Convergence of Random Thoughts

OK, so I struggled a bit with the title of this entry. What I am going to write about seems like three independent thoughts or events of this week, but when I sat down and thought about it there is a definite connection between them. Hence the convergence. So here goes, in no particular order.

My nephew Kevin turned 14 a week ago Saturday. I file that fact away in the "I'm getting old" folder, which seems to be growing exponentially lately. I became an uncle for the first time when he was born, so I will always feel a special connection to him because of that. I am also his Godfather and I feel very blessed to have that role in his life as well. So when he asked me to be his Confirmation sponsor a few months ago, my first thought was "of course, I wouldn't have it any other way." That's not to say that a number of people could not have taken on that role and done it very well. There's just a certain continuity to the relationship between Kevin and I that will be perpetuated when I stand up with him next Saturday. I hope it will be as special a moment for him as it will be for me.

The latest milestone in our immediate family happened today when Colin (aka Col-Kel) turned 12 weeks old. He is such a precious, special baby for many reasons. Not the least of which is all the turmoil that his Mommy went through over the last trimester, the fact that he was born 4 weeks early, and the respirator that was part of his first few hours "on the outside." He started smiling recently (and not just gas -- Mommy and Daddy can tell the difference!) He really loves being held and fawned over by his brothers. And I can see certain aspects of his personality emerging already that will make him his own man. I told Cindy today that I see him as a Big Picture Thinker, which would certainly be different than Brian's disciplined attention to detail and Sean's creative flair. It's amazing how siblings can be so similar in some areas, but so unique in others.

So we have two stages of life going on here, and they will converge for a time when we travel to South Florida next week for Kevin's confirmation. But the third thought/event that really ties everything together happened earlier this week. Our church held a "Forty Hours Adoration" that began at 8 pm on Ash Wednesday and concluded at 8 pm last night. (For those of you who are math-obsessed like me, Mass times are not counted as part of the 40 hours since the Blessed Sacrament was reposed at those times.) Cindy and I participated as adorers -- her on Thursday early morning and I on Thursday and Friday morning. It was truly a special experience for me. An opportunity to spend some quiet time with Jesus and reflect on the tremendous blessings he has bestowed on me and my family. I also thought about where we were spiritually last year around this time versus this year. We endured a lot of upheaval and change, which was accompanied by the uncertainty of leaving a community where we had developed relationships to go somewhere were we knew almost no one. Looking back, I can definitively say that we are in a better place today than we were last year at this time. My faith has grown so much in the past 9 months. The funny thing is I thought I was pretty far along on my faith journey, and I still think that is true. But what the past few months have taught me is that I have much further to go. Now you're never really at the end (at least in this life), but I am more aware of the work I need to do to deepen my relationship with God. I now realize that, at some level, I was just "going through the motions" until we made this change. And this week's adoration really drove home that point. We really feel we are "home" now, and that feels really good.

So Kevin, Col-Kel, and Christ (we have I heard something like that before? Hint: see February 13 post.) Three very important parts of my life, coming together in my thought this week and will converge again next Saturday. I can't wait.