KEEP THE FAITH

 I have three children.  Two boys and a girl although they are no longer "boys and girl" but rather men and woman.   They were all brought up in a middle class home, dad was a teacher, mom stayed at home attending to  house and children and what ever else needed tending on any. particular day.  Typical family. 

My husband and I were born and raised Catholic and so our children were brought up Catholic. Baptized soon after they were born, received holy communion when they were seven, made their confirmation when they were 13.   Two of them were married in the Catholic Church and still attend church, whether it be a Catholic Church or not, they still belong to a spiritual family. Child #3 married a girl who had never attended church, they were married at a light house by a "minister". They are now divorced.

All of my kids have KEPT THE FAITH to some degree. One still attends a Catholic Church, one has found a non-denominational church which they are fully involved in. (I keep reminding them not to "Drink the Koolaid".)

 Child/adult # 3 has wandered through life not "belonging" to a church and at times not believing in God. He is a spiritual person but continues searching for something that is. right in front of his nose.  FAITH           Oddly enough it is this child of mine who has a large tattoo across his chest which reads . . .  "KEEP THE FAITH".  I don't understand how he can wear that tattoo and still not really have faith in a Supreme Being. It is one of God's mysteries.   

Now I know and truly believe that god works in mysterious ways.  AND more importantly HE hears our prayers and answers them while laughing.  I love finding humor in things that happen in my life. I do hope that child #3 can do the same.  

Child #3 is a teacher. Teachers are poor.  They work way too hard for way too little pay. Don't give me the Bull Shit about having summers off and how easy it is to work with kids.   If it was so easy why don't you stay home and teach your kids.  Believe me, teaching sucks BIG TIME!  Especially in this age of entitled little snots who do what they want when they want.  . . . .  Sorry . . . got off track there.

Anyway . . .  child #3  teacher, divorced father of 3, hanging on by his fingernails.  To relieve some of the stress in his life he has taken to doing and coaching cross fit work outs and participating in extreme races.  He has climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro and gotten to base camp at Mt. Everest.  He runs 100 mile races in some of the most extreme terrain and is often so beat up by the end of the race that he can barely walk.

WHY ??????  

As his mother I just encourage him and PRAY. . . .  A LOT. !!!!

That all brings us to today's blog.  Son #3 left Florida on Wednesday to catch a plane to JFK airport in NYC.  There he connected to a flight on Hungarian Airlines heading for Istanbul.  Once in Istanbul he connected to a flight to Marrakesh, Morocco, then on to some obscure little town further south where he will ride 11 hours on a bus to the start of a 100 mile, 4 day race in the Sahara Desert.  He must carry all his food for the 4 days and any other equipment he may need.  Tents and water are provided at the overnite camps but all else is carried by the runner.

This morning I woke to a text message from my son.  He was alive and well in Morocco BUT his suitcase with all his food and equipment never made the connecting flight in Turkey and is now lost who knows where.  The boy has the clothes on his back and his back pack to spend 4 days in the desert!   

But God did not abandon my boy.  HE gave my son a fellow racer from America who also speaks Arabic. The young man and my son went out to a market where they were able to buy food and any other essentials to be able to compete in the race.  

The way I see it, the young man from America is an angel sent by God to help my son get through this "bump in the road".  There are only three Americans running this race and the fact that one of the 3 ends up rooming with my boy AND speaks the language of the country he is in is a miracle in itself.  As for the missing suitcase . . . . shit happens.  It's how you deal with it that counts.  

I'm just praying full time that this journey brings my son closer to seeing GOD'S hand in his life.  Even if he has to run naked across the Sahara.  Hopefully God will send another angel with Sun Screen SPF 200.