Lots on my mind lately.

One of the items is how miracles come to happen. Always, there is clearly something wonderful that happens in the spiritual realm. But regular people can play a part, too.

Like with Terri Schiavo -- not just our prayers, but the many people who wrote Jeb Bush and Florida legislators helped prod them into action.

And there was a story in our Diocean newspaper a while back about a woman who went to the local Crisis Pregnancy Center for a free test and sobbed when she found out she was pregnant. "We can't afford a child. My husband's been out of work for so long. We're barely making it. We're already getting help for rent and utilities and food." She thought for sure she would have to have an abortion. An hour later, a second woman showed up with a carload of baby supplies -- clothing, toys, bedding, you name it. Everything a family needs when they first have a baby. The CPC accepted everything from that woman and put it in the hands of the despairing mother-to-be, who is now continuing in her pregnancy.

That was a miracle. Where a mother had no hope, she was suddenly given an answer to all her needs. But all that other woman had done was clean out her basement.

That's the kind of miracle we can all participate in. Probably every single one of us owns something we aren't using that could be an answer to prayer for somebody else. And if you're like me, you can probably think of a few items right off the top of your head. Don't wait -- tomorrow is Saturday, so maybe you can spare a few minutes to get that item into somebody's hands who will know who to give it to. There are a lot of options in my community -- St. Vincent DePaul Society, the Crisis Pregnancy Center, Catholic Social Services, a shelter for battered women.

I really want to do something meaningful, even if it's just a tiny little thing.

--Sparki