Today’s find: Overtime

A nap sure sounded like a good idea to me, as I headed home from our Men’s ACTS Retreat yesterday afternoon. But the Holy Spirit had a different, Hannah-sized blessing in store.

Our five-year-old granddaughter was in the house!

Or perhaps I should say, IN THE HOUSE!!! Because these days, Hannah comes packing an energy and an imagination that simply cannot be contained by lower-case letters.

Mmm…strawberry-lemonade!

Bottom line: No naps for this Gramps. There were Barbies to dress, and stories to tell, and pizzas to eat – all capped off by a trip to the Aloha Fun Center for a rousing round of mini-golf and some scrumptious Hawaiian shaved ice.

Any grandparent (no matter how weary) would tell you they wouldn’t trade such moments for a million bucks. Perhaps any Apostle would, too…

…which I noticed, when I finally did get a little quiet time to myself this afternoon, while Hannah was napping. Sitting with Sunday’s scripture for the Feast of Corpus Christi, it occurred to me that we sometimes need a divine nudge…a little something to keep our hearts and minds open to the mighty works God desires to work in our midst:

As the day was drawing to a close, the Twelve approached [Jesus] and said, “Dismiss the crowd so that they can go to the surrounding villages and farms and find lodging and provisions…”

I’m guessing the Twelve felt a little like I did yesterday: Tired. Maybe even dog-tired, after several very full days of basking in the Good News.

But it certainly pays to listen when Jesus asks us to put in a little overtime. Our “yes” might just trigger a Hannah-sized LOVE explosion, with all the hugs we can handle. Love overflowing, enough to fill twelve wicker baskets – and more.

Is it possible to fall asleep while leaning on your putter?

Grandma celebrates her hole-in-one!

Love overflowing, 12 wicker baskets full!

Let us pause now…to recall that we are in the presence of the Holy & Merciful One.

IHS