Miracles

Today most of Harv's family gathered at his sister Lyn's house partly to celebrate some coming of age birthdays (Grandpa is 85 and Carl is now legal at 19), but also just to be together as a family.

Harv's dad is a very soft-spoken man. And, he's pretty reserved. Not one to draw a lot of attention to himself in a crowd. But when he speaks to a crowd, people listen. After we had eaten some fun MANLY birthday cake, Joe started speaking.

He spoke of how being 85 doesn't feel that much different than when he was 84. And, he told stories of the effects of aging -- to which most of us can relate. And, somehow, stories of being 85 developed into stories of miracles.

One, was a story of how he and Peggy had left home one day to head down to Abbottsford. On the way down, he noticed that the signals weren't working. So, he stopped a little way down the road and had a local car person help him replace a bulb. Normally, it would have seemed, that it would've been a quick fix, but for some reason, it was tricky and took 30-45 minutes. The repairman said only once or twice before in his 20-something year career has it been that difficult.

They got back in the car and drove a bit further when they were turned around because there had been a rock slide which covered the highway and closed the road.... That slide occurred at about the same time they would have REACHED that spot if they had NOT stopped in Boston Bar to fix the light.

And, he told a story that the minister of his church told about her pregnancy. She was told that she had B- blood type and the doctors suggested that she abort the pregnancy for likely complications that would result. She decided that she didn't want to do that and began to pray. About 3 months later, she was at a check-up and the doctor was astounded to find out that her blood type had actually changed to B+. And, a few months after that, she delivered a perfectly healthy baby.

Two miracles.

I have not done justice to the way the story was told or the way that he tied it all together, but he ended by saying that miracles do happen -- even in these days and "we have every hope for you, Harv."

That is what we're praying for...and it is very helpful to know that miracles do, in fact, happen, even in 2012.

♥