Thursday, May 8, 2008

My Favorite Rosary/Petition Thursday

Tonight I will be with our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament for my holy hour. I ask you to leave your petitions in my comment box by clicking on the word comments at the bottom. I will pray for your intentions and bring them to our Lord Jesus. He waits for us to come to Him. I only ask you to pray too.
My little brother, Jordan, gave me this rosary about 13 years ago, on the day our Perpetual Adoration Chapel opened at our church. (we actually belong to a different church now, but in the same cluster) As I type this, and add up the years, I realize he was only 9 years old at the time, and what a sacrifice this was for him to buy this rosary for me. I had moved home and was going through a divorce. (yes, I said divorce) I may blog about this another time, if anyone is interested, it is really part of my conversion story. I was young, (married at 23) and 2 priests told me to leave. The marriage was annulled, and so actually was not a marriage at all.

Anyway, it was one of the most painful things I have ever been through. I was staying in my parents basement (well sleeping there) and my little brother cheered me up all the time. He was such a blessing. He hated seeing me cry all the time. He hated seeing me sad. He always made me laugh. I cry as I type this, it was such a humbling time for me. He wanted to do something special for me, (as if he hadn't already, just being there to cheer me up) so he ordered this rosary for me and waited for the opening of the Adoration Chapel, he gave it to me right before Mass. (my mom insisted that I keep it, that he really wanted me to have it)

SO, this is my Adoration Chapel rosary. This is the rosary that I always pray in the chapel. This is the rosary that I always have in my purse. This is the rosary that I have prayed for you with, many times.
The medals have been given to me and were special at the time, so on they went, they actually make it a jingly kind of rosary. 2 St Gerard medals given to me by people who knew how badly we wanted children. (we tried for almost 3 years before conceiving) The other medal is the Miraculous medal and well, that is my favorite medal, so it is on my favorite rosary.

This rosary used to be all silver.
 I hesitate to show you this, but I am, in the hopes of inspiring someone out there to pray the rosary. 2 or 3 months after the opening of the chapel, while praying there, I looked down and couldn't believe my eyes. I blinked, blinked again...then kept praying and looking at our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament in pure awe of His blessings on my life. Why did He give me this gift? I am nothing. He is everything. My rosary had turned gold.

Within a few months we (my family and I -all except one brother who is not Catholic) went on a trip to Medjugorje. I quit my job to go, as I did not have enough vacation time to go on a 10 day pilgrimage. Which means it was no vacation, it was hard traveling and took a huge leap of faith to put all our trust in God and Mary to wrap her mantle around us and get us there safely. Our first trip was cancelled because of unsafe travel, we went with another tour group a week later. We traveled there during the war. While we were there you could hear bombs going off in the, somewhere!

 At night you could see them going off in the distance. We were in this safe little village that was untouched by any war and it was totally felt by everyone there.

It took 2 days of travel to get there. Our luggage came 2 days late. We were sick the first couple days. On the 2nd day we climbed up Cross Mountain and when we returned, our luggage was waiting for us. The mountain is unbelievably hard to climb! it is rocky and steep. Yet, on the way up, you can't help but think of all the people of the village in 1934 climbing up the mountain carrying concrete and water to build this magnificent cross for God. Amazing! Once we were at the top, it was breathtaking. It was SO beautiful at the top. There is this amazingly huge concrete cross at the top and a view of the world!

On the 3rd day we went up Apparation Hill. This was not as steep and not as rocky. It was actually easy compared to the other climb. We all (our group) prayed a rosary at the top, I had my little brother laying on my lap and my sister's interpreter's daughter, also 9 yrs old resting on me. While praying the rosary, while on Apparation Hill, while these 2 children are praying on my lap, the crucifix on this rosary turned gold. I blinked, I blinked again, I couldn't believe my eyes.

 Now, I wanted to jump up and tell everyone, but couldn't really do that, it would be rude, so I kept praying and staring at my crucifix. Afterward, (it's amazing how I could forget something so wonderful) there was a lot going on up there and I just didn't say anything and kind of forgot about it until the next morning. That morning, a friend and I decided to get up early and walk across the village and go up the Apparation Hill and pray a rosary and talk. When we got to the bottom of the hill, I remembered what had happened as I took out my rosary, and I started to say, "Oh, my gosh, Victor, I forgot to tell you..." He interrupted and said, "your crucifix turned gold, didn't it?" He said "mine too!" Just during that time, just on the hill, both our crucifixes turned gold and then turned back to silver after the rosary.

Now you can doubt it, say it is from the oils in my hands. But my dad said he sweated his butt off in Vietnam and prayed the rosary every day while there (for 11 months, I think) and his rosary never turned gold. It is not a tainted color, it is a pretty gold.

I don't know why it turned gold. I think it is a gift. A gift to say "keep praying!" "Keep going!" "Keep changing!"

I really do hope this post inspires someone out there to pray the rosary, to pick up a rosary and pray it gold. Pray from your heart. Change what needs to be changed. Our Blessed Mother will lead you right to her Son's Heart.

I believe some of the fruits of Medjugorje were coming home and finding a job working with children as an assistant teacher for a Montesorri school, (having always wanted to work with children) and just being hired based on my smile, literally, my boss told me this! (she's a very nice woman) Then meeting my now sister in law, who at the time was dating my hubby's brother and she then set us up on a blind date! (after months of begging me) We married the brothers and the rest is history. -Did any of that make sense?

Did I see the miracle of the sun? Yes.
 Did you?
 Do you still?
 What do you see?
 Anyone have Medjugorje stories?
 I'd love to hear about them.

Again, for free CD/tapes of the rosary go to The Mary Foundation!
My favorite book about Medjugorje is The Visions of the Children.
I actually have 4 copies for borrowing to people, it's that good.
God Bless you all, remember to leave petitions in the comment box!


15 comments:

  1. If you have four copies to loan out, can I borrow one from you? Like, next Tuesday? I have never really known anything about this, and it sounds incredible. You have been given a beautiful gift - I am encouraged and inspired everytime I read your posts or talk to you!

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  2. What a beautiful story! And I agree with you in that your rosary does not look tarnished.

    I was at a Marian conference once where there was the smell of roses lingering in the air. Miracles for Mary are nothing, really. The real miracle, I think, is when we remember to go to her to ask for them.

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  3. intention: trying to get pregnant (Kellyann) Thank you and God Bless

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  4. Please pray for my husband and I as we try to create an appropriate consequence in response to our child's actions . . . trust has been broken.

    Thank you for the prayers for my youngest ds - NO chicken pox!

    Jamie, I enjoy reading your posts about the rosary. This prayer has obviously meant much to you over the years. Thanks!

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  5. Jamie, I am inspired by your courage. I have had similar stories in my life yet am afraid to tell anyone because it just seems like everyone has such cold cold hearts and wouldnt believe me anyways or care or would think I was just weird.

    Your story is beautiful. My mothers rosary is a beautiful gold.

    Mine is not gold because of my prayers. I am humble to admit that it is not my prayer life that changed the rosary but a gift, from above. I don't want anyone to think I am super religious. I am just normal. Someone who has a great desire for our Lord.

    One of the visionaries came to America. While driving home after hearing him speak I was able to look at the sun. And look and look and look. Again....not because I am super holy...I am humble to admit I have a lot of work to do.

    Medjugorje has been in my life for along time. The stories coming from that holy place are amazing. Millions of people have been there including you...lucky gal. And lives have been change.

    Pray that the Holy Spirit will move and change peoples hearts this Sunday.

    Thanks again for praying.
    Beautiful beautiful post.

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  6. Yes, Paula, I will bring you a copy!

    Christine: Don't be afraid to put it out there, you have a blog, if people don't like it, they don't have to read it! I'd love to hear the stories!

    I am not afraid to admit I AM religious, I'm not normal. That's ok, I'm ok with that.

    Kellyann, I will pray for you.

    Suzie: I will pray for you and your situation!

    Margaret: I have smelled that rose smell, it's heavenly...that's the only way to describe it.

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  7. Jamie, What a touching story. Thank you for sharing. I especially love the part about your young brother buying your rosary for you. It must mean so much!

    If it's not too late in the day for intentions, please remember my oldest son who is still trying to get funding for college in the fall. Thank you. God bless you.

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  8. What a wonderful story. I love the way your faith leads your life it is very refreshing. I work at a church and sometimes get discouraged that the people I work with seem so far from the faith I have and they claim to have. Thank you for sharing your story

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  9. Beautiful! How sweet of your little brother to give you such a thoughtful gift!

    I meant to post earlier... and so you are probably already back home. But please pray for my hubby, he has his colonoscopy on Tues. :(

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  10. Jessica-I pray for specific intentions but also for "all my readers" so....I will also pray for him though before then.

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  11. if you havent already, you should submit this to the loveliness of rosaries fair.
    http://snoringscholar.blogspot.com/2008/05/slightly-delayed-loveliness-fair.html

    r

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  12. I found your blog about rosaries! Mine to is golden, and I certainly have a favorite.

    Your conversion story is wonderful, and I can't wait for us to get time to write it all out for each other to read!

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  13. please pray for the job and my family, especially the older one.

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  14. Jaime, this is my favorite post. Someday when you have time, I would love to hear more about your devotion to the Blessed Mother, the rosary, your trip to Medugorje, and your conversion story. You are in my thoughts and prayers! Much love, hugs, and prayers for you! XO

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Thank you so much for stopping and commenting!