I wrote to Berlioz (Peter) in May 2012:
Hi Peter! I am sure this day and the two posts you wrote about it are going to stay in my memory. I had a lovely day. It was such a good idea to go for this drive, wasn’t it? Love, Uta
Now, seven years have passed and today Peter sent me an answer with the following invitation:
Hi Uta, it was indeed a lovely day and I invite you to do same drive on the 1, May this year. Love Peter
I just answered: Yes, Peter, sure I’ll love to do the same drive with you on the 1st of May this year. So, this is coming up in three days!! Very much looking forward to this. Love, Uta 🙂
The following two links are to Peter’s two posts about our outing seven years ago:
https://berlioz1935.wordpress.com/2012/05/03/the-old-and-the-new-australia/#comment-3299
https://berlioz1935.wordpress.com/2012/05/02/1-may-2012/
And here is the link to my post from May 2012:
I copy my post from sevrn years ago here:
What does God want me to do?
Last Sunday at Mass I was confronted with the above question. As it happened it was a day when I was in quite a bit of physical pain. The pain didn’t start out to be really bad. I would be all right walking to church, so I thought. But far from it. After walking the distance, which took about twenty-five minutes, the pain was getting quite considerable. I arrived at the church at the last minute. But Father was still standing there shaking hands. He shook my hand too.
I happened to find a seat beside Sister Kevin. I greeted her and sat down. I told myself if I could just rest my knee and concentrate on my breathing, the pain would be bearable. I started reflecting on how God probably wanted to tell me something. Maybe God wanted me to make changes to my life as to correspond better with my aging body. What changes to my life should I make? What sort of changes did God actually want me to do?
I was very moved by the beautiful singing in the church. Both Fr Francis Tran and the Seminarian, Mr Stephen Varney, were singing Mass. Both have such beautiful voices! The church choir sang very well too. Stephen was given the homily that morning. He pointed out that for some people the Priesthood can offer a fulfilling way of life. They may think that it might be too hard to stick to being a priest. Even though for most people it is right to get married, you may think about it that it is also often not easy to stick to being husband and wife. It all depends on what God wants you to do, doesn’t it?
Monday has come and gone, so has Tuesday. Today is Wednesday and the pain is still there. I can cope with it as long as I don’t do too much! I cancelled the walks with my neighbour, Irene. I didn’t even go to the pool on Monday or to the Thai Yoga class on Tuesday. Peter could have driven me to the pool. But I declined.
When Peter suggested on Tuesday, the first of May, we could drive to Berry and then further on to Hampden Bridge, I joyfully agreed to this. We had a lovely day out. The weather was perfect for an outing. The good thing was, I didn’t have to walk much. Peter took lots of pictures. I took quite a few pictures too, some of them out of the window from the car.
This leads to Peter’s blog about our outing and another blog about his thoughts to the 1st of May:
https://berlioz1935.wordpress.com/2012/05/03/the-old-and-the-new-australia/
At the moment I do not want to think about seeing the doctor or the dentist or the optometrist. Within the next couple of months I ought to see all these people. Just now I only want to rest and get better.
From there we drove on to Berry where we had some pies for lunch. We also bought some cake at the Milkwood Bakery. This is a newly opened bakery in Queen Street. They are a branch of the Berry Sourdough Cafe in Prince Alfred Street, which is famous for very good breakfasts.
These are some autumn leaves in Berry and the following picture shows a tree with autumn leaves in this particular street in Berry
This is where we turned off from Berry taking the Tourist Drive to Hampden Bridge
We saw some unusual cloud formations on the way. This was one of them.
This is part of the Kangaroo Valley Road
Further along the Tourist Road
A gate to a property along the Road
Tagged: Autumn, Autumn Leaves, Berry, choir, Hampden Bridge, Mass, Priesthood
20 thoughts on “What does God want me to do?”
Hello, Aunty Uta. Sad to hear you are in pain. Do you have arthritis? Or is this an old injury? I hope it’s been looked at and you are getting the right treatment for it.
Thanks for your concern, dear Mary-Ann. It’s not an old injury. It’s probably old age, don’t you think:
“What does God wants you to do?” How can an atheist, like me, answer this question? Philosophers, sages and other wise people have thought about this important question for centuries. It is practical the same as asking, “What is the meaning of (my) life?”
Let’s assume that your implied assumption is right and there is a God. I think he does not want you to do anything other than to be. His purpose for you falls under the inscrutable. Who knows what God wants you to do? Even bad people have a mission given to them by God. Think of Judas. Without him Jesus could have escaped capture or not? Even Jesus wasn’t sure what was happening when he asked, “Why have you forsaken me?” He of all people should have known that was his purpose.
To say your cross is your hurting knee, might be a bit harsh, but it is a reminder that our bodies are subject to decay and sickness; two other aspects of God’s plans for you.
And what if we assume there is no God? You have to take responsible action and be happy with what you done. Try to be sure within yourself. Every action is the basis for the next action – cause and effect. Resting in the church was the right thing to do. Seeing a doctor will be the next right thing to do.
Thanks, Berlioz, for this comment. Of course I realise that seeing the doctor is going to be the next right thing to do. It looks I won’t be able to avoid it!
Having the outing with you was the right thing to do. It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining and the clouds in the sky were performing in an artful way.
The bakery in Berry is a French bakery and it felt like a trip to the “Provence” in the Autumn.
The cake was delicious and the bread wholesome.
The bit of “Provence” in Berry was indeed very welcome. I loved the whole outing. We are very blessed to live in such a beautiful area.
Hi Uta,
I am sorry to hear that you are experiencing some pain and I hope that you find some comfort soon.
However, it would appear that, in spite of your pain, you still managed to find some enjoyment. Perhaps there is a lesson for us in that ie even in our most difficult moments, we can still find joy in our lives.
Get better soon,
Carthage
Hi Carthage, Oh yes, there’s a lot of enjoyment in life even in old age. Pain just tells me I have to change something. Maybe just slow down a bit more?
Thank you very much for your good wishes. Uta
LOVED LOVED LOVED your pictures, and very much envy you! An excellent blog, & very interesting. I am sorry you appear to be n pain & I hope things even out, work out. Sincerely, Noeleen
Thanks, Noeleen.
Aunty Uta, I meant also to say that I think it’s great you do thai yoga & swimming. I think these things are perfect. I am genuinely sorry about your pain & I just don’t know what you can actually do, because I truly would have thought the swimming would do it. I truly hope you’re better at least today… And the pictures, sigh. Great camera! 🙂
You are right, Noeleen, thai yoga and swimming are perfect exercises for me or have been for as long as this arthritic pain didn’t overwhelm me. Yes, I found out now from the doctor that it has to do with arthritis. My knee was xrayed. So now I am on anti-imflammatory tablets.
The doctor didn’t mention diet. Personally I think I ought to do some changes to my eating habits. Wish me luck with this, Noeleen!
Thank you so much for thinking of me. I keep thinking about you a lot too!
By the way, Noeleen, if you would like to see some more of those pictures we took last Tuesday, please go to Peter’s blog. If you go to the end of my writing (before the pictures start) you’re going to find the link. I think you’ll be interested in browsing through Peter’s blog!
Actually Peter wrote about our excursion to Hampden Bridge in two parts. Both parts have some good photos in it.
Sending you healing light and love… the answers will come. 😉
AuntyUta 
Hi Uta, I inadvertently deleted those two comments you sent to me, they went into my old account, could you please resend them, do want to read Peters words. Cheers.
________________________________
Ian, I guess the following might be Peter’s words you’re looking for:
https://berlioz1935.wordpress.com/2012/05/03/the-old-and-the-new-australia/#comment-3299
Peter mentioned in this post a poem he wrote a few years previously. Its lines refer to Gallipoli:
“When Diggers stormed the Cove
They could not know
That many years hence
Men from the other side
Would come to their Land.
Did they fight and die in vain?
Not so. They prevailed
and shared their Land.
Turned foes into welcome friends.”
Further on Peter wrote in this post:
“We drove a bit further and suddenly saw the town’s Cenotaph erected for the fallen of the two World Wars. The floral tributes from the recent ANZAC Day were still to be seen . . . .
Among all the names I noticed two especially, one airman who was flying for the RAF, perhaps he died on an air raid over Berlin where I come from and a seaman on the HMAS Sydney. The sinking of the Sydney was such a tragic event. What a crazy world we live in. I’m so sorry all this happened. But we should look to the future and recognise that we live in an earthly paradise – Australia!”
Cheers, Uta 🙂
These photo are so beautiful, Uta!
I don’t understand God and why some people are healed and others suffer.
People tell me it’s because of sin and people’s choices, etc. But, I think no matter what if God existed and wanted to heal healing then people would be healed.
The more I learned of God the less I understood. I do still pray for, meditate for, people. I don’t know if God ever helps them, but by praying/thinking strongly about and for them keeps them on my mind and keeps me checking in on them…trying to be friend to them…so maybe that helps them. 🙂
HUGS to you and Peter!!! 🙂
PS…I saw my young kidney doctor (the doctor is young, my kidney is not young! 😉 ) recently…long story…but he kept saying “a fine woman of your age”…to share that as we age our body parts age with us…the older we get they get older, too. 🙂
Yes, Carolyn, I also do like these photos very much. especially after looking at them again after seven years have passed. They bring back memories about how we spent the first of May in 2012. It makes us want to do the same trip again on the first of May this year! So, I am very much looking forward to this trip. So far Peter still has his driver’s license. And we have some hope, that maybe he’ll be allowed to keep it, at least for short distances. 🙂
You may have noticed, Carolyn, that I used to go to Mass. I had become a convert to the Catholic Church when I was in my forties and did not regret it. However, for a few years now, I did not attend Mass anymore. You may ask why. Well, this is complicated. Partly it may have to do with that I am somewhat restricted in my movements. Partly it may have to do with that I am the only one in the family who is Catholic. Nobody in my whole large family ever goes to church. This really makes me an odd one out. Strangely, as far as suffering is concerned, I feel that it is just part of life. We can only try to live life in a way that we are meant to live it. Any suffering that comes our way, may be just a normal part of living and has nothing to do with whether we are good or bad. As you say as we age, our body parts age with us. It makes sense, doesn’t it? We are not all the same. With some people their body parts or anything else might deteriorate at a fairlty young age, and this can be a very sad thing to see. We, that make it to a very old age, are extremely lucky. I think that I am still alive at my age, is definitely a gift. I am grateful for this gift. I try not to be scared of any pain that may come my way. And I know, if the pain should get really bad, I can always get help. With a bit of pain often some good breathing or stretching or resting and yes, meditation and prayer and also some medication may help.
And yes, if you feel supported this helps a lot too! You say, you pray and meditate for people. I think, this is exactly what God wants you to do. There is no doubt that this is the right thing for you to do. 🙂
Big Hugs to you!! 🙂
Cheers, Uta
❤ ❤ ❤
Reblogged this on AuntyUta and commented:
Here is another reblog of a reblog. I must admit, I very much enjoyed reading it again, as well as all the comments!