Mrs. Pigglewiggle   { the Counselor }

I call her this because she reminds me so much of the joyful, confident, wise old problem-solver in the Mrs. Pigglewiggle series. And sure enough, over the past years, she has helped set me straight more times than I can count, and walked me with great wisdom down unique paths of both heartache and healing. She was a weekly part of my life for the few hardest years, though currently I see her more for an internal tune-up now and then.

When I first set foot in her small old bungalow home, where her office is located – I felt I had been ushered into an ancient used bookstore. Everywhere I looked were piles of books and papers and videos and resources, almost every inch of her desk held stacks of something. And sitting there peering over the piles was an elderly Italian woman, in a wheelchair.

I was skeptical, to say the least. But as I sat, and we began to talk – the presence was indescribable. Both of God Himself in that place, as well as the presence she carried within. A strong, beautiful spirit formed through many joys and trials in over 80 years of life. The ultimate proof that circumstances do not the man (or woman) make: all of her trials, from physical issues to widowhood to family alcoholism, had only made her stronger and more joyful, resulting in a beautiful,  iron-clad faith.

So when she speaks, I listen. Every word is full of experience, wisdom, and faith. She knows the Lord intimately, His heart and His ways. And she is a beautiful messenger of those ways, even when sometimes they don’t make sense in the moment, or seem nearly impossible. Her delivery with me has always been strong, full of hope and grace. And sometimes even funny and teasing, when that’s what I’ve needed to break through the heaviness. Very much like Jesus. She has been one of the greatest, most unexpected gifts on my journey – and my prayer is for a strong, faith-filled counselor for all on similar paths.

Papa | Newton | Wesley | Magellan | Sullivan | Eliot | Curie