I pray that this is a fruitful experience for those who are there, of course. But I have to imagine that an event like this can have a profound impact far beyond the event itself.

The frog could have crossed the road at any time, but it just happened to leap when we were in that particular spot.

Summer is a time of abundance. This season is overflowing with possibility. There is a richness and a joy to summer that I cherish, even on the hottest days when everyone around me is complaining about heat and humidity.

Whatever life is bringing you these days, no matter how difficult, I hope you will know and experience God’s presence in your life.

Carlo shows us that you can live for God even in this modern era. He reminds us that you can become a saint without founding a religious order or dying as a martyr or doing something that seems remarkable and significant. You can become a saint by living the life God invites you to live.

I don’t know all that our children will grow to be. I can’t guess what they will encounter in life. I don’t know everything they will achieve.

This week we marked four years as finch owners, and I am struck by how much has changed for our family over that time.

Spring offers a beautiful time for us to think of our next adventure, whatever that might be. May we be open to the newness of this season, stepping forward in faith and trusting that God is with us, every step of the way.

That’s how I feel about my parenting life these days, that time is flying and the plot is unfolding, and I’m just along for the ride. Sometimes the pages are turning so quickly that I can barely see what’s happening—it’s that fast.

When we lose something—or think we’ve lost it—we treasure it that much more.