Thursday, July 2, 2009
Tours
I have been the tour guide here at the Monastery this week. I just love to give tours. I like helping others to understand who we are and what are ministries are. I also like it because I get to meet many people for all over the United States. I gave a tour yesterday to a group from Kentucky. They asked lots of questions, which makes the tours fun. Sometimes though you just never know what the question is going to be. One woman asked "What is your diet?" My first thought was how does she know I am on a diet? But what she meant was what kind of food do we eat. I commented how we just eat regular food like everyone else. Sometime if you are in the area stop by for a tour.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Home at the Monastery
I am here at the monastery for two weeks of service. I love spending time here. This week I am giving tours. Next week I am working in our nursing facility with out older sisters. The great thing about being home at the monastery is being with some of the sisters that I don't get to spend time with very often. I just spent a week with my family. That was a great time and I got to spend time with my nieces and nephews. But it was great just to be back here and be able to be at communal prayer and meals. That is something I really miss when I am not here.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
It's Better to Give AND to Receive
If you've been to the monastery, you know it's a pretty big place. I used to not think twice about running here and then forgetting this and running back to get that. That is until I had knee surgery on Wednesday. Now I'm aware of conserving my trips as well as the most efficient routes to take. It's not as easy nor as quick as it used to be to get from Point A to Point B. I'm a very independent person, so this is certainly a lesson in humility and vulnerability. I'm usually the one doing and giving, so I've had to switch roles and be on the receiving end.
I have needed more help with everyday things that I didn't think twice about before. I know there are people who will help me if (and here's the tricky part) I get out of the way and let them. We often hear, "It's better to give than to receive." I had this quote embedded into the fibers of my being, so receiving becomes down right strange. Foreign.
Grace has to come in order to be able to give and receive. It is a grace to be able to give to others. It is also a grace to be able to receive, to be aware of our limitations and weaknesses, and to accept kindness and help from others.
I have needed more help with everyday things that I didn't think twice about before. I know there are people who will help me if (and here's the tricky part) I get out of the way and let them. We often hear, "It's better to give than to receive." I had this quote embedded into the fibers of my being, so receiving becomes down right strange. Foreign.
Grace has to come in order to be able to give and receive. It is a grace to be able to give to others. It is also a grace to be able to receive, to be aware of our limitations and weaknesses, and to accept kindness and help from others.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Right on Target
I don't know where I first heard this story, but I thought about it today, so wanted to paraphrase and share it with you.
There was once a king who had great fame, fortune, and power. He was extremely talented and could do just about anything, except shoot a bow and arrow. This caused the king much distress because he thought he should be able to do everything and to do everything well. He summoned all those who were the best in archery and told them that the one who made him improve the most would receive half his kingdom.
Some came and helped him on his form. They taught him to stand a certain way and hold his bow and arrow just right. He improved, but not as much as he would have liked.
Others came and helped him with his aim. He learned about physics and how to aim given the direction and speed of the wind and the distance of the target. He continued to improve, but the king still wasn't satisfied.
Still others came and worked on his concentration and focus. If he could quiet himself, become one with the bow and arrow, he would improve. Once again, the king did improve, but still not as much as he would have liked. The king wanted to be perfect. After all, he was the king. He was looking for someone to help him hit the bullseye every single time.
He was just about to give up when one day, he was riding through the countryside. Everywhere he looked, there were targets painted on everything with the arrow in the exact center of the bullseye. Amazed, the king said, "Bring me the person who has shot these arrows. I must learn to do this also. If so, that person will receive half my kingdom." Word was sent out across the land. The king was dumbfounded when the person brought before him was a little girl.
"Young lady, did you shoot all these arrows?"
"Yes, your majesty."
"Well then, you must teach me at once. If I learn to shoot arrows just like you, you will receive half my kingdom."
The little girl wasted no time. She taught the king how she clears her mind and concentrates. She stands up nice and tall, pulls the arrow back, and then let's go. "Wait!" the king interrupted. "There's no target. Where do you aim?"
"Oh," said the little girl. "I don't paint the target until after I've shot the arrow."
The king laughed. He learned his lesson about trying to do everything and being perfect. He gave half his kingdom to the little girl.
The king thought he should be good at everything, including archery, because after all, he was the king. Do you ever hear yourself or others say, "I should be good at this job already because I've been at it x number of years." "I should be better at my prayer life because I go to church and have read lots of spiritual books." "I should know the direction of my life because I'm xx years old."
What are the "shoulds" we tell ourselves? What are the reasons we give for these "shoulds?"
How about "I should be easy on myself and love myself just as God loves me."
God loves us just because. No reason necessary.
There was once a king who had great fame, fortune, and power. He was extremely talented and could do just about anything, except shoot a bow and arrow. This caused the king much distress because he thought he should be able to do everything and to do everything well. He summoned all those who were the best in archery and told them that the one who made him improve the most would receive half his kingdom.
Some came and helped him on his form. They taught him to stand a certain way and hold his bow and arrow just right. He improved, but not as much as he would have liked.
Others came and helped him with his aim. He learned about physics and how to aim given the direction and speed of the wind and the distance of the target. He continued to improve, but the king still wasn't satisfied.
Still others came and worked on his concentration and focus. If he could quiet himself, become one with the bow and arrow, he would improve. Once again, the king did improve, but still not as much as he would have liked. The king wanted to be perfect. After all, he was the king. He was looking for someone to help him hit the bullseye every single time.
He was just about to give up when one day, he was riding through the countryside. Everywhere he looked, there were targets painted on everything with the arrow in the exact center of the bullseye. Amazed, the king said, "Bring me the person who has shot these arrows. I must learn to do this also. If so, that person will receive half my kingdom." Word was sent out across the land. The king was dumbfounded when the person brought before him was a little girl.
"Young lady, did you shoot all these arrows?"
"Yes, your majesty."
"Well then, you must teach me at once. If I learn to shoot arrows just like you, you will receive half my kingdom."
The little girl wasted no time. She taught the king how she clears her mind and concentrates. She stands up nice and tall, pulls the arrow back, and then let's go. "Wait!" the king interrupted. "There's no target. Where do you aim?"
"Oh," said the little girl. "I don't paint the target until after I've shot the arrow."
The king laughed. He learned his lesson about trying to do everything and being perfect. He gave half his kingdom to the little girl.
The king thought he should be good at everything, including archery, because after all, he was the king. Do you ever hear yourself or others say, "I should be good at this job already because I've been at it x number of years." "I should be better at my prayer life because I go to church and have read lots of spiritual books." "I should know the direction of my life because I'm xx years old."
What are the "shoulds" we tell ourselves? What are the reasons we give for these "shoulds?"
How about "I should be easy on myself and love myself just as God loves me."
God loves us just because. No reason necessary.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
What a GREAT Week!
This week we held our 9th annual Camp Marian! Actually this camp began in 1995 at Mount Saint Francis in Floyd Knobs, Indiana but in 2000 it moved to our monastery grounds and has been "put on" by our sisters ever since. Because of the popularity of the camp, beginning last year we started having two camps, so more girls could attend.
Monday through Wednesday, 12 high school counselors and 42 fifth and sixth graders camped in tents, played lots of games, sang, prayed and had many other fun adventures. Then after a short break with just the six counselors who stayed, two college counselors joined them and 26 seventh and eighth graders for more fun from Thursday through Saturday (today!).
It rained, it stormed, it was HOT, it was beautiful, it was clear, it was cool... you name it and we had it weather wise. Yet, all had a great time anyway! New friends were made. Lessons were learned. Lives were shared.
If you would like to see pictures from the camps, see the slide show to the right. If you click on it you can see a bigger version of the album. Enjoy! We sure did!
Monday through Wednesday, 12 high school counselors and 42 fifth and sixth graders camped in tents, played lots of games, sang, prayed and had many other fun adventures. Then after a short break with just the six counselors who stayed, two college counselors joined them and 26 seventh and eighth graders for more fun from Thursday through Saturday (today!).
It rained, it stormed, it was HOT, it was beautiful, it was clear, it was cool... you name it and we had it weather wise. Yet, all had a great time anyway! New friends were made. Lessons were learned. Lives were shared.
If you would like to see pictures from the camps, see the slide show to the right. If you click on it you can see a bigger version of the album. Enjoy! We sure did!
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Life's Instruction Manual
Don't forget Sunday is Father's Day. If you no longer have a father, is there someone who is a father figure to you now?
No one gets a "how to" book when becoming a parent. I guess there are probably books and classes that someone could take or groups new parents could join, but for the most part it's trial by fire. There aren't instruction books for any part of life really. At least not the instruction books I would like to see sometimes that have everything spelled out in nice, easy to follow steps - like instructions for making a cake or building a deck. Unfortunately, we don't have things written out for us. Our instructions would have to come from God through prayer. God may give us these instructions for life in all kinds of ways - through a friend, something we read, our feelings, a dream we have, or any other way God wants to speak to us.
I know some of us desire lightening bolt messages that tell us which decisions to make in difficult situations. I don't know if God speaks in lightening bolts, but God does speak in a variety of other ways if we open our minds and hearts.
Life is a "live and learn as you go" kind of thing. As one of our sisters would say, "We do the best we can with what we have where we are." We learn as we go, and hopefully get better along the way. Certainly we all make mistakes (a.k.a. learning opportunities). We all do the best we can though and have to trust that everyone else is also doing the best they can with what they have where they are.
The Bible - Basic Instruction Before Leaving Earth - is our "how to" manual.
No one gets a "how to" book when becoming a parent. I guess there are probably books and classes that someone could take or groups new parents could join, but for the most part it's trial by fire. There aren't instruction books for any part of life really. At least not the instruction books I would like to see sometimes that have everything spelled out in nice, easy to follow steps - like instructions for making a cake or building a deck. Unfortunately, we don't have things written out for us. Our instructions would have to come from God through prayer. God may give us these instructions for life in all kinds of ways - through a friend, something we read, our feelings, a dream we have, or any other way God wants to speak to us.
I know some of us desire lightening bolt messages that tell us which decisions to make in difficult situations. I don't know if God speaks in lightening bolts, but God does speak in a variety of other ways if we open our minds and hearts.
Life is a "live and learn as you go" kind of thing. As one of our sisters would say, "We do the best we can with what we have where we are." We learn as we go, and hopefully get better along the way. Certainly we all make mistakes (a.k.a. learning opportunities). We all do the best we can though and have to trust that everyone else is also doing the best they can with what they have where they are.
The Bible - Basic Instruction Before Leaving Earth - is our "how to" manual.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Rise and Shine
I am not a morning person. I've tried to be, but I've never made it; nor do I think I ever will. In high school, I'd wake up so grumpy! Everyone in my family knew to watch out. I had getting ready for school down to a science, and no one had better get in my way.
I woke up every morning at 7:32. I spent 3 minutes banging on the door for my brother to get out of the bathroom, 2 minutes getting ready (getting dressed, brushing my hair, brushing my teeth), 6 minutes looking for my shoes and matching socks, 3 minutes looking for my math book, and 4 minutes eating breakfast. Ta Da! I was then ready to leave at 7:50. Granted, sometimes that meant going out to the car with my shoes and socks in my hands.
In monastic life, we want to spend our best time of the day in 45 minutes to an hour in personal prayer. I entered the community and heard the sisters talk about how wonderful the mornings are. According to some, it is a time when everything is still and the sun is just coming up. Everything is quiet and peaceful. (I had to take their word for it because of my limited knowledge of mornings.) It sounded ideal, so I tried on two different occasions to give my mornings to God in personal prayer. I tried it each time for a little over a week. Guess what? I became the grumpiest person ever! I didn't even want to be around me!
Mornings sound good, but they're not for me. At least they're not my best time to give to God in personal prayer. I'm definitely a night owl, and that's OK. We're certainly not all the same here at the monastery.
It may sound a little crazy, but my favorite time of day is 8:07. I love that time. I love when I look at the clock and see 8:07 whether it's in the morning or evening. I always say a prayer of thanks for I am reminded that God is with me. 807 is my parents' address. The numbers take me back to when I grew up at 807 State Street.
I remember when I was going to meet the vocation director for a behavioral assessment test (one of the pre-requisites for entering). I was to meet her in St. Louis for the evaluation. When I got in my car, I looked at the time. You guessed it. It was 8:07. I knew beyond a doubt that God was with me. I was thankful for God's presence and for my upbringing.
There's room for a lot of variety in monastic life. I'm a night owl and have become good friends with other night owls. I may give mornings another try down the road, but right now I know they're not really for me. I do know that I've grown in this way of life. I'm no longer as grumpy as I once was upon waking up and I have an easier time finding my shoes.
I woke up every morning at 7:32. I spent 3 minutes banging on the door for my brother to get out of the bathroom, 2 minutes getting ready (getting dressed, brushing my hair, brushing my teeth), 6 minutes looking for my shoes and matching socks, 3 minutes looking for my math book, and 4 minutes eating breakfast. Ta Da! I was then ready to leave at 7:50. Granted, sometimes that meant going out to the car with my shoes and socks in my hands.
In monastic life, we want to spend our best time of the day in 45 minutes to an hour in personal prayer. I entered the community and heard the sisters talk about how wonderful the mornings are. According to some, it is a time when everything is still and the sun is just coming up. Everything is quiet and peaceful. (I had to take their word for it because of my limited knowledge of mornings.) It sounded ideal, so I tried on two different occasions to give my mornings to God in personal prayer. I tried it each time for a little over a week. Guess what? I became the grumpiest person ever! I didn't even want to be around me!
Mornings sound good, but they're not for me. At least they're not my best time to give to God in personal prayer. I'm definitely a night owl, and that's OK. We're certainly not all the same here at the monastery.
It may sound a little crazy, but my favorite time of day is 8:07. I love that time. I love when I look at the clock and see 8:07 whether it's in the morning or evening. I always say a prayer of thanks for I am reminded that God is with me. 807 is my parents' address. The numbers take me back to when I grew up at 807 State Street.
I remember when I was going to meet the vocation director for a behavioral assessment test (one of the pre-requisites for entering). I was to meet her in St. Louis for the evaluation. When I got in my car, I looked at the time. You guessed it. It was 8:07. I knew beyond a doubt that God was with me. I was thankful for God's presence and for my upbringing.
There's room for a lot of variety in monastic life. I'm a night owl and have become good friends with other night owls. I may give mornings another try down the road, but right now I know they're not really for me. I do know that I've grown in this way of life. I'm no longer as grumpy as I once was upon waking up and I have an easier time finding my shoes.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Cookies
I am enjoying my time here at Ferdinand. This week I am busy helping with cookie making. We are making Springerle cookies. This is a German press cookie. I have been helping with these since I was a postulant(the first step to becoming a sister). Monday we made 189 dozen, Tuesday we made 172 dozen, and Wednesday we made 115 dozen. That is alot of cookies. We then sell these cookies in the gift shop. You can visit our website and check out the gift shop. www.thedome.org It is great fun, but a lot of work. I am also working on getting ready for a Junior High Camps next week. Pray for good weather.
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