Love Notes

by Marianne Love

for The River Journal

December, 2006

I have seen God this year. Several times. Several places.

Before someone thinks I’ve gone totally wacko, I must remind all readers that I’m a product of the Baltimore Catechism. Though I learned its teachings at a young age, I’ve never forgotten the basics: Who made us? God made us. What does God know? God knows everything, even our most secret thoughts. Where is God? God is everywhere.

There are several more basics, but those listed above have stuck with and sustained me all my life. I believe them to be true, regardless of our faith labels. Most everyone who knows me knows I’m a lifelong Catholic---definitely not the best in the class but forever Catholic.

In my religion, when I was growing up, we didn’t spend a lot of time on the Bible. Instead, our Bible was the Baltimore Catechism, drilled into us by our devoted Saturday Catechism volunteer teachers and reinforced every summer by the nuns from Immaculate Heart Academy in Coeur d’Alene. These religious teachers spent two weeks each June giving us intensive short courses for practicing the rules of our religion.

They taught us well, but some of us, including me, may not have practiced quite as well as others. I don’t always go to Mass. I married a Presbyterian. I eat meat on Friday, and I think priests ought to be able to get married.

I have several other arguments with my church, but, in spite of all my Roman Catholic lapses, I have never lost my faith that God does know everything and that God is everywhere. I firmly believe with the help of nearly 60 years of observing that God doesn’t use a religious brand name on his business card while working in wondrous ways here on Earth.

I saw God on Selle Road one day this month. He came in the form of Dennis Warren. Dennis was helping a young lady up the snowy embankment from a frozen creek where her car lay on its side with a crushed roof and shattered window. With total concern for her welfare, he escorted her to my car and told her to remove those wet shoes from her feet. Then, he called for help. When the sheriff came, Glen went on his way, like so many Good Samaritans do, seeking no recognition.

I saw God in numerous entities at the Bonner Mall during the recent Christmas Craft Sale. Yes, people were there at the sale making a few extra bucks, but they were also taking in the many joys of the holiday season. While sitting at our table next to my mother, I saw God in the innocent, happy faces while steady streams of toddlers dressed in their adorable outfits arrived for that special moment with Santa.

God was even more apparent, however, in unrehearsed, priceless expressions of love and adoration on the faces of parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles or friends who had come to watch as little Johnny or sweet little Sarah sat so angelically on Santa’s lap in the his festive Christmas sleigh.

I also saw and heard God in the harmonious voices of Jon Brownell’s choir members, a group of young ladies who gathered around an elderly lady (my mother) and sang her a special Christmas number. I’ve often believed that Jon uses his musical gift to do God’s work wherever he goes.

While at the mall, my friend Dawn Roberts gave me a gift of her handiwork.

“Come and pick something out,” she insisted, adding that she wanted me to have one of her scarves for all the time I’d spent working with young people. I cherish the scarf not only because of Dawn’s talents but more because of the gift she gives to virtually everyone she greets. All weekend I watched and admired her as she freely gave the gift of her time, her interest and her genuine caring for others---definitely God’s work.

This past summer I saw God in a documentary video project, produced by my former student Jeff Bock. It’s called “Jenny’s Journal.” The production features my former student, friend and hero Jenny Meyer. For more than three years, Jeff has crafted the film out of love and admiration for Jenny, who every day, exemplifies courage and indomitable strength in the face of cancer

Jenny also does God’s work every day with her family and especially with her beautiful daughter Grace. Jenny reaches out to other cancer patients, comforting them with words of reassurance and wisdom, gleaned from her own experiences. She even spreads the word of God in unpreachy prose each morning on her blog. Hers is often a short, simple story followed by an appropriate passage from the Bible.

While on the subject of bloggers, I observe God in the ever-encouraging words extended to any and all by my friend Cis Gors. She’s a retired home health nurse, filled with warmth, thoughtfulness and a contagious zest for life. Cis has a daily habit of reaching out to others, all along her way. I think God sent her here to cheer. She does it well.

I saw God this fall as I watched my kind and gentle husband coordinate the planting of a young tree in the forest. His three little helpers, Jacob, Justine and Grace, awestruck as they followed his lead, carefully deposited dirt around the seedling which will grow toward the sky year after year and remind them that there is beauty in loving the Earth.

Speaking of trees, I’ve seen the handiwork of God almost daily at our new home where a unique double-forked Lodgepole stands alone in a field beckoning all who pass by to a moment of devotion and thanks. I named it the “God Tree” because it’s such a beautiful representation of my view of a Heavenly being who guides and inspires.

I’ve seen God so many other times this year in so many places along my daily travels. Overtly, it seems like He gets a lot of attention at this time of the year when Jesus Christ’s birthday is celebrated. I think if truth were known, like the Baltimore Catechism says, He shows up everywhere, any day of the year. His presence is felt in a myriad of experiences by us humans no matter what religious label we follow or what location we choose for practicing our individual beliefs.

He’s in the malls, along side roads, the fields and especially in caring, generous hearts. None of us has look far to see, hear or feel His presence.

For that, I thank God.