Beautiful Connections is the 4th and final episode of Val's 3rd Season of Caregiver Tea Time about spirituality. In addition to sharing about spiritual connections she felt with her husband and son after they passed, she shares about Spiritual Directors International, where she recently found a helpful spiritual director/companion to walk with her on her Christian spiritual journey.
In this episode, Val shares events that confirmed her belief that there is a beautiful spiritual aspect to life - something powerful and loving that has always been there for her when she sought to find it. There have been times when her life felt dark and scary, and that's when a source of love and light was there to overcome the darkness.
02:35 Val shares that somehow, her husband Paul and son Loren’s spirits visited this earth in the form of eagles.
After attending her husband's memorial service, several people asked if she saw the eagle soaring overhead as they left the building because they thought it was Paul. Earlier that same morning at the graveside service, an eagle was there. As the family stood up to leave, it took off in the direction of where the memorial service was to be held. Val's Aunt Jan shared how fitting she thought it was that Paul would visit in the form of an eagle - such a strong and regal bird - one to be there to watch over his family.
03:15 Other times Val saw an eagle that reminded her of Paul: at the farm, one surprised Val as it soared around the corner of the barn, driving home from church an eagle flew alongside her car for several miles, and at a car dealership an eagle was soaring over head as she traded in their old car for a newer one.
04:20 Several years later, shortly after her youngest son passed away, two eagles visited her and her older son at the farm. Her older son had come home to be there for his brother and mother and was staying a few more months after his brother passed away. They were sitting in the yard late in the afternoon, when from quite a distance, they could see two eagles. One landed elegantly in a large tree and the other one crashed landed in the next tree. It reminded her of how her husband would stand back and let his children figure things out for themselves.
06:15 Her last story is about what happened a few days after her husband passed away. She could feel her husband's presence while getting a massage and received message that said, “Now I am seeing what you’ve been talking about all along!” and she had a vision of his spirit as a bright light shooting into a twilight sky like a rocket, and ashes of the old were falling away like dust. She knew he must be headed to a wonderful Heavenly place, and he wanted her to know that what she believed about it was true. Later her massage therapist confirmed to her that she could feel the spiritual presence too, and that it had a message the therapist felt compelled to share: " I'm sorry." This was a personal message Val appreciated and felt she understood what it was all about.
08:55 Val concludes Season 3 about Spirituality by providing listeners with information about the Spiritual Directors International Directory, https://www.sdicompanions.org/find-a-spiritual-director-companion/ a place to find a certified spiritual director or spiritual companion. She provides a link on her website, caregiverteattime.com.
11:20 And here’s Val's special message:
"It’s easy to get all wrapped up in caregiving worries, fears, and feeling lost. The truth and the power of the Spirit can be difficult to find at times. But it’s there, so when it get dark and stormy, I encourage you to take that deep breath - reach out your hand, and say, “help”. The love and light to show the way is always near! Cheers!"
I had difficulty with the transcription, so this is my script from this Episode. I don't want this problem to delay it's release!
Season 3 Episode 4. Let’s Get Spiritual: Beautiful connections
Hello caregivers and Friends - this is Val Halloway!
We are currently in season 3 of Caregiver tea time, called Let’s get spiritual.
This is the fourth and final episode of the season, and I have called it Beautiful connections.
I’m going to share a couple of stories about the spiritual connections my husband Paul
and son Loren made with me after they passed away.
I’m also going to introduce you to
Spiritual Directors International.
They describe themselves as a learning community
that supports spiritual direction and spiritual companionship,
for all who are on the journey.
A few months ago, I used this group to find Beth, my new spiritual director.
We meet by zoom every other week, and I’ll say it’s already been a miraculous experience!
I feel these events confirm my belief there is a beautiful spiritual aspect to life -
something powerful and loving that is always there for me when I seek to find it.
When my life feels dark and scary,
I know there is a source of love and light that overcomes the darkness.
I hope these stories are encouraging to you.
If you’ve had similar experiences,
I hope it will confirm your own beautiful connections.
And if not, maybe this will help open your eyes and heart to recognize a beautiful connection when you see it.
This gift of love from a powerful Spiritual level is something I need to be reminded of every day.
Please listen-on, as I am excited to share these stories with you!
Have you ever encountered a bird, like a cardinal or chickadee, that came close to you and just hung out and you wondered
“what is THIS all about?”
I remember a cardinal kept coming to my bedroom window several times after my mother in law Lucille passed away.
Or have you noticed a hawk or eagle soaring overhead in the sky when you’ve been thinking about a loved one who recently passed away?
I believe that somehow, my husband Paul and son Loren’s spirits
Visited this earth, in the form of an eagle.
After attending my husband's memorial service, several people came up to me to ask if I saw the eagle soaring overhead as they left the building. They made a point to tell me they thought it was Paul.
My Aunt Jan shared how fitting she thought it was that Paul would visit us in the form of an eagle - such a strong and regal bird - One to be there to watch over his family.
Earlier that same morning at the graveside service, the eagle was there.
As we were standing up to leave, it took off and headed out with us to the memorial service.
One beautiful fall day, I was walking outside at our farm when a low flying eagle surprised me as it soared around the corner of the barn, right near my shoulder, and then flew off to the west.
It all happened so fast, but I wondered if it was Paul, surprised to be caught checking out the farm.
Another time I was in my car, on my way home from church when an eagle flew alongside me for several miles as I drove down the country highway. I thought he must be getting tired, and then it veered off to the South and I watched until it was out of sight.
Another time I was at a car dealer trading in our old Buick LeSabre for a spunky little VW Jetta.
I was getting ready to sign the papers when I looked out the big picture window to see an eagle soaring overhead! I kid you not. I think Paul was checking out the car I just bought!
I didn’t think he would mind because we had a little jetta years earlier when we were a family of four.
It was the sweetest thing, though, when several years later, two eagles visited my older son and me at the farm shortly after Loren passed away.
The farm was where Paul had grown up with his parents and 6 brothers and sisters,
and where we raised our three children.
My older son had come home to be there for his brother and me and was staying a few more months after his brother passed away.
We were sitting in the yard late in the afternoon looking out over a farm field across the road.
It had just been harvested and we had a clear view for miles.
From quite a distance, heading our way, we noticed the
broad strong movements of the wings of two eagles.
It was an unusual thing to see, two eagles at once, way out in the country,
Soon they were upon us and one landed elegantly in a large larch tree closeby.
Then the other one sort of crashed landed in the next tree.
There was the sound of branches cracking and breaking until the bird found one that could hold its weight. That would be Loren, learning by trial and error and his dad standing back
to let him figure it out himself.
My older son and I looked at each other with quite surprised expressions,
Finding it hard to believe this was really happening.
I have no idea how this works –
somehow there was a connection between two immortal souls and two Earthbound ones,
and I was there, with my son as a witness, experiencing it all with an open heart.
BLING
I want to share a very personal story of a vision I have so clear in my mind
It is as though it just happened, even though it was over 15 years ago.
My husband had passed away in the hospital after spending just a few hours there.
I think in the days leading up to it, we knew the time was coming, but I was still surprised when it was over and he had passed.
As I prepared for the funeral, I knew I needed to take care of myself
and was able to schedule a massage.
I had been seeing a wonderful massage therapist who had strong spiritual intuition.
I was laying on the table getting ready for her to start the massage.
My face was in the donut-like thing at the end of the table.
It’s where you rest your head when you are lying face down on your stomach.
My eyes were closed but I just couldn't keep back the tears and they were dripping onto the floor below.
Then I felt this presence just to my left, and next to my head. I had my eyes closed so I could not see it, but I could feel the energy. Then it was communicating with me and I knew it was Paul and he was so excited to let me know something –
During our marriage we didn’t discuss spiritual things much.
Our beliefs differed - mine were strong in a specific way, and he didn’t think the same way I did.
Now that he was on the other side, I could sense he was saying he was sorry.
He said, “Now I am seeing what you’ve been talking about all along!”
Then I had a vision of his spirit as a bright light shooting into a twilight sky like a rocket, and ashes of the old were falling away like dust.
I knew he must be headed to a wonderful Heavenly place,
and he wanted me to know that what I believed about it was true.
The next day my massage therapist reached out to me.
Although she usually doesn't share
spiritual things she notices during sessions with her clients,
There was something she needed to tell me.
During the massage, she saw a strong energetic presence and it was saying “I'm sorry.”
She felt like the presence wanted her to give me that message.
Well, after a nearly 25 year marriage, the words “I'm sorry” can mean a lot of different things.
I think I have an idea he meant, and I felt the love behind it.
BLING!
Time to wrap up season 3!
And since it is called “let’s get Spiritual” I can’t think of a better way to bring it all together than to share with you a way that you can find
a real, live, loving — earthly and human spiritual companion!
Whether you’re a caregiver or just have a Caring Heart, you know there are troubles in this world, and finding a spiritual companion to walk alongside you is an amazing gift.
I recently called my pastor Deborah from years ago, to ask how a person finds a spiritual director. I knew she had met with one regularly.
She told me about a directory called Spiritual Directors International.
At their website, you can find a spiritual director to meet with by Phone, Zoom, or Skype
Or you can search for someone local who will meet with you In-Person.
I chose to meet virtually with Beth. I read her bio and it sounded like we would be a good fit.
Recently I’ve been struggling with decisions to make about the farm
and where to live, and our time together has been most helpful.
She reads scripture and we have a prayer. Then we have a quiet time for listening until I’m ready to begin. This helps me stay on track, this also gives me direction.
She asks me questions that help me concentrate and listen to what God might be trying to say to me. When I felt stuck, Just her presence praying for me in real time and after our meeting has led to wonderful breakthroughs. Beth and I prayed about me finding a new place to live in New York, and the perfect apartment finally came through!
Anyone can find a spiritual director or companion through Spiritual Directors International.
You can filter results by your faith tradition and by the issues they specialize in.
I will provide a link for that on my website www.caregiver teatime.com.
Just so you know, the best way to find my website is to search for “caregiver tea time with Val Halloway.”
I appreciate your listening to my season about getting Spiritual. I sense that discussions about spiritual things can be uncomfortable at times.
So I feel grateful to have the opportunity to share my stories.
And here’s my special message:
It’s easy to get all wrapped up in caregiving worries, fears, and feeling lost.
The Truth and the power of the Spirit can be difficult to find at times.
But it’s there, so when it get dark and stormy, I encourage you to take that deep breath -
Reach out your hand, And say, “help”. The love and light to show the way is always near.
Cheers!