My birthday celebration orchestrated by God’s selfless servants – “The wind knows your name,” signed Fr. Rodel.
It started with Mon David and Nicole David Yalong singing a duet to me over the phone, while in the park with Nicole’s genius twin boys and their huge dog, River.
I was just quietly monitoring the manufacturing of granola in my kitchen, having conversations with my other mom, Maura Brito with her incisive wisdom and delight at her daughter’s wedding in Mexico, which hubby and I attended.
Then, the doorbell, hubby bought me a new cellphone. He saw me struggling in Mexico, running out of space, taking photos while using my phone. He resolved my issue, quietly and a surprise – how is that to feel like someone has your back!
Then a phone call came in, it was Fr. Rodel G.Balagtas and by stroke of luck and God’s grace, he invited me to celebrate my birthday with him and Msgr. Lorenzo. I asked if I could bring Enrique. Yes, he answered.
We ate so well at a Peruvian restaurant where I enjoyed all the flavors, good and foreign, and enticing up to the last morsel. I felt so favored by God, surrounded by 3 good men, two priests, and a former altar boy, my hubby Enrique de la Cruz!
We talked about faith, spirituality, travels, satiated meals from different cultures, immersion in cultures, mediocrity in leadership as a world issue and radical listening, welcoming folks of all genders into Christ’s church, that Christ wants His church to include everyone, and Pope Francis’s The Letter, Laudato Si, his encyclical on the environment, including social media disconnecting us.
We even had time to share the analysis of The Sounds of Freedom and its important message that ‘God’s children must not be sold’ though a lament of how this movie’s proponents have politicized their content to attach themselves to Trump and corrupt leaders in Latin America. We even discussed some lucky folks’ bid and won a dinner auction as part of a church’s fundraiser. Including carbon fiber bikes and the benefits of cycling for sustained good health.
How appropriate is that The Letter on YouTube was mentioned to me by my son, when Lahaina was wiped out because of wildfires, gusty winds, and more.
Grateful to be favored with great service in this Peruvian restaurant! Thank you so much to these two selfless servants of God, who are so down to earth and grounded.
I loved the prayers before the meals, imploring God’s guidance for a pilgrim and all others’ journeys.
The birthday cake was delicious, so was the orange ice cream with a chocolate aftertaste that was quite pleasant.
“Open your gift”, Fr. Rodel said, the book was written by a Peruvian writer, and we are in a Peruvian restaurant in Pasadena. How convergent is that and the book is a coming together of characters as well.
Truly, God’s favor was with me tonight and daily, ‘the wind knows your name.” As we ended, Fr. Rodel asked for prayers for his upcoming ministry. I believe he is on the right track as he felt excited and he has had some wonderful past results. Even the wind has his name, too! This, I hardly expected to be favored by God’s servants and my hubby with me.
Even the cacti planted by my son and thoughtfully curated in a clay pot bore flowers today. I kid you not, and those three butterflies visited me: white, apple green, and brown, with black spires shaped in their wings, while the leaves of the palm trees were dancing in the winds. ‘The winds has your name’, Fr. Rodel G.Balagtas wrote on his birthday card to me. Can you feel God’s love through his holy men, and hubby and my son?
#loveandkindnesshasmultipliereffect#GodsFavor#Faithderivedfreedom