Rattling around

I've got a lot rattling around in my brain today... it's hard to sort it all out. Lots of deep, life and death thoughts.

A colleague from work died yesterday. We've worked in close contact with him over the past 5 years and will miss him greatly. In the last few months of his life, he was fighting cancer and my dad began asking questions about his faith life. He was a fallen away Catholic and was eager to listen, learn, and reconcile. It is truly beautiful to see someone humbly come back, to repent, to reconcile past hurts, and to get ready for your final moments, for judgement. He has certainly done that and it really is miraculous to see the changes he's made in the last few months. Thanks be to God!! My dad was visiting him in the hospital and bringing him communion the last few days and spent time with him yesterday before he died and said it was a peaceful and beautiful thing to witness. May God rest his soul.

Life is so fragile. Suffering is so present in so many lives. Above it all, God is so faithful. His Love endures forever.

It's snowing outside. Michigan is a strange place sometimes, from raining and yucky on Sunday to freezing yesterday to at least a few inches of snow last night, never a dull moment. Why are my feet always always always cold??? I want some of those knee high fleece boots to wear non-stop for the next 6 months.

Christmas is eight days away. Where does time go??? Tonight I am determined to sit down with my laptop and finish the family calendar (the computer part anyway). I can't put it off any longer!! I also need to finish the box to mail to my out of state family.

Speaking of out of state family, yesterday my day was made by my 3 year old nephew who called to chat. I always feel a little bad because he is very difficult to understand on the phone, but I think I hid that fact since he chattered on and on. I did get his exuberant "You my bestest aunt!" (Although it took me a few tries to figure out that's what he was saying.) What a cutie. I told him I was sending him a present, and he kept telling me that he already has presents! Oh okay. St Nick was very generous and Guill was anxious to tell me all about his "lightsaber" and that it's an outside toy. Nephews are pretty great, and definitely always put a smile on my face.