Adventure Express with Cathy and some words of reflection

Well thanks to Cathy and Adventure Express I have changed my idea of what an adventure is.

I had such an exciting day on Friday when I went to the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth to do my three hours of volunteer work as an associate, I could hardly wait to write about it.

For weeks now I have been looking for a table with wheels to store my art supplies on so that I can wheel them in and out of the closet. Now everything stays stacked up on my kitchen table. In see-thru boxes, of course, but still stacked up.

Something like this would be perfect.
Woo Hoo
I saw this in the Visitor's Center room just as soon as I walked in and asked her if she knew where we could find another one like it.
She said no and told me if I wanted it I could have it. She had it because a friend of hers had moved and could not take it with her.
I resisted but she said she only took it because the friend had no where else to take it.
In fact she got it just for me.
How lucky can one get.

Next she told me she was sorry I did not get to come to the campus picnic 2 week-ends ago because my degenerative disk was acting up.

I told her the main thing I missed was getting a chance to get fabrics etc. from the missions in India and Botswana.

She went to a cabinet, came back and said
"You want fabrics from India and Africa? Help yourself."
Woo Hoo again.

Batik from India.

India

Botswana

India

Made in Kenya.


Every single one of these pieces are finished with uncut edges and suitable for table spreads, banners or wall hangings.


On top of that I ran into one of the sisters who taught me to cut plastic shopping bags and crochet tote bags and purses out of them.
That is something I have been wanting to learn for a couple of years.

We did not have any visitors at the center that day and it was a good thing. I was busy all three hours oohing and awing over all the great things that were going on.

God loves art and artists.
He just told me so.


Just read some words coming from the hearts of a couple of folks struggling with all the demands of life.
Just so happened to receive this letter today from our new director of the SCNAssociates group I belong to. It is fairly long.
You will know who needs to read it.
It hit right home for me.

Dear Associates, Candidates, Inquirers, and Sisters,

A month has passed and I am feeling more comfortable in my new position.  Tammy and I are working to get everything finished for the retreat weekend.  Sr. Marilyn has a wonderful program planned for all those who will attend.  If you won’t be able to be here at Crimmins with us, please gather with other Associates close by and watch it by Web cast in a group or with your faith group members.  It will be video taped and you will be able to check out a copy to watch if you won’t be able to watch that weekend and it will also be archived so you can watch it at a later time.

Sr. Maria Vincent had Patsy O’Toole send former members, who had attended a gathering in 2007, a reflection she had.  I wanted to share a part of that with you.  She was here on retreat and she used this as a meditation one day.  It is (from an unofficial publication of the Schola network)

The question was “How can I work in the marketplace and also lead a contemplative life?”  This was particularly interesting to me and I thought some of you might want to read what part of the reply was.

“. .. . The truly contemplative person is not necessarily the one who spends long hours in solitude, though some quiet time is essential.  Rather, the active-contemplative (or the contemplative-active) is the one who acts in a self-possessed way, who does not panic or become frantic, frenzied, and frazzled when there is too much to do.  Each thing to be done is taken in its turn.  What can be done in a given period is done.  What cannot be done is left undone.  And miraculously, by keeping a cool head, one gets more done in a given time than would have been possible were one to panic. 

We in the USA seem to be always in a mad rush to get things done, victims of the work ethic that substitute’s activity for virtue.  Even when the pressure of the job is almost unbearable, one can turn inward – who’s to prevent that – and draw on that strength which brings with it the realization that it is a joy just to be alive, to know that God exists, that the spirit is immortal.

Contemplation should be an adverb which modifies our action.  It describes the mode or manner of one’s conduct.  The practicing Buddhist knows this.  Contemplation lies in the intensity of one’s ability to concentrate, to “center” oneself by attending to what one is doing.

. .. . If one can learn to perform each action on its own terms, one can get along with very little private prayers, just as people with dedication to an important project can get along with very little sleep.  All of which does not mean that less time for private prayer is better than more time.  What it does mean is that no one is excluded from leading a contemplative life because they lack sufficient time for long, quiet prayer.  So the motto: Do what you’re doing can be helpful.  Contemplation is not a thing-in-itself; it lies in the how of the things you must do.”

Thank you Sr. Maria for sharing.

I hope to see you at the weekend.  I just wanted to say hello and share something that I thought would help you along the journey!

Love and always blessings from Nazareth,

Jo 

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