Holy Pokes

Flurry of Updates

There has been a flurry of travel activity on my road in retirement since my last blog. Welcome to early winter with Eileen. My communication abilities are limited, but Chris and I have managed another post. We are always believing and always hopeful for improved or sustained abilities to communicate. For crying out loud, I am a retired English teacher, and I need to say stuff. As a quick update regarding this wretched Parkinson’s Disease (PD), I am working with a speech therapist and a new augmented assistive communication (AAC) device to hopefully add more efficiency to my blogs. Also in January, we have another visit with a PD specialist in the Twin Cities to further work on experimenting with different deep brain stimulation (DBS) settings in my head. Yes, I have two electrical pulse probes that treat both sides of my brain; and you could say I am sort of a version of Mary Shelleys’ creature.  

Holy Spirit Pokes

In late November-early December I had several pokes from the Holy Spirit. What I mean by a Holy Spirit poke is it that unexplainable spiritual nudge that believers in God receive from his throne, instructing, warning, providing direction, affirming, and simply helping us discern God’s will at times. Some might call these intuition or hunches. It's my firm belief that every true believer can experience communion with God in such a way that once in a while they will know that he is ordering their steps.  These pokes are tremendous reminders that Jesus really is Emmanuel, God with us, who wants the best for us. 

Biblical Nudges

There are all sorts of examples in the Bible of nudges from God that help mortal humans know his will. Jesus himself was nudged early on by the Spirit to launch his ministry by first heading to the dessert to fast and pray for 40 days (Luke 4). Peter was literally “poked” awake by an angel when sleeping in a prison cell (Acts 12). And the apostle Paul was nudged several times during a missionary trip through what is now southern Turkey; the Spirit prohibiting him from going to certain regions that were on his itinerary. And since we just came off the Christmas season, I am reminded of the gospel story about a pious Jewish elder named Simeon, most likely a priest, who was serving in the Jerusalem temple and was poked by the Spirit to enter the temple at the same time that Mary and Joseph were entering it to dedicate Jesus. As instructed with the poke, he blessed and dedicated the infant Christ to God. Simeon seems like a righteous faithful follower of God who had one last significant mission to complete and this nudge from God triggered his obedience. In Simeon's own words, “Now Lord, you are releasing your bondservant to depart in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation (Luke 2:29-30).

Travel to Wisconsin

Over Thanksgiving, I was excited to return to Wisconsin (WI) for a multiple-visit minivacation: feeling poked to visit my sister, Chris’ sister, one of my sons, and a realtor. That poke, intuition or whatever you want to call it was beautiful and we did all that; but then the pokes continued. The visit with Chris’s sister in Central Wisconsin brought an unexpected opportunity to discuss important senior living arrangements with Chris’ parents before heading back to the Twin Cities. The next day we were slated to spend an evening in the Twin Cities area before heading back to Grand Forks. On our way through WI we had another nudge. My brother who had just days ago found out he has cancer was being treated in Marshfield, Chris’s hometown. Heeding the poke we veered slightly northeast to Marshfield and made a quick stop at Chris's behest to look at his old Catholic grade school, Sacred Heart. It was no longer there, but there was a grotto. We went to the hospital, I picked out a simple flower and vase from the gift store, we caught Brady between procedures, grabbed hands, and called on God Almighty for his hand. I don't know that I have ever held my brother's hand. We continue to pray for Brady from afar.

Back to Minnesota

After the visit with my brother, we drove a couple hours to Hudson, at the border with Minnesota (MN). That evening we enjoyed supper and catchup conversation at my sister and brother in-law’s place. We went to bed in our hotel just across the St. Croix in MN at 11 p.m. intent on getting a good night’s rest. But at 3:00 a.m. we both woke up and had an impression to get the heck out of Dodge and start the six-hour trek to Grand Forks. Pokes. It was just starting to snow and blow in the Metropolis and we plowed ahead northwest on I-94 with some slippery spots, but little wind and virtually no traffic, finally taking a Starbucks break after three hours. Chris and I have spent too many nights on floors at truck stops during raging winter storms and we both suffer PTSD when it comes to weather and travel. Those three hours were our miracle, literally skirting the northern edge (radar storm image) of a storm that was dumping inches of swirling snow now directly behind and below us. 

Further Pokes and Travel

The nudges and pokes just kept coming in this early winter season for us in that Chris’s parents needed help with that senior living move, so two weeks after Thanksgiving we trapsed back into Central Wisconsin, assisted the move and then rather than stay an extra day, we long-hauled it 10 hours all the way back to Grand Forks. Chris was retiring that week and needed to be back. Earlier that morning and through the entire day Grand Forks schools and roads were closed; being pummeled with tough blowing snow, some gusts topping 60 mph. By the time we turned the corner at Fargo to head north on the freeway to Grand Forks, all roads were open, ice and drift free. It was smooth sailing to our home by one in the morning. Praise God!

Discern the Poke

I guess a summary for this blog is to heed the holy pokes; the voice of Jesus, which often comes via his Spirit. Those pokes are often important for others. Jesus says, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me (John 10:27).” For me, I am best able to hear his voice and feel his pokes if I am spending time with him; so that I can discern that voice, that poke, or that nudge. One final poke was referred to early in this blog with the word realtor. More on that some other time. It’s still the Christmas season in my mind, so let’s end with another rendition of the earlier story about the Spirit, Jesus and the faithful elder Simeon:

Simeon was righteous and devout, looking for the saving comfort of the coming Messiah. He entered the temple at the Holy Spirit’s poke and seeing Mary and Joseph with a baby, he knew this was THE one. Out of custom of the Law he took the babe into his arms and blessed God, and said, “Now Lord, You are releasing Your aged bondservant to depart in peace, for my eyes have seen Your salvation.” Luke 2:25-29

Heed the pokes. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!