But with God all things are possible - Matthew 19:26a

I try my best to put aside some time each day for reflection. The times that I’m successful at doing so are the times I either read a passage from the Bible or that day’s scripture readings or some moving story in the paper. Each time I do, I find that the theme I was focused on will have a strange way of repeating itself over the next few days. Maybe it’s because I’m so focused on the theme that let’s my mind open up and see things in a different light. But whatever the reason the phenomenon keeps repeating itself.

My most recent theme has to do with time. We all have our own perception of time. We look at our watch and we can see what time it is at that precise moment. Many of us are paid by the amount of time we work and many are given a certain amount of time off depending on the amount of time we have on the job. Time to us is defined by seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years, etc. We celebrate occurrences such as birthdays, anniversaries and other events by a certain amount of passage of time.

There never seems to be enough time whenever we find ourselves doing something that’s pleasurable and time seems to fly as we approach old age. On the other hand, time seems to come to a standstill especially when we endure hardship and suffering. Our prayers to God seem to go unanswered as we wait for a loved one to get better.

What we fail to realize is God’s understanding of time. It’s not the same as ours. God looking from above has a grasp of the big picture. Man looking from below can only see his plight and fails to understand that God’s delays are not denials. He may have to tinker with the life of someone else before He can complete our need.

During this contemplation I found a poem in a little magazine that was sent to me by the Oblates. This magazine sat on my table for approximately three weeks until I finally opened it the other day to find the following;

Time
By Margaret Peterson

When God can seem to take too long
To hear our heartfelt prayer,
It doesn’t mean He hasn’t heard
Or simply doesn’t care…
Rather, like the Bible says,
“Take this as a sign;
The mill of God grinds very slow
But also very fine.”

This poem which I somehow stumbled upon at this particular time, I could of just as easily disposed of the put aside publication, added much richness to my contemplation. Was it a coincidence that I picked it up now?

I had just about put these thoughts to bed when lo and behold while reading an electronic version of the New York Times, my eyes were captured by a rather lengthy story about a family’s struggle with their child’s mental illness. Since I was still stumbling and bumbling my way through fourteen years of living with a spouse who has a mental illness I found the story very appealing. I’m always looking to see if I can somehow find something in someone else’s experience which could benefit me and my family.

Link to article http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/22/health/22kids.html?_r=1&th&emc=th&oref=slogin

There was nothing new to learn. The experience of trying to cope with a person that is controlled by voices seemed eerily similar to what my family is going through - the only difference is that in their case it has impacted a very young girl. At least my wife was fairly normal, whatever normal is, for almost forty years of her life.

Although the article doesn’t touch upon religion, I’m sure that this family has called on God for help. One thing that I must say is commendable is that the family structure even under the severe strain of mental illness has been able to stay together. Today many would take the nearest escape route.

As I was reading the story the following quote from the girl’s mother as she went back and examined the reason for wanting to have children was very poignant. She said that she had no regrets, and that Haley (her daughter), “was given to us for some reason, and I wait for the day when I realize why.”

As this lady waits, I’m reminded that “with God all things are possible” - Matthew 19:26a