever... and yet here I was, little old me, asking for relief and bang! Miracle.

I also mention this because I had just finished reading The Rite -- a good book (not scary!) about real-life exorcists in Rome and what their vocation entails. In it, they stress the need for the Mass and the sacraments, of course, but they also mention the importance of the Rosary, blessed salt, and holy water. I hadn't given holy water much thought, other than to use it to bless myself as I go into Mass. This particular night, however, I was impressed with the fact that it really *is* holy -- not just water. It doesn't matter whether it looks different, feels different, or I feel different about it, or not. The fact remains that it *is* blessed and it *is* different. Period.

Praise the Lord who answers even small prayers, and who chooses to use material things to answer prayers!


(P.S. Since that day over 3 weeks ago, I haven't had a single back pain... even during that time of the month when my back usually is really uncomfortable. Praise God!)