November 3, 2006 4:58 PM
A meeting of the Catholic and Evangelical minds
[7/7/10 update: I just came across this old post. I've been realizing lately that this was the beginning of my journey from Evangelical to Catholic - though it perked subconsciously for almost a year before it truly began. Thank you. Regina!]
For two months, Regina Doman and I have been trying to get together. She had emailed me in September to introduce herself and we kept setting up dates to meet but you know how it is with mothers - things come up and time for friends becomes short.
Last night we checked in with each other and all systems seemed go. Still, this morning I wrestled about the time. Regina lives over an hour away from me in Front Royal, Virginia, we had the teensiest window of opportunity while her kids were in their homeschool coop classes. I was looking at spending two and half hours travel to spend an hour and a half meeting someone new.
It wasn't like I didn't have other demands on my time. I had two things due November 1 which I had postponed until November 6: a 1600 word article for Celebrate Life and the pictures for the MTM books, which are coming in fast and furious at the last minute (thank you! and I still need pictures of kids writing, tracing letters with their fingers, etc.) and actually take a lot of time to organize and categorize to relay to my publisher.
Plus my office is a complete wreck since it wasn't enough for that pressure - I had to start weeding through our children's book collection to send some on to Samantha's kids, sell used on Amazon, or donate to the Goodwill.
Then there's the foyer closet where we're supposed to be able to hang our winter coats but which had somehow over the summer become completely stuffed with things that shouldn't be there. Our temperature plummeted 20+ degrees this week and so this really needs my attention.
I think the only thing that got me out the door was that I had canceled this meeting so many times before that it would have been beyond rude to postpone for ANY reason. I mean, I would have had to just cancel forever.
And I didn't want to do that. Still, all the way to Front Royal - a trip I was thanking God for every mile because of today's absolutely glorious fall color display - I was wondering what this meeting was all about. Regina is a Catholic homeschooling mother who is also an author. Last summer she lost one of her six children in an accident in her church parking lot when he somehow got out of their van and she ran over him. Word of the family's faith-filled response had reached several counties over and when she sent me the site of her beautiful eulogy to her son Joshua, I could see why.
Yes, I really wanted to meet this woman.
We were to meet at the Daily Grind on Main Street in Front Royal. You mothers of many will know what I mean when I say I don't plan too far ahead, living mostly moment-to-moment. In addition, I don't often go out to meet people I don't know. So I had the rather odd experience of arriving at the coffee shop and feeling completely at a loss since I had no idea what Regina looked like.
After asking every woman there if her name was Regina - I was a little late, so I assumed she would be there - I finally ordered a latte (an exception to my diet) and asked the counterperson if he knew anyone named Regina who came into the shop. He didn't, but when I explained why I was asking, he mentioned that the young woman at the espresso machine had taken a message from someone who said someone would be coming in looking for her, but that she was going to run an errand.
Well, that makes sense, since I was late. And as Regina explained when she arrived, she had some pictures of her son in the car that she'd been carrying around for a while to get framed (you have stuff like that too, don't you? I sure do) and since she'd parked in front of the frame shop she decided to go pick some frames.
Regina had her youngest daughter Joy with her - who was all in pink and an absolute delight. She nursed while I ordered a latte and croissant with spinach for her (vicarious thrill for me) and then we just began to talk.
In sharing the greatly-condensed stories of our spiritual journeys (we didn't have much time), somehow we careened into Catholicism/Protestantism issues and it wasn't long before I had my notebook and pen out. I had never met a Catholic who could talk about the Old Testament and how it related to the Catholic Church before and it was fascinating to hear what Regina had to say. We talked about imperfect leadership, Mary, transubstantiation - all the big bugaboos. There was so much food for thought that I will be digesting it for a long time.
The last 30 minutes of our brief time together was spent careening around Front Royal picking up Regina's kids while she talked a mile a minute and I took notes, interjecting comments and Ah-has! here and there.
I felt like we could have talked for days. Our time together was short but I did get many days worth of intellectual stimulation.
And I thought - once again, because I shared this with the MOPS group I spoke to last week - how blessed we are to have our lives as mothers where our hands can be busy caring for our family's needs, thus helping us to be more confirmed to the image of Christ, who gave his very life for others. And yet our minds are free to contemplate the wonders and wideness of God's universe and to think about the things we are learning.
Have you ever looked at your life that way?
I mean, when I think how my husband gets up early and goes to work, how he has to deal with dysfunctional and unpleasant people sometimes, and how his mind is occupied on his work and how little time he has to himself for his own thoughts and ideas - well, sometimes I think we women have a lot of nerve whining and complaining about our lives.
One thing Regina said when we talked a little about her son's death and how she was able to get through it was this:
When God gives you a cross, he gives you the grace you need to carry it. He doesn't give you the grace before the Cross.
We may be Catholic and Protestant, but one thing is for sure - Regina and I speak the same language. I'm thankful for that. And thankful for the opportunity to share it with you.
Posted in Church Issues, Evangelical to Catholic, Mothering, Religion | Permalink
Comments
We own a copy of Regina Doman's Angel in the Waters and it's one of my favorite children's books. It was wonderful to read of your meeting, however brief. :)
Posted by: KatieButler | November 4, 2006 12:05 AM
My son recently got her childrens book "Angel in the Waters" as a gift from his godmother. It is really beautiful.
Posted by: paigeu | November 4, 2006 12:49 AM
What a wonderful opportunity to meet Regina! I think it'd be a joy to meet either of you. Thanks for sharing with us.
Posted by: Sharon | November 4, 2006 7:12 AM
This line..."When God gives you a cross, he gives you the grace you need to carry it. He doesn’t give you the grace before the Cross." REALLY spoke to me. Thank you for sharing it.
Suzanne
Posted by: suzanne | November 4, 2006 7:43 AM
Thank you for sharing your meeting Barbara. I have often wondered how Regina was doing after the death of her son and I am glad to hear that with God's grace, she is persevering on. I'm glad it was a good meeting for you - a brave lady driving so far to meet someone you had never met!
Posted by: Elena | November 4, 2006 1:26 PM
