Tobit 11:17. Upon Tobias' return with a new wife, his father, Tobit, gives thanks that God has been merciful and blesses his new daughter-in-law. He welcomes her, blesses God for bringing her to them, and blesses her mother and father. There is much rejoicing among his family.

Prior to reading this today, I was praying for my children (again!). I was asking God to protect them, to bring them back to the Church, and to give them happy futures. I pray for this everyday, but today I went a bit deeper on the happy futures part, because that is something I have trouble seeing, and I surrendered it to Jesus, trusting that He can and will do amazing things for them that I cannot foresee.

I also asked God today for a little pin-prick of light for me, something that shows me that He is working on this, and then I got this reading from Tobit! This is the happy ending in the story of Tobias and Tobit. This is Tobias returning to his extremely worried mother and less worried (but still unsure) Father with nothing but happiness and joy. Tobias went off, thinking that his father was dying, intending to reclaim some of his father's money. Tobias came back with much more than money, he came back with a new wife and blessings and hope for the whole family!

This is that glimmer of hope that I asked for. Tobit and his wife felt like things were really reaching an end when Tobut sent Tobias off. Then they had no idea what was taking Tobias so long coming home. They were not getting letters or phone calls from him in his absence, and he was gone much longer than they expected. Yet here he is, bringing joy and blessings upon the family. God is working in my children's lives in the same way. When they turn back to Him, and I know God will give them everything they need to do so, they will bring this joy to our family in ways that I cannot possibly foresee.