A hug from H-shem even from the small things...

amother

Wed, Nov 22 2023, 5:04 pm

I used to think that when something big happens that I wasn't expecting it shows how much He cares about us. For example I had a medical crisis with one of my children and it was so obvious that He was with me every step of the way.
But it got me thinking that if I saw how H-shem was there for me then, surely He always has been and will continue to be.

Since then I've been looking out for things and it's amazing how much I've noticed...

Just one example.
I had a close relative's Simcha and my (working) daughter asked me if I'd pay for professional make-up for her. Half in jest but hopeful! I said sorry would love to to but financially I can't & wouldn't pay that for myself unless it was my child's or sibling's chasuna. All while thinking that I'd to have my make-up done professionally.

Literally 5 minutes later my friend, a beautician, texted to ask if I'd be available next day for a free full face make-up as she's training a couple of seminary girls!

I asked her if she'd bugged my house!

We got talking and realised that H- shem gives us what we need...and also sometimes what we want. Our job is to look out for it.

Anyone else got any more examples of 'small' things?

ETA: Thanks to all amothers who 'liked' my post.
It's heartwarming.

amother

Mocha

Wed, Nov 22 2023, 6:17 pm

I think it's about having the mindset to realize that each time things are easier for us, it's sent from above. From the parking space that is just available, when there never normally is parking, to getting the last item on the shelf.
I had recently where I needed to catch the train. My taxi just wasn't coming and I knew there was no chance I could make the train. This was the only direct train for the next 2 hours. The taxi finally came. When I got to the station, I was busy planning the 3 trains I would need to take to try and get home. But a miracle had happened-my train had been inexplicably delayed and it was only coming into station just now. So I managed to catch it by one minute! And I got home a lot quicker and easier than I thought it was going to be.

amother

Wed, Nov 22 2023, 7:07 pm

amother Mocha wrote:

Wow!
This reminds me.. I had to travel out of town with dd1 for her medical issues.
It was late at night and the train door in the carriage I was in didn't open. Before I managed to get to the next door with all her medical paraphernalia, tubes, pump etc the train had moved on.
I knew that there were no trains back to the city I was headed to that night. I called my husband in a panic who said the area I was going to end up in was a low area with no Yidden and didn't feel it was safe for me to stay in a random motel.
We decided I should take a cab to the nearest. Jewish community and he'd arrange somewhere for me to stay.
2 minutes later the conductor came to tell me that the train going back was delayed and he'd radios thru and they were holding the train until I got there

When I got to the hosp, she was going into septic shock, her fever and pulse were through the roof and oxygen levels were plummeting. She'd got massively worse since I'd left.
Within minutes she'd been hooked up to who knows what.
Dread to think what would've happened had we stayed at that town overnight and got to hospital next morning.

amother

Tan

Wed, Nov 22 2023, 7:45 pm

This is along the lines of Hashem giving people what they need, but we were the conduit. In 1980, many Jewish families were finally able to leave Russia and we found out that our cousins would be coming to the US, but we had no idea of where or when. At the same time, my parents realized that they were not going to have any more children. A social worker from their shul approached them and asked if they had any baby items to donate to new immigrants and my parents gave her their crib, their changing table, stroller, clothing. They then told her about our relatives and asked her if she had any idea of how to track them. It turns out that the donations were for our relatives. None of us felt that was a coincidence.

zaq

Wed, Nov 22 2023, 8:03 pm

I always thank Him when the elevator is already on my floor when I want it, when a dish falls on the floor and doesn't break, when the train or bus pulls into the station just when I get there, when something goes on sale just as I'm running low on it, when I find a misplaced object BEFORE buying a replacement, when my DS makes it home safely despite driving too many hours on too little sleep...

amother

Plum

Wed, Nov 22 2023, 8:32 pm

I had missed a flight to my then-chasan to see him and meet his parents (finally). It was after a crazy dating story and in middle of a crazy engagement (we were engaged for less than 3 weeks, I think, before we broke it off).

1. it was the one and only flight I ever missed up till then and since, and I wasn't so much looking forward to going

2. on the way back home, something about the gorgeous cloud formations and the way the sun was shining through was so clearly Hashem saying, "I'm right here. It's okay." It was so comforting. Like a tangible feeling.

amother

Plum

Wed, Nov 22 2023, 8:48 pm

amother Crystal wrote:

I'm not sure it's a good idea to have the perspective that when good things happen or things work out, that it shows hashem cares about us. What should we say when things don't work out? What should we say when bad things happen? There's plenty of people struggling or even suffering. Do we say hashem doesn't care about them?

So are you saying we should always think that Hashem doesn't care about us?

Or maybe we should also think that Hashem cares when bad things happen, like a kid who isn't always happy when the parent says no, even if it's for the kid's own good.

amother

Wed, Nov 22 2023, 8:50 pm

amother Crystal wrote:

I think the opposite.
If one notices all the things that He does for us it solidifies the knowledge that He's involved in every aspect of our lives.
Helps when things don't go as we think they should bc we know that's what's good for us.

amother

Red

Wed, Nov 22 2023, 9:22 pm

One of my friends was visiting Israel. She took a bus in the wrong direction, and had an issue with the app she was using to pay, and needed to just get off and figure out what to do next. So she gets off at this random stop and looks around and realizes, hey, I know this place! It was the stop right by my apartment, which she recognized because she'd come to visit me a day or two before. So she came in and was able to take a break from trying to figure out busses, and then I went with her to get a Rav Kav and all was well. And I got to see her an extra time in her brief trip! Very Happy

amother

Crystal

Wed, Nov 22 2023, 9:50 pm

amother Plum wrote:

I think if we're being honest, it's hard to be logical about this topic.

What has to happen that shows hashem cares about you as a father cares for a daughter? Is it health, parnassah, or children? What's the criteria?

And whatever the criteria is, would you say that hashem cares deeply for evil reshaim who plot to kill jews since hashem gave them health, long life, money, children, and many other things?

amother

Crystal

Wed, Nov 22 2023, 9:53 pm

amother OP wrote:

I disagree with you that we know that when things don't go well, we know that's what's good for us. try telling a 40 year old single that hashem loves her and her loneliness is really good for her she just doesn't understand how.

amother

Plum

Wed, Nov 22 2023, 9:56 pm

amother Crystal wrote:

It's not for someone to tell someone else. It's for someone to cultivate within themselves.

amother

Nasturtium

Wed, Nov 22 2023, 10:20 pm

This is about noticing hashgacha pratis. It’s comforting to know that every detail in our life is put into being by Hashem.

When I read shaar hayichud v’haemunah it’s a balm to my soul. It talks about how Hashem is recreating everything from nothing every moment.

I grew up feeling alone very often and this comforts me. That Hashem is always with me. Even when he tests me.

When he tests me I try to ask myself what is it that Hashem wants me to learn.

I am grateful that Hashem made it possible for me to take a walk and a nap today. I feel rested bh.

nursemomma

Wed, Nov 22 2023, 10:28 pm

After a frustrating few months of having a good hefsek and then the moch being no good, I was questioning in my head if maybe I should stop doing the moch. That month, I had a questionable hefsek. DH took both to the rav, who said the hefsek was no good but the moch was, and I was able to start counting. It felt like Hashem was showing me that he sees my efforts each month, and they are not for naught.

amother

Crystal

Wed, Nov 22 2023, 10:53 pm

amother Nasturtium wrote:

This is an interesting point but I'm not sure if it's practical.

I was reading a fascinating book about the ribnitzer rebbe. There's a story where he falls down and his chasidim immediately try to help him back up. He tells them to wait a minute while he stays on the floor. They ask him why he's remaining on the floor. He tells them that hashem made him fall down for a reason. What's the point in getting right back up without first thinking and figuring out why hashem caused him to fall in the first place. After a minute he realizes why hashem made him fall and his chasidim help him up.

It's a great story but I don't see how it applies to us. Do we know why hashem sometimes makes us fall? Do we know why hashem makes bad things happen? I think for almost all of us, we never understand why. And so I don't think there's anything to learn as to why when an Israeli bochur went out to hep unaffiliated men put on tefilin, he was hit by a bus and killed. Same applies to smaller things as well.

Is there any test that you can definitively say why hashem is testing you? Do we know why some couples have trouble having children? Do we know why some people marry abusive husbands?

amother

Nasturtium

Wed, Nov 22 2023, 11:07 pm

amother Crystal wrote:

This is an interesting point but I'm not sure if it's practical.

I was reading a fascinating book about the ribnitzer rebbe. There's a story where he falls down and his chasidim immediately try to help him back up. He tells them to wait a minute while he stays on the floor. They ask him why he's remaining on the floor. He tells them that hashem made him fall down for a reason. What's the point in getting right back up without first thinking and figuring out why hashem caused him to fall in the first place. After a minute he realizes why hashem made him fall and his chasidim help him up.

It's a great story but I don't see how it applies to us. Do we know why hashem sometimes makes us fall? Do we know why hashem makes bad things happen? I think for almost all of us, we never understand why. And so I don't think there's anything to learn as to why when an Israel bochur went out to hep unaffiliated men put on tefilin, he was hi by a bus and killed. Same applies to smaller things as well.

Is there any test that you can definitively say why hashem is testing you? Do we know why some couples have trouble having children? Do we know why some people marry abusive husbands?

Noticing Hashem’s hashgacha doesn’t mean we always see why.
It means we notice his presence despite his concealment.
Hashem is making something from nothing every moment. He is blowing life into the world every second. There’s nothing passive about it. It’s constant and includes everything. If he would stop for a second the world would revert back to nothingness.
It’s like blowing a bubble with a wand. Is the bubble a separate existence or does it depend on our breath to blow air into it.
This is our life. And when we notice it. We are noticing Hashem energy and that it consumes the world.
I find this very comforting. To know Hashem is with me and I’m never alone and everything is by his design.