This guy joined our family last July. His name is Leroy and he weighs just under 6 pounds. He will be 8 months old in about a week. He was so tiny when we first got him he fit under the cabinet overhang in the kitchen.
Leroy loves to hang out with you. Which sort of translates to “he likes to be under foot!”
He loved it when everyone was home for the holidays. When he got up in the morning there were plenty of people to play with.
Thursday, January 2, I got him up and took him outside. As soon as we got in the house he ran up the stairs to my bedroom and began looking for John. He looked in our bathroom and up on our bed. I said, “he isn’t here. He’s gone.”
He ran across the hall to Andy’s room and scratched on the door. I said, “he isn’t here either.”
He ran down the hall to the spare room where Andy’s girlfriend sleeps when she is here. (She stayed with Leroy while we went to visit my parents between Christmas and New Years.) Before he even got to the door I said, “she isn’t here either. It is just us, buddy.”
He stopped and looked at me. He totally understood what I was saying. There was no one else in the house except us.
He ran in the house looking for someone. He knew other people were usually in the house. And he knew where to find them.
When he realized there was no one else, it was kind of an epiphany for him. A realization that we were alone.
I would not begin to compare the wise men that followed the star to Leroy…but they were looking for someone. And they knew where to find him. They were following the star. And it was an epiphany when they found the baby.
We celebrated Epiphany yesterday. We read about the Magi and Herod. We read about the star. We read about how Herod was afraid. Of a baby.
I’ve read that Epiphany is the feast of finding God.
The Magi were searching for the Christ child and when they found him, they were overjoyed.
Leroy was searching for someone, but he didn’t find them. He was stuck with me.
I find myself reflecting on what am I searching for? I have found God…I have that assurance that I belong to him and he is my Savior.
But I still search.
I search for direction.
I search for guidance.
I search for assurance that I am doing and saying the right things. Things he wants me to do and say.
I am searching for ways to find God in the everyday…so that I can experience a daily epiphany. A daily feast of finding God.
I have no idea why this has me teary-eyed. I think we all look for assurance that we are doing it right, saying it right, or even have a clue what might be right! Happy Epiphany, Mary! Wish we were close enough for coffee once in awhile! Miss you terribly!
We are on the same January page, it seems. It's my constant searching that's led me to choose for my 2014 "One Word" (I think)… "aware." I suspect that what I am searching for—answers, direction, certainty, help—is right here with me, because He is, and that I just need to become more… aware. Thanks for this interesting (and fun) illustration of epiphany.
I still search too. But sometimes I wonder: should I be more satisfied with what I've already found instead of always continuing to search for more…
Nonetheless, the things you mentioned ARE good things to continue to search for! I pray for more faith to believe he will always let those things be found.
Thanks for sharing Leroy with us. He's adorable. 🙂
"I've read that Epiphany is the feast of finding God." Oh, how I love this. I have never celebrated Epiphany with my children and I just realized that we are missing out. I am going to do a mini day late one tonight! Thanks for this inspiration! I hope you link up for more Inspire Me Mondays.
As the weeks have drug on it has been easy for me to lose hope.
Will things ever get back to some type of normal? People were not created to live in isolation.
Will we be able to see someone smile or will we always look at them and only see their eyes?
Will people gather without having to sit 6’ apart?
I don’t know the answer and I’m not posting this to debate the news media’s portrayal of the pandemic.
I’m sharing this today because I spent some time with the Lord thanking him for the things I DO have and not focusing on the things I don’t have. The things I have lost since March.
I looked up scriptures about hope.
I made a list in my prayer journal of things I’m grateful for.
Life goes on. Life crisis continues even during this pandemic. People die naturall and tragically. And babies are born. And weddings happen and new lives begin.
This crisis in our world isn’t a surprise to God.
And my hope and security is in Him.
If you scroll through the photos, you see things that made me smile this morning and reminded me of the goodness of God - even now.
With all the grief and sadness in the world I wasn’t sure how I would handle today. How I would allow myself to grieve this loss? Today when there has so much WRONG in our world. In a post @deidrariggs shared today she reminded us that life goes on. And I realized that today this is my life. And I can grieve this loss. My life goes on... I am thankful for the 4 days we had her. On Friday I will remember each event of her last day and I will remember her dying in my arms.
And I will be both sad and grateful. #infantloss #trisomy18 #stlouischildrenshospital
Beautiful. That's my word for this year. I don't know if I'm searching for it as much as wondering what it's going to look like …
Nice to meet you, Mary!
Nice to meet you too, Linda!
I have no idea why this has me teary-eyed. I think we all look for assurance that we are doing it right, saying it right, or even have a clue what might be right! Happy Epiphany, Mary! Wish we were close enough for coffee once in awhile! Miss you terribly!
Oh how I wish we were close enough for coffee too! Wouldn't it be great to get together w/Susan before the fall!?!?
Susan and I are talking about a summer meetup maybe in Tennessee. Would that be possible for you?
We are on the same January page, it seems. It's my constant searching that's led me to choose for my 2014 "One Word" (I think)… "aware." I suspect that what I am searching for—answers, direction, certainty, help—is right here with me, because He is, and that I just need to become more… aware. Thanks for this interesting (and fun) illustration of epiphany.
Sylvia, thank you for stopping by. Just returned from a visit to your place…we ARE on the same page.
I still search too. But sometimes I wonder: should I be more satisfied with what I've already found instead of always continuing to search for more…
Nonetheless, the things you mentioned ARE good things to continue to search for! I pray for more faith to believe he will always let those things be found.
Thanks for sharing Leroy with us. He's adorable. 🙂
I think there is a fine line between being satisfied with what we have and searching for the "right" more. Love your heart and your wisdom friend.
Mary your post gave all who read it an epiphany. Beautiful written from a wise hearted woman. Thanks.
"I've read that Epiphany is the feast of finding God." Oh, how I love this. I have never celebrated Epiphany with my children and I just realized that we are missing out. I am going to do a mini day late one tonight! Thanks for this inspiration! I hope you link up for more Inspire Me Mondays.
This is REALLY good and what a cutie, never even thought of naming a 'pup' Leroy. funny one.
Thank you!