A new "vision"

I recently received an email from a woman who attended a key note speech I gave at Prince of Peace parish in Olathe, Kansas. With her permission I am sharing part of her message, along with a beautiful reflection she wrote.

Here's part of her email message to me:

Hello Donna-Marie!

  My name is Corey Grace and I recently met you in Kansas.:)  My husband, Ryan, and I were able to come to listen to your talk at Prince of Peace church in Olathe.  I just wanted to thank-you for coming and for sharing your wisdom and love of our Lord.  My husband and I both left feeling inspired, closer to God and to each other.  I am a stay-at-home mom of 5 children.  Noah-9, Ava-7, Hannah-5, Eleanor-3, and Henry-1.  Some days I forget what I gift I have been given by being chosen to be their mother.  You helped me remember that.  Thank-you.

Here's Corey's beautiful reflection: 

I washed our windows today.  They were LONG overdue and boy are they sparkling!  What a treat to look outside without smudges and handprints blocking my vision!:)  Right now, the house is quiet.  The children are reading and napping.  Ahhh... I know that I will get to enjoy my flawless windows for another hour...TOPS.:)  But, I am going to do just that!  Enjoy my new perspective until the children are up and about.  The grass looks greener.  The sky bluer.  It seems I can just reach out and touch the flowers blooming in our flower bed.  My sparkling clean windows have me thinking about my faith.  Sometimes, all it takes is a change of perspective to change our attitudes.  Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle spoke about this, too.  She told a story about driving in traffic.  As she was driving along in her car, a man whizzed by and gave her "the finger".  She said, "You know what that guy got from me?  He got a decade of the rosary!  Oh, yes!  I prayed for my brother in Christ."  What an awesome perspective!  It's a perspective of love and selflessness.  It's a perspective of humility and grace.  It's a bright and sparkly perspective, just like my windows.  Sometimes my perspective is the opposite of that.  If my perspective is "off", I will look out my clean and shiny windows and see the dust on the blinds that hang in front of them.  Or, I will see the weeds more clearly in our garden.  Today, keep a sparkly and self-less perspective.  Chose to see the beauty.  Chose to see those whom we struggle with the most as a brother or sister in Christ.  Pray for them.  Give them a decade of the rosary or a Hail Mary for their rudeness or inconsiderate behaviors.  After all, isn't that what God does for us.  He sees us with a perspective that is clear and beautiful.  He see us in our beauty.  There is no question about it, God's windows MUST be sparkly and smudge free!:)

Thank you for allowing me to share your lovely reflection, Corey. May we all strive to "clean our windows" for a new perspective as we pray to come closer to God while guiding our family all the way. 

God bless you and your beautiful family, Corey!