Messages come from everywhere

A few years ago, a friend gave me a little cloth from St. Therese The Little Flower. My friend wore it every day during her bout with cancer, and she shared her heartfelt advice that I do the same and that I also pray the novena to St. Therese.

I do wear the cloth every day, but I don’t often pray the novena, which is a prayer that you say for nine days in a row. It is said that St. Therese will send you a rose to let you know that she heard your prayer. Every time I’ve prayed the novena (except for one), roses have come to me. Sometimes one, sometimes a bunch, and always from the most unlikely places. Even with this wonder, it has been awhile since I prayed the novena.

Early this morning, it occurred to me that I should start a novena to St. Therese today, but then I continued with my regular morning routine. As I was getting dressed, the cloth fluttered to the floor.

I laughed and said to myself, “Okay, it’s been a long time so I guess it would be good to start a novena today. But first, I need to get the kids to school. I’ll do it when I get back.”

When I returned, I remembered my intention to start the novena but instead had something to eat, did a couple small things around the house, and checked my email.

While I was on email, a message arrived from my dental hygienist. I have been seeing her for almost 20 years and while we know a lot about each other’s lives, we never email back and forth. In fact, I think she sent one email to me in that entire time.

I read through her message. She was forwarding a newsletter that she thought I would be interested in. I scanned the newsletter and at the bottom was…the novena to St. Therese.

I had to laugh again, and then got started on that prayer before a 2×4 hit me in the head.