At the end of my last blog post I promised to write this time about ‘Amanda sightings’.

Whatever could that be?

First, let me get this part over with:  Ted and I are doing okay.  Really, we are.  But now these Amanda sightings caught us off our guard and were quite unexpected.   I feel they are worthy of sharing.

But now I have this feeling that I have to apologize for writing about Amanda again.  I’m thinking that you are thinking that I should get on with life and stop writing Amanda stories and get on to other stuff.  I am afraid the stories may never end.  After all, she was a part of our lives for over 31 years.  But after this and my next blog writing I hope to branch out to other topics.   Amanda will be a frequent visitor I’m sure.

So back to the unexpected.

If you are a reader of my blogs and have read my writings following Amanda’s passing, then you are aware of the significance of the bouquet I had for her at the memorial service.  Ted and I have two other daughters who both had beautiful weddings with guests and cake and a reception and flowers.  It never seemed to be a reality for Amanda to have a wedding and we felt sad that she never got that.  I felt like her memorial service was, in a way, like her special wedding service:  She filled the church with guests, a meal was served to the attendees, and I had a bouquet of white and purple flowers made for her – as pretty as a bridal bouquet with lots of ribbons and sparkles in it.

Now I had not revealed this ‘wedding’ idea to anyone but Ted and my daughters.  As we greeted and met with people before Amanda’s memorial service, one of her caregivers came up to me and was eager to share this story.  This caregiver had not worked a whole lot with Amanda, but she was a great and caring girl who found Amanda had wrapped herself around this caregiver’s finger!  She told me that the previous night she had had a dream.  In the dream, this caregiver and Amanda’s other main caregiver were both tending to Amanda.  They were dressed and ready to be bridesmaids for Amanda and Amanda was in a white dress  …   she was getting married.  Oh my.  The caregiver woke in tears and could not go back to sleep.

I did not expect to hear about a dream like that – Amanda as a bride.

Maybe Amanda knew my feelings.

I know she would have loved the bouquet.

And then …

Right after Thanksgiving I was with some church friends.  Now here, first, is some background info to help you understand the rest.  At church Ted is almost always in the balcony behind the sound board and I am usually up front singing.  Amanda would almost always sit on the inside aisle of the church in a particular row where some of her favorite people would sit.  This church friend was part of that family and usually sat on the outside far end of the aisle from Amanda.  During church service there is a time when a book is passed along each row where people write their names down – a sort of written attendance book for the church to keep track of members and visitors.  My church friend told me how, at the recent Thanksgiving service, she had just signed her name in the book and then, looking down the aisle, handed the book to be passed and signed.  She told me she honest-to-goodness saw Amanda sitting at the far end of the row like she always did.  It rattled her a second and she looked away and the looked back … and Amanda was gone.  “Amanda was at that Thanksgiving service” my church friend insisted.

And I believe her.  Amanda would have wanted to be.

I did not expect to hear that story either.

Expect the unexpected.  The first appearance of this quote is by Heraclitus (c.535 BC – 475 BC) where it reads:  “If you do not expect the unexpected you will not find it, for it is not to be reached by search or trail.”

I do not know what happens after death.  I don’t know how passed souls can send us signs.  Does God allow those in heaven to touch those left behind on earth?  Jesus once said:  Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God.  Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.  (Luke 12:6-7)  Many believe that the sighting of a red bird means a deceased loved one is visiting.  And if God can send a bird to bring a touch of hope to a hurting heart, I believe he allows us visits by dream and visions that are also a balm to our hurts.  I believe in miracles.  I believe God can move mountains.  I believe that our God is master and Lord over all – from breezes that bring wisps of memories and hope to dreams or happenings that have no earthly explanation.

And as far as one’s faith is related to all of this … We don’t need to know HOW He does things but to just trust and believe that He CAN do all things.  We must live expecting miracles.  People back in biblical times saw Jesus perform miracles:  the crippled healed, the blind given sight, and even water into wine.  God still has miracles to share with us today but I’m afraid most believers don’t look for them or expect them.

I’m just suggesting that, if you are a believer, why not try praying with expectation?  LOOK for Christ.  Seek Him.  Expect a miracle.  See Him all around you.  Get excited for the next thing.  Believe He loves you and will even send a red bird when you need a loving reminder.

And now …

 

I have 2 Amanda balloon stories for you.

 

That’ll be my next blog.

 

just Laurel