Monday, March 4, 2013

More "Connections"



I thought it was worth revisiting a topic I blogged about before because interestingly enough, there are new "signs" I've experienced and want to share.

I'll start by saying It's been a part of my life for many years for the lights to flicker in whatever room I'm in.  I know most times there's no electrical reason that they should, no particular power surge going on, no storm or anything to justify it but it happens none the less. Thankfully, I've always taken time during that moment to say hello to the spirit that was near me and acknowledge I was aware they were in the room.  I have so many departed family and friends I have no way of knowing who is with me most times but I love that I'm not alone and that's what's important.  I don't feel afraid or scared, just appreciative I'm being remembered.

I went to my brother’s house for dinner Wednesday night and we were sitting at the island in his kitchen when the lights flickered.  My brother, his wife and I all smiled immediately. "Christopher!"  Yes, he was there.  I knew it.  We all did.  He wanted some lobster cakes and an invitation to dinner I imagined.  We welcomed him.

When I get to heaven I plan to ask why the light flickering was such a constant in my life. Maybe angels have that gift, or maybe deceased family are bestowed that ability to alert those on earth they hear us?  I'm not sure if everyone has the "light flickering" event as a staple in their life but I do.
I went to the Rusty Nail last weekend (local restaurant if you don't know the name) and when I went into the ladies room I found $15 crumpled up on the floor.  Wow!  Totally unexpected.  I continued on to do my business and as I went to "sit down", the lights went out.  Totally black... and there's no window in there.  I'm thinking "Oh jussst great! I'll have to grope my way out".  They literally went out the minute I sat down and then lo and behold they went on as I got up.  I had a few choice words for Chris about that one.  Jokester. "Couldn't you pick your timing more appropriately?!" Good Lord. (His timing was just right I guess).

So, back at my seat in the restaurant I was playing Quick Draw (lottery) and I played ten continuous games using the numbers 69 for Chris and 19 for Deanna, their jersey numbers; just those two numbers.  Didn't win.  The 11th game? Yep... 69 and 19 came out.  I didn't have it!  Chris and Deanna BOTH heard from me..." Come on you guys!!! Hello? What are you doing???!! Let me win a few dollars here jeez!"  Then I realized they just gave me 15 bucks!!!  I shut up after that.
Another interesting tidbit... I was blogging a couple of weeks ago when all of a sudden my iPad starting back spacing on its own!  I couldn't get it to stop.  All the text I had written was disappearing.  I immediately yelled at Chris, of course.  It was obvious he didn't like what I was saying.  I don't even recall what the blog was about now.  I had to shut the iPad off to stop the back spacing because everything was being deleted!  Crazy kid.  You didn't stop me from publishing my blog Chris, I haven't missed a day yet!
I've been waiting (yes really) to hear Chris walking around upstairs.  Well, it happened the other day.  I was sitting by the fireplace using my iPad when I heard him!  If your home happens to have creaky floors like mine, there's no mistaking footsteps overhead.  Well, I was here alone and he was up there.  It made me happy.  I hope he spent some time poking around his room like I do every day.

A couple of weeks ago a very good friend of mine, who was very close to Chris, was taking his kids out to Five Guys for a burger.  One of Chris' favs.  As he walked into the crowded restaurant he was all of a sudden consumed with the unwavering knowledge, out of nowhere, that his receipt was going to be #69.  After he placed his order the register spit out his ticket;
He immediately took this picture and sent it to me!
Lastly, I got to thinking about the word "Northway" and what impact it has had on my life... I know I mentioned my first job was at Chuck E Cheese.  The location was in the Northway Mall.  My son was killed on I-87, otherwise known as the Northway.  And where have I recently found comfort?  The Northway Church.  I find the correlation interesting.  I happened to realize that word has meaning in my life and I thought I'd share.  I don't think there's anything to read into, just a word with tremendous significance to me.
Here's hoping you pay attention to the signs around you.  They keep life interesting.  There may not be a message in all of them but you never know.  Be aware of your surroundings and the idiosyncrasies that repeat in your presence.  Maybe they're not coincidental but then again they may be signs from those you love!

Thank you for reading.

13 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  2. Dear Regina,
    I love that you have been receiving these "signs". After reading this I found myself saying, "Hmmm" outloud! Maybe I have been missing signs. Signs that have been right in front of me and I have been too busy or just not paying attention to notice. I am going to slow down and start paying more attention. Amazing though the signs you are receiving! Absolutely!! I pray all the time for signs from my dad, but thanks to you making me more aware, I can only hope to be reporting back that I had some signs. Hopefully not that the lights went out while I was in a bathroom in a public place, but preferrably another sign!! :)
    Hugs,
    Laurie

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  3. "..and cut him out in little stars
    And he will make the face of heaven so fine
    That all the world will be in love with night."

    -- William Shakespeare, "Romeo & Juliet," (III.ii.22-24)

    This line turned up yesterday in a book club book I'm reading and I thought I'd pass it along.

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  4. Dear Regina,

    You are so right about about these signs that keep presenting themselves in your life.. What I find .. I know I keep using the word amazing .. But amazing non the less... Is that you are able to be open and aware enough to receive these signs. You seem to have the clarity and are able to focus, even though you say that you have lost some of that concentration. These signs are such blessings!
    I honestly don't have the lights flickering happen to me very often at all .. So someone in your life is very much trying to get your attention.
    I had mentioned awhile ago a certain time that is very special and specific to me.. So many different odd occurrences happen at this time.. It also happens to one of my sisters and my mother!
    I wonder if they're are much more haven't had the awareness like you...

    I'm so happy Chris is able to visit and make his presence known... God bless him and God bless you!
    Xoxo
    Sharon

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  5. Regina, When my grandfather died I used to smell signs that he came to visit me. I remember right after his buriel, I was in my apartment when I heard my front door open. I popped my head out of my room and saw I still had the door locked and the chain coming across it, so I just kept doing whatever it was I was doing. A few minutes later I smelled my grandfather's cologne. He used to wear old spice. As soon as I smelled it, I knew he was coming to check up on me. I did talk to him and told him I was ok, and a few minutes after that I didn't smell him around that day. Even when I moved up the the capital district I used to smell his cologne on occasion and knew that he was checking up on me, at times I would tell him everything that was going on and bothering me and at other times I would just say hi Papi, me and my family are ok. I haven't smelled him in a few years but I think about him and still talk to him. Sometimes I wonder why i don't smell his signs that he is visiting me, but it's ok. I know he is watching all his grandkids and kids to this day !! Thanks for the Blog as usual. I read everyday, I just don't respond everyday. God Bless and always thinking about you. Hugs all around

    Nerissa

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  6. I remember my 10th grade Bio teacher posed the question to us: "Where does all of the electricity contained in the body go after it dies?" Perhaps these "Connections" are somehow the answer. Coincidentally, a friend of mine has "Connections" and nothing else as her FB status this morning. I'm so glad you have these. Have a blessed day. Thank you for sharing. -Anne

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  7. I do believe in signs, when the street lights go out when I am driving I feel one of many of my guardian angels are with me. Could be my Dad or my Grandmother May, I am a firm believer in signs. I know that Chris is with you all the time, when you dream about him they say he is close by.

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  8. Regina,

    I will say it again...there are no such thing as coincidence!!!! Remember that when you see a sign hold onto it and enjoy!!!

    Yesterday I was visiting with my mom and my sister...they are both huge baseball fans my mom Mets and my sister the yankees. A yankee game was on and my sister(a nun) started talking about Chris Stewart!!! I was only vagely listening to their chatter durung the yankee/red sox game until she said the name Chris Stewart!!! We are in Canandaigua they don't don't know about the accident other than what I have shared with them...so I was shocked when I heard the name Chris Stewart...when I realized they were talking about the catcher for the Yankess, ironically though he was not playing at the time they were talking about him in reference to last year.

    Second...I was visiitng another family member in Penfield, on my way back to Canandaigua we came up to a building I have probs seen this 100 times in my life traveling to and from the two places...we pulled up to the stop light and I looked to the left and the whole length of the side of this building are these 8 foot letters that spelled out STEWART!!!! I of course thought of you.

    I just thought I would let you know how these things popped up unexpectadly yesterday and thanks to your blog I was able to add an extra prayer for you and yours...

    God Bless, XO

    PS I looked up Chris Stewart on wikipedia...and his birthday was Feb 19th!!!!!!!! Hi Deanna we haven't forgotten you. :) How can I with softball tryouts starting today all over the capital region for high school...So everyone please say an extra prayer for the Rivers today would have been the start of Deanna's senior season...



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  9. Good Morning Mrs. Stewart , I truly believe in signs. As I had said my son lost his dad to cancer a couple of years ago when he was 8, he is now 11 and the lights ALWAYS flicker in our house. I never really new what was causing it , but thanks to your post today I believe it is him. I'm so happy for you that Chris is sending you little signs more n more as you try to accept the fact of him being away. Good job Chris keep them coming . Hope you have a good day. God Bless xxxxxxx

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  10. I just wnt to say I truley bleive in signs also, And have had them in my life for many years so I welcome them every time i recieve one and it it often, I am so used to them that it doesnt bother me and like you some times i have to say a few words to them about theit timing and what they are doing, My mom passed in oct, and she spends alot of time in my bedroom with me at night whicH I am very glad for, I always tell people they are not there to hurt you but to bring comfort or help you in some way, so I aways say dont be scared and open your mind and your herat because they do bring comfort to all of us, Keep writing and I will continue to read tyvm

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  11. Hi Regina. I'm so glad you are still receiving signs from family members and Chris. I love that your brother, his wife and you all smiled immediately when Christopher visited you at dinner time.

    I know I told you yesterday that when I hadn't heard from my mother in 15 hours, my cell phone battery was at 69% and it caught my eye and I asked Chris to find my mom and prompt her to call me and minutes later she did! The interesting thing that I didn't tell you is that on our trip to PA my odometer turned to 69,000 and periodically when I look at it I have seen combinations like 69069, 69096 and NO LIE the total mileage for our trip from here and back (with around town driving in PA) from Wednesday to Sunday when I got in the car to go to the movies was 1,069! I did take a picture of the 69,096 mileage (I think it was that one) but I missed the 69,000 because I looked down just after it turned. I was singing with Ally or something. I know my car was bound to hit 69,000 miles but I thought it was neat that it hit when you gave me permission to take the time off from the blog while on our trip. How could I? You were on my mind on and off over the whole time because I love reading your stories of your college visits with Christopher and I was on my first college visit with Ally. I thought it was neat you were both with us in some shape or form or thoughts...

    I hope you keep getting signs from Chris and your other family members because I like to read the stories about them, and how comical he seems to be.

    I can only imagine how you felt when you heard the noises upstairs... It seems like you are getting more and more signs. Please keep sharing!

    I have a small hand held book called 365 day brighteners for a woman's heart. Today, March 4th it says "I think the one lesson I have learned is that there is no substitute for paying attention." {Author Diane Sawyer} I thought it was relevant to share. When we slow down and absorb what is going on around us, it is then we are open to actually see the signs that have probably been right in front of us.

    Thank you for sharing your signs with us. I still can't get over the 2 hearts on my windshield a while back. I haven't seen any since then, but I will still be grateful for the nudge Chris gave my mom yesterday when I was at wits end with worry. I don't recall ever seeing my battery %age at 69% before.

    I have also had blog responses to you disappear on me, maybe Chris didn't want me to send them that way and needed me to re-write... who knows!!!

    God bless...

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  12. Regina,

    I too am a believer of signs. I am so happy Chris and the others visit you. As I have mentioned before, my dad passed away from a heart attack. He died at home and for the longest time we would get the sensation of someone walking past and the lingering scent of lemons. We used to say it was my dad visiting us.

    The father of the previous owner of our home passed away at home from old age before we bought the house 21 years ago. I believe he still comes to visit and has for many years because on numerous occasions I have heard doors open/close and footsteps in the house either when I was home alone or when my kids were little and napping. Or maybe it was some of my relatives or friends who came to visit.... never thought of that before!

    I am always open to the signs that are sent to me because I believe there's a reason or everything.

    Thanks for sharing.
    Hugs and peace

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  13. Hello Regina, thought I would share a money "sign" of my own....my sister (52) passed away unexpectedly in Oct 2011. My sign for her has always been butterflies. In Nov 2012, I jokingly asked her to send me some cash. When I got home, I was walking in the front yard and saw (plain as day) a plastic purple (my favorite color)Easter egg from our egg hunt 7 months prior. Inside was a dollar and a piece of candy. The amazing part was the fact that the candy was wrapped in paper with butterflies on it.

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