Jim O’Brien’s Thanksgiving Visit

November 26 - December 1, 2003

For about the past 3 years Jim O’Brien has visited at our house each Thanksgiving and other times during the year. We enjoy Jim’s visits and he likes coming so he does not have to spend certain holidays alone. Each time Jim visits the circumstances are different but there is always one common element and that element is the fact that each time everything is in perfect sync with 13, 33 or 333.

Wednesday November 26

Shortly after arriving at work this morning I would have sudden and peaceful thoughts run through my mind about going to Emmitsburg tonight to pick up Jim for Thanksgiving. They would just come out of nowhere and each time I would glance at my watch and it would say XX:XX:13 or 33.

I was fairly busy most of the morning and had lost all track of time. I finished the last part of the work I needed to do before lunch in perfect sync with a sudden desire to go pray the rosary. I looked at my watch and the time was 11:33. I drove to OLBR and prayed the Glorious Mysteries. At the very instant I finished the rosary I again felt that sudden peace as I thought about my trip to Emmitsburg tonight. I looked at my watch and the time was 12:13. I drove back to work and arrived at 12:33.

Later in the evening when I got off work I drove home and ate dinner. S.C.C. drove me to Fant’s Amoco because they had done some work on my truck and I was going to leave from there for Emmitsburg and pick up Jim. When we pulled out of the driveway the time on the dash was 5:13.

We arrived at Fant’s and I drove my truck from there and S.C.C. went home. Traffic was very heavy especially on the other side of Leesburg. I arrived in Emmitsburg and stopped at St. Joseph’s first to pray the Luminous mysteries of the rosary. When I finished I returned to my truck and when I started it the time was 8:13. I then rode to Jim’s house which is about 50 yards away and picked him up. We rode back to "hometown" and pulled in the driveway at 10:33.

Thursday November 27

We all attended the Thanksgiving mass at "Parish Church". When it was over I could not help but notice that as we pulled out of the parking lot the time was 10:13.

Friday November 28

I had some studying to do for the Lay Missionary’s of Charity that I am scheduled to enter on December 8, 2003 and was a little behind. I needed to get it completed before attending a meeting in Emmitsburg later tonight. I woke up very early this morning and started thinking that I should get up now and get caught up. I looked over at the clock next to the bed just as I was getting up and the time was 4:13.

I took a shower and got dressed and decided that I would pray the rosary before starting my LMC work. I sat down in the living room and glanced at my watch just as I was starting and the time was 4:33. I prayed the Sorrowful and Glorious mysteries and when I finished I knew I should go straight to my LMC work. I glanced at my watch and the time was 5:13.

Later in the day I took a short nap while S.C.C. and Jim rode to Walmart. When I woke up I called S.C.C. on the cell phone and she had lost Jim and did not know where he was. I rode in town and found Jim at the Dollar Tree. I called S.C.C. back and told her that I had found Jim and that he would be riding back to Emmitsburg with me when I go to the LMC meeting tonight. Jim and I stopped at McDonalds and got a hamburger. When we finished there we pulled out of the parking lot and headed for Emmitsburg and the time was 3:33.

We drove to Emmitsburg and like always made St. Joseph’s the first stop and upon arrival the odometer was 13. We then stopped by St. Peter’s because Jim wanted to pick up something. We then rode to Phil C’s house in Fairfield because that’s where the LMC meeting was being held. Jim joined the meeting as a guest. When the meeting was over Jim and I started driving back to "hometown" and I rode by St. Joseph’s again on the way home and when we arrived this time the odometer was 33.

Saturday November 29

I attended daily mass at "Parish Church". When mass was over I prayed the Joyful Mysteries of the rosary. While I was praying the last decade Elizabeth M was having problems getting new candles down in the candle stick holders and asked if I could do it for her. I stopped the rosary and fixed the candle she was having a problem with. I returned to my pew and picked up with the rosary where I had left off. About 1 Hail Mary later Jean Landon asked if I could do the same thing for her on the other side of the altar. I fixed those candles too. I then went back to my pew again and finished the rosary. I looked at my watch at the very instant I finished and the time was 9:13:33.

Jim and I did not go to the 6PM mass with S.C.C. and C.R.C. because I needed to attend the 11AM mass on Sunday for RCIA. I did sell Knights of Columbus Christmas Cards after the 6PM mass and when I finished and put everything away and was leaving the time was 7:13.

Sunday November 30

Jim and I attended the 11AM mass. I am Maria Lopez’s assigned sponsor. When mass was over and we processed out I felt that sudden surge of peace run through me. I glanced at my watch as we walked out the door and the time was 12:13.

Monday December 1

I was scheduled to take Jim back to Emmitsburg tonight after work. What I have described happens to a certain degree every day but is always intensified on days that I am going to Emmitsburg. Today left my head spinning because of the unexpected things that happened throughout the day that involved both Emmitsburg and Medjugorje.

I thought Ted Szymanski would not be making the upcoming trip to Medjugorje with us because of some health issues he wanted to discuss with his doctors and that he missed the deadline for purchasing his ticket. He called me this morning saying that his doctors said he could go and that he had been in contact with the people leading the trip and they had been holding a ticket for him. Ted said that he had his ticket and would be going to Medjugorje with us. We hung up and I again felt the peace. I looked at my watch and the time was 11:33. It made me think back a few weeks ago when Roberta Marziani called and said she would be going too. When she called the time was 6:13.

I finished my work and was going to "Parish Church" for my lunch break and suddenly started thinking that if only David G was going it would be the same group of people who went the first time back in August 2001.

I was pulling out of the SWIFT parking lot on my way to pray the rosary when I looked and there was David driving to town. This was the first time I have seen David in months. I followed him into town and pulled in behind him. Again I felt that sense of peace. I looked at my watch and the time was 12:33. I told him we were going back to Medjugorje the day after Christmas. I asked if he wanted to go with us. He said yes. I rode back to work and called the Medjugorje tour people and got David in at the very last minute. After everything was done and David’s ticket was confirmed we hung up and the time was 1:13.

I then took my lunch break and rode to OLBR to pray the rosary and arrived at 1:33. I drove back to work and when I arrived the odometer was 13. When I got off work S.C.C. drove Jim out to SWIFT and we left for Emmitsburg. When we pulled out the odometer naturally was still 13. We picked up Ted in Leesburg and arrived at St. Joseph’s and walked in the front door for the Miraculous Medal Novena at 7:33. After that was over we drove Jim back to his house and arrived there at 8:13. Ted and I rode back to Leesburg and I dropped him off and I continued my drive home and pulled in my drive way at 10:33.

R_____ C___

Dec. 2, 2003

11:33 Pm