Wonderful Story About Los Angeles

Recently, family got back from our first ever March Break trip to Los Angeles , California . It was a trip filled to the brim with adventure and excitement.

The days before leaving were a little testy. Or should I say exciting?

We were scheduled to depart just days after the earthquake erupted in Japan.

Being a born worrier, I scoured the internet only to find mounting evidence that we should cancel our trip. If the tsunami warnings in California itself weren't enough, the tsunami surge with eight foot waves that hit a California town, Crescent City Harbour , causing millions of dollars of damage and the 35 tons of sardines that landed in Redondo Beach , convinced me that travelling to the West Coast was not safe. I know I can let my emotions get the best of me, so fully armed with the facts, I turned to my husband for his thoughts.

"So, what do you think we should do?"

The heated conversations, emails and research we exchanged over a 24 hour period were fascinating.

He would say things like,

"I have no idea if the tsunami is going to affect our vacation. I have no way of predicting the future. In all likelihood, they will have cleaned up the sardines before we get there, if not, we will simply drive to another beach. Let's look at it as an adventure."

As we both wrestled through the situation, it became quite clear despite our different thresholds for risk taking, we both wanted the same thing, and that's what so often has pulled us through our differences, that and a lot of prayer.

With a classic case of "He said, She said" and encouragement from my spiritual director and a few good friends including Facebook friend Marcella Ketelhut who lives in Calfornia, we took the plunge and we left. .

Besides visiting Universal Studios, Disneyland, Hollywood , Santa Monica , Malibu and Beverly Hills , we explored dozens of magnificent beaches, whale watching, walking along coastal cliffs and taking great delight in watching surfers surf. On so many levels it was an utterly unbelievable trip. We were blessed beyond belief. The kids loved it, we loved it and it was a much needed family vacation.

The entire vacation, flights, hotel, breakfasts and car rental were redeemed ALL on my husbands air mile reward points (combination of providers), so the trip truly was a blessing.

As a Catholic, I am not entirely comfortable talking about blessings, it's always been easier to talk about sufferings, trials, tribulations and crosses, but I keep thinking....

"How in the world can we attract other Catholics back into the fold if we don't at least sometimes talk about what the Lord has done for us? How often do you hear a Catholic openly thanking Jesus for His mighty work in their life? In good conscience, we do have to talk about both blessings and crosses. Don’t we?”

I am always completely fascinated by how at times, God makes His Will so clear and this holiday was no different.

We stayed at a hotel just a stones throw away from St. Lawrence the Martyr Church in Redondo Beach . It just so happened, that while we were there, David Wells, the Religious Education Director in the Diocese of Plymouth in England from the United Kingdom , was facilitating a parish Lenten Renewal. I was grateful to be on holidays in California, thought it a wonderful opportunity to go on a parish mission, a spiritual adventure of sorts. The time spent at the parish was absolutely brilliant. God's timing was brilliant.

When I got home, I thought about a Catholic parenting course I facilitated a few years ago at St. Clement's parish, based on a DVD series called, PARENTS, You, your children and their Catholic Faith wherein I previewed the program and then over a seven week period lead mothers in discussion groups. Well, after a little bit of digging around, I realized that David Wells was the gentleman featured in those very DVD's.

I met MANY mothers on this list facilitating those sessions! Do you remember?


Folks in the corporate world call that serendipity,  I call it Providence .

I have since been in touch with David and he stated that it was his very first and only parish mission in the United States , and that the sequence of events were remarkable.


Meeting David Wells and attending that parish mission has been a blessing and a grace hard to describe. Very significant for me both personally and professionally.




So far, this Lent has been a very clear reminder that God's ways, are not my ways.

If you would have asked me,

 "How in the world our family would get to Los Angeles on March Break? I would have had no idea. If you would have asked me a few years ago, "Would you like to meet David Wells from the UK ?" I would have said, "Absolutely, but how?" If just a few weeks ago you would have asked me, “Would 35 tons of sardines and a tsunami stop you from going on vacation?” I would have said, “Of course!”

All I can say is, “Praise God for His marvellous deeds!” I am also reminded of my spiritual director who said, “Have a Happy Lent!”

I am also very very very thrilled to announce that when we got home, we found some mail from the VATICAN in our mail box !!!!

It's not everyday you get a piece of mail from the Vatican !!!! What a precious piece of mail !!! At the request of a bishop, our family has received an 'official' Apostolic Blessing from the Holy Father Benedict XVI !!! Through the intercession of Our Lady invoking an abundance of divine graces! I am kissing stamps at the moment!

In closing, I am going to ask for as many prayers as you can spare..... because my health at this point is not good ...... so please, please, please..... If you can, say a little prayer for me OK? Dorothy