Sew Love… Yes, Sew…

I will thank you always for what you have done…
From Psalm 52:11

The pandemic’s stay-at-home time has allowed me the ongoing opportunity to declutter. Yesterday, I decided to organize the drawers in the kitchen. I thought I had plenty of time to complete this task until I opened that first drawer where I store my aprons and pot holders. A bright green bit of fabric caught my eye…

Whenever our family gathers, my granddaughters help in the kitchen. This is especially true of Ellie who is the eldest. During our last pre-pandemic visit, Ellie helped me to assemble a taco dip which is a family favorite. Actually, I should say that I helped Ellie because she truly did most of the work. Thank you, Ellie!

While engaged in such culinary activity, I wear the green apron that caught my eye yesterday. I have two of these terry cloth creations which are identical. While we worked on that taco dip, I wore one and Ellie wore the other. I love my green aprons because my sister fashioned them decades ago…

Cecele had two little children whom she raised alone. As Christmas approached that year, she realized she had no money for gifts other than a few things for her children. Christmas had always been our family’s favorite holiday. Even in the leanest times, our parents provided each of us with a special gift. Cecele couldn’t bear to arrive on Christmas day without something for her siblings and God-children. So it was that she sewed a large stuffed snake for my son. Because I’m the cookie baker of the family, Cecele sewed those two green aprons for me. Not long before she passed away, my sister was here for a family gathering. Her eyes glistened as she watched me pull on of those aprons from the drawer. “You still have them?” she asked. “Yes,” I responded, “I use them all the time!”

Though I intended to declutter all of our kitchen drawers yesterday, I only completed one. I picked up those green aprons and refolded them. Before returning them to their places, I held them close. I love my sister and these aprons remind me of her love for me.

Generous God, thank you for gracing us with hearts which can express love so creatively.

©2020 Mary Penich – All Rights Reserved

And So I Pray…

Then he said, “Dear God, please don’t be angry,
but let me speak just once more…”
Genesis 18:32

Our stay-at-home circumstances have allowed me to drift into contemplative mode more often than usual. This is usually a good thing. This week, however, I’ve had thoughts of the bittersweet variety. Today is my younger sister’s birthday. My only brother’s birthday will follow in a few days. The good news for both of them is that they are celebrating in a place far better than our COVID-19 ridden world.

Throughout their lives, I often wished that I could have made this life a little easier for these siblings. Since childhood, I prayed often for both. As soon as I had God’s attention, I pleaded and negotiated for this or that circumstance to take a turn for the better. By the time my sister and brother had reached adulthood, I’d become quite good at ordering God around on their behalf. I did this because each of them had weathered tough times and I’d too often forgotten that God had been with them through it all. Today, I have no doubt that my dear siblings would live their lives over again just as those lives were if God asked them to do so. They probably chuckle together often over my continued efforts to direct God’s part in all of this. Silly me!

Yes, I can be very silly in my efforts to order God to make things better for my fellow humans. If only I prayed something like, “Thy will be done.” Unfortunately, I more often plead that my will be done. After all, who knows better what my loved ones need than I? Oops! Yes, Lord, once again I acknowledge that you know best of all!

Loving and Patient God, thank you for listening and for responding to my loved ones needs with more love than I could ever hope for. Thank you, Dear God, for running things far more efficiently than I ever could. Amen!

©2020 Mary Penich – All Rights Reserved

To You, Mom and Dad!

God blessed them, saying:
“Be fruitful and multiply…”
From Genesis 1:28

Though I addressed this occasion last Sunday, today is the day. Happy Anniversary, Mom and Dad! While they celebrate together in a better place, I’m feeling particularly close to them today. My own family continues to grow as our extended family reaches farther into the horizon. Though sometimes we perplex one another with our differences, we also support one another as no one else can because of our common roots and, more importantly, our common love.

On this special day, I consider the wonderful gifts which my parents passed on to me. I celebrate their lifelong effort to love one another and to love my brother, my sisters and me as best they could. How fortunate my parents were to have found each other! How fortunate we children are who have been raised by the likes of these two! Though my dad passed away only seventeen years into their marriage, he left our mom and us with the fruits of their love. Perhaps my sister Cecele put it best when she observed, “Daddy must have really loved me because I’ve missed that love ever since we lost him.” I can add that we miss my mom’s love as much.

It seems to me that the best way to celebrate my parents’ anniversary is to take the scripture passage above to heart. May we all be fruitful and multiply their love in everything we say and do. Yes, Happy Anniversary, Mom and Dad!

Loving God, thank you for our ability to love. In all of its forms, love is the greatest gift we offer one another.

©2019 Mary Penich – All Rights Reserved

Thank You!

One of them, realizing that he had been cured,
came back praising God in a loud voice.
Luke 17:15

My sister Rita puts the “spirit” in “family spirit”. She’s consistently seen to it that we continue with family picnics and birthday celebrations. She reminds us when it’s been a little too long since we’ve gotten together. She also spent months compiling our written family history which was a truly painstaking, but much appreciated effort. All of this is amazing in light of Rita’s role in that history…

My dear sister is the eldest of us six siblings. She was only fifteen when our dad passed away. The rest of us were 14, 8, 6, 5 and 3. Since our mom had to go to work to support us, Rita assumed a good deal of responsibility for the rest of us. Looking back, I realize that this changed what might have been my sister’s carefree teens into a much more difficult experience. Much to her credit, Rita didn’t share in only our mom’s workload. She also shared in our mom’s efforts to keep our family’s “special occasions” special. Rita helped our mom to select and wrap our Christmas gifts. She also pitched in for our birthdays and Easter. As soon as she could, Rita began to use the few dollars she earned each week at her job to supplement our mom’s gifts to us.

The scripture passage I selected above is an excerpt from Luke’s account of the healing of the ten lepers. Though all were made whole, only one took the time to return to Jesus to thank him. In an effort not to repeat the mistake of the other nine lepers, we need to do the same. Thank you, Rita, for all you did for us!

Loving God, thank you for empowering us to enrich this life with our kindness and gratitude toward one another.

©2019 Mary Penich – All Rights Reserved

Mom

When one becomes a mother, her new life is valued far beyond pearls.
Her children entrust their hearts to her. They are an unfailing prize.
Inspired by Proverbs 31:10-11

On this Mother’s Day Eve, I can’t help thinking about the most important work of my life. Thoughts of my own mom and the other amazing moms who’ve touched my life swirl about in my head. Still, I can’t escape the overwhelming joy which fills me up as I consider my own good fortune in this regard.

I’ve shared before that I didn’t grow up with an ambition to get married or to have children. I was quite certain that I would please God most and reach the fullness of my potential by entering the convent. This resolve remained under the surface through college until, amazingly enough, I fell in love and married. Because I’d embraced a new husband and a new career simultaneously, my potential to be a mom escaped me for a while. It was only after a few successful years in the classroom and the purchase of our first home that I realized the opportunity before me.

Though our hope for a little one took some time to come to fruition, I’ll never forget the day I heard the news. During what seemed to be our millionth visit to his office, Dr. Wool finally announced, “Mary, you’re pregnant!” Apparently, I didn’t hide my excitement because my husband heard my response all the way out in the waiting room. At that moment, my life changed forever. Suddenly, I knew God’s love firsthand because, sight unseen, I loved that baby more than anything. The truth is, I continue to love him and his brother just that much! Though the rest is history, I’d relive every moment as their mom in a heartbeat -a joyful heartbeat.

Dear God, thank you for entrusting me with the two amazing people who call me “Mom”.

©2019 Mary Penich – All Rights Reserved

The Gift of Love

I will thank you always for what you have done,
and proclaim the goodness of your name.
Psalm 52:11

After our kids and grandkids visited, I picked up the house a bit. There was little to do as I’d done the same before they all arrived. The only cleaning required was in the kitchen where I’d baked brownies and prepped a taco dip. I admit to a pleased-with-myself look as I took off my green apron and carried it to the laundry room. I love my green apron…

My sister fashioned this favorite decades ago. At the time, Cecele had two young children whom she was raising alone. As Christmas approached, my sister realized she had no money for Christmas gifts other than a few things for her children. Christmas has always been our family’s favorite holiday. Even in the leanest of times, our parents managed to provide something special for each of their children. Cecele couldn’t bear to arrive on Christmas day without gifts for her siblings and God-children. So it was that she hand-made something for each of us. She sewed a large stuffed snake for my son. Because I’m the cookie-baker of the family, at least at Christmastime, Cecele made two green terry cloth aprons for me. I’ve used them ever since.

Before putting it into the laundry tub, I held my apron close. I love my sister and this apron reminds me of her love for me.

Generous God, thank you for gracing us with hearts capable of love. Help us always to use them well!

©2018 Mary Penich – All Rights Reserved