A farmers market and The Case of the Pinched Book

This morning, I went grocery shopping at a Farmers Market.  The nearest market (on Saturdays at least) is 20 minutes away, which is an average distance by Texas standards, but it's quite far considering that my  house is within a 5 min driving radius from 3 major grocery stores.  Six booths were set-up selling a variety of things: bread, veggies, eggs, lamb meat, fish, shrimp, goat cheese, goat-milk ice cream, organic soaps, and flowers.  Everyone was very friendly and happy to talk about their farm and how they operate.  The sponsoring organization, Hill Country Farmers  Market Association, even hired a guitarist to play mellow country songs to entertain the shoppers and sellers alike!   Very quaint...  Today, I bought red onions, yellow squash, red potatoes, fish, shrimp, and a loaf of honey wheat bread.  The bread was amazing toasted with peanut butter!  Can't wait to try everything else!

___________________________________________________________

A  few days ago, I received a textbook in the mail that I had ordered online.  When I opened the package, I noticed a Dewey decimal sticker on the front cover.  Then, I looked on the back and noticed a bar code with small print lining the bottom, "Georgetown College Library".  I thought, "Surely, this can't be a current library book," but thought I should do some investigating.  As I scrolled through the college's online library catalog, I found this book... the very book that I was holding had been overdue since May of this year.  Someone sold me a stolen library book!  Just to make sure, I called the library and the director confirmed my suspicions.  I immediately email the company (Alibris.com) and a representative from Customer Service sent me an email stating, "I can assure you that the book you received was not stolen from a library."  Really? Are you serious?!  So I asked the librarian to write a letter stating that the book was in fact stolen...

Craziness. 

Graduate School!

Class List:
Cancer Biology I
Cancer Biochemistry Seminar
Molecular Biology Seminar
DNA Lab Techniques 
plus a Lab Internship working with cancer research


Essentially, my life will soon be inundated with all sorts of cancer biology knowledge!  I have been dreaming about this opportunity for years and now my dream is finally being fulfilled, but rather unexpectedly.  See, in the beginning of the year, my plan was to enter the University of Texas Health Science Center (a medical school) as a Master's student, take oodles of cancer courses and learn how research is being actively translated into clinical treatments.  After interviewing with a researcher at the university, I was informed that their master's program only accepted 3 to 5 students (about 5% of the applicant pool).  Statistically speaking, my chances of getting accepted were very low, so I begrudgingly applied to the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA).  I didn't think UTSA had much cancer research nor offered cancer courses, so I was pretty bummed to say the least when I did not get into the Health Science Center.  Nevertheless, I was optimistic that God was leading the way.


Now that I am studying at UTSA, I can see that God was directing me toward my goals (and hopefully His) all along.  Not only am I taking two cancer courses, but I am also working in a laboratory that researches cancer, specifically TGFb1 signaling in human osteosarcoma cells (how cool is that?!).  UTSA also offers a traditional campus life that the medical school doesn't offer - a Recreation Center, hundreds of student organizations, and a beautiful campus!  There is a definite sense of community here - in my lab, between the bio Master's students, and throughout the university.  Turns out, this university is exactly what I was looking for...without knowing it.


picture above is osteosarcoma cell from micro.magnet.fsu.edu

Surprise

The next-door neighbor made me brownies!  Her name is Julie - she is the daughter-in-law of Magdalena (my partner in tocallo).  How thoughtful!

On the Border

After visiting Mexico and learning about the country's current political and economic status for myself, I began to understand (as only an outsider can) why Mexicans risk their lives and thus the lives of their families to illegally cross the border into America. 

A. Drug cartels have infiltrated Mexico (and the media) by silencing opposition with threats and heinous acts of violence.

B. 18.2% of Mexicans live below the poverty line (that's 20 million people, by the way).  The CIA World Factbook mentioned that "rich nations generally employ more generous standards of poverty than poor nations."  So I'm guessing their poverty looks a bit different than American poverty.  America's response to the poverty =NAFTA.  However, many people criticize NAFTA  for crippling farmers in Mexico by forcing them to compete with cheap (due to subsidies) high-yielding GM corn crops in America.  I believe there is a definite connection between the poverty level and NAFTA.

Partner in Tocallo

So I made more cookies and knocked on more doors!  The first family I visited (well, I only met the daughter) recently moved to San Antonio from a little town in east California.  The daughter attends UTSA full-time and is working towards a Bachelors of Arts in sociology with the desire to become a social worker in high schools.  She said people discourage her because social worker salaries are low.  Isn't that unfortunate?  Where would our society be if everyone discouraged future firefighters, police officers, teachers, and social workers from pursuing their passion and source of fulfillment?

The other neighbor introduced herself as Magdalena, the grandmother of the house.  She is living with her son, his wife, and their son.  When I told her my name, she said, "Oh! We are tocallo!   That is the Spanish word for two people who share the same name."  I was astonished that there was actually a word for that.  I love foreign languages!  While I didn't get the chance to meet the rest of her family, I am excited to learn more about my partner in "tocallo".

A new beginning...again

Let's face it, transitions are rough and always on our doorstep.  Actually, life is a steady stream of transitions.  At some point, we either learn how to cope with change or we waste our energy desperately trying to paddle upstream.  So I've decided to embrace the unknown path before me with God as my trusty navigator and the Holy Spirit as the current that will carry me when I have no idea where we are going.

My "adjustment" plan begins with integration into local communities - neighborhood, church, UTSA. 

I. The neighbors:In order to start building friendships here, I  thought I would meet the neighbors first.  So, I made a batch of chocolate chip cookies and went knocking on doors!  My first stop was the house diagonal to ours (to the r ight).  A timid young girl slowly opened the door and said, "Hello?"  I introduced myself and then the mother arrived at the door and welcomed me into their house to chat.  Deb and Daniel have 4 children (Steven, Torri, Danny, and Nicki...in that order).  Daniel is currently deployed to a Naval base in Germany while Deb looks after the kiddos and manages the household.  I truly admire military families.  


Then, the house directly across from us.  This family was incredibly welcoming!  After I rang the door bell, Shirley (the grandmother) opened the door with a big smile on her face saying, "Hi! Come on in!"  before I could even fully introduce myself.  This woman had no idea who I was (only that I was a neighbor) and still she welcomed me into her home with open arms.  That level of trust is dwindling in our world today.  Although I was carrying a plate of chocolate chip cookies... maybe that's the secret!


Today, I hope to bake one more batch of cookies and meet the two remaining neighbors.  I'll let you know how it goes!

Psalm 138

                         I
I thank you, LORD, with all my heart;
      before the angels to you I sing. 
I bow low toward your holy temple; 
      I praise your name for your fidelity and love.  
For you have exalted over all
      your name and your promise.
When I cried out, you answered;
      you strengthened my spirit.

That's what I love about Sundays...

I love Sundays!  My schedule varys greatly, but my favorite Sundays usually include:

1. 9am Children's Mass at St. Peter's (which is energetic, innocent, and beautiful)
2 Wedging myself into a comfy chair and reading the Worcester Telegram while sipping on coffee and clipping coupons
3. Singing in Choir at the 11:15am Mass
4. Cooking
5. ESL lesson planning/laundry/Blogging/grocery shopping
6. A long run in a nearby State park or forest

LOVE IT!

The homily at Mass today paralleled conflict resolution during the early days of our Church and the resolution of current issues within the Catholic Church today.  Msg. Scollen stressed that the "conflicts" witnessed in St. Paul's time are till relevant today and still require our thoughtful attention- culture integration, gender roles, placement of authority, etc.  I was struck by one verse in particular from the Gospel reading,  Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give [peace] to you. (John 14:27).  Not as the world gives....for me, this holds great significance!  No matter how many worldly possessions or public accolades we receive, true peace will always be beyond our grasp if we never look to God.  If we seek fulfillment through the world, then we will never attain it.  True fulfillment is through God.

A Long Time Gone

What a ride the past two and a half months have been!  Lent was powerful, Easter Sunday was joyful (Easter week included daily celebrations!), my birthday was amusingly momentous, all the while I trained for my first big race, the Lehigh Valley Half-Marathon in Allentown, PA.  If you would have told me a year ago that I would run a successful Half-Marathon, I would have denied it to the ends of the earth.  Just goes to show that one can never underestimate oneself.  We are often capable of much more than we imagine!  Anyhow, the course was really fun - we meandered through a beautiful tree-filled park (~6 mi), then ran through 2 covered bridges (quintessentially PA) and finished in a large stadium with hundreds of people lining the last leg of the run.  What a memorable experience!  I finished 7 minutes earlier than I thought I would - my time: 2h 3min.  Not too bad for a first try...  Thinking about registering for another Half in late June!

Honestly, training for the run was just as enjoyable as the race itself.  The scheduled long-runs gave me an excuse to check out some of the beautiful State forests and parks near Worcester, MA.

1. Moore State Park

2. Wells State Park

3. Blackstone Heritage Park

4. Douglas State Forest

5. Spencer State Forest

1. Moore State Park

I visited this historical park in the winter, so the dirt trails were too snowy to enjoy, but the old buildings and trees seemed more idyllic covered in snow.  This 400 acre park used to be the site of a grist and saw mill from 1747 to the early 1900s.  That said, there are two beautiful waterfalls that long ago moved a wooden wheel and saw blades, now spills into a rushing stream.  I can't wait to visit this park again in the Spring.  Supposedly, the rhododenrons and azaleas are a sight to behold!

ps. thanks to Elizabeth G. for the photos.

Lord, I am not worthy to receive You

About a month ago, I was in the midst of an internal war with myself.  I was bombarded with self-doubt and confusion that slowly corroded my spirit and poisoned my faith.  I began to question the meaning of my life and my worthiness to be blessed with so many incredible gifts - a loving family, supportive friends, security, a healthy body.  My doubt originated from dwelling on the sins of my past and by allowing the guilt of those sins to weigh down upon my soul.  All of my grievances were afreshed and the pain of those decisions renewed.  Considering my past, present, and future sins, why would God deem me worthy of beautiful blessings rather than someone else more holy and worthy?  Yes, my past is cluttered with misgivings, but beyond human reason, God loves me and has chosen me for a purpose.
                                                                     Why?

After the smoke cleared and the debris settled, I began to reconstruct my spirit via Scripture.  My focus was St. Paul's letters to the Corinthians.

1. We cannot earn grace nor perform good deeds so as to be worthy of God's love.
Ch 2, 3: 1; 4-6  Are we beginning to commend ourselves again?   Such confidence we have through Christ toward God.  Not that ourselves we are qualified to take credit for anything as coming from us; rather our qualification comes from God, who has indeed qualified us as ministers of a new covenant..."

2. God's grace is enough to remove my sins (however unforgivable I think they are).  My weaknesses give me the opportunity to surrender to God so that he may He may shine through.
Ch 2,12: 9  "God said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness."

3. Don't compare yourself to others!  God made you with a specific purpose that no one else can fulfill. 
Ch 1, 12:14 -   Now the body is not a single part, but many.  If an ear should say, "Because I am not an eye I do not belong to the body," it does not for this reason belong any less to the body.  If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? 
But as it is, God placed the parts, each one of them, in the body as he intended.

4. We can glorify God by fulfilling our purpose - not by dramatic acts of heroism, but by small acts of great humility (Love).
Ch 1, 13:1  If I have the gift of prophecy and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge; if I have all faith so as to move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.

Whenever I feel doubt seeping back into my spirit, I read these Scripture verses again and place all of my confidence in God our Father.  He is the fountain of Life and the perfection of Love  - unconditional and immortal.

My Last Lecture

A friend of mine recently posed the question, "If you were going to die tomorrow, what life lessons and experiences would you feel compelled to share with others?" Suffice it to say, this friend is a bit dramatic, but the question is valid and insightful.
Honestly, I had not thought about collecting learned lessons to pass onto my friends and family and I definitely had not thought about my immanent death. After thinking about both for several days, here are some key points in my "Last Lecture" so far:

-Suffering is an opportunity to learn vital wisdom. God uses suffering to bring us closer to Him. Based on my experience, those who suffer either by chance or by challenge gain God's insight into the meaning of Love.

-Hope is essential to life. Without hope, we have no motivation or strengthto overcome adversity. We depend upon hope, but it doesn't offer the luxury of security.  

-Generosity. Don't hoard your blessings.  Each one of us has a unique combination of gifts to act as God's hands and feet in this world.  If we don't open ourselves to be God's messengers, then his gifts are wasted.


-Forgiveness.  We are all susceptible to failure and disappointing each other, but our challenge is to forgive.  If we don't forgive, our sorrow and distrust will slowly kill our ability to love even our friends.  Forgiveness is no easy feat, even though we say it with ease in the "Our Father".  Forgiveness requires unconditional Christ-like love to move beyond the pain and rebuild trust.  That's no easy task, but with God anything is possible.  "Nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" ~Romans 8:39 

-Vulnerability. Life is too short not to be yourself. By building a wall or wearing a mask, you only distance yourself from building relationships.

 -The time spent building relationships is more important than time spent worrying about money, material goods, or checking tasks off your "To Do" list.

-Human dignity. Humans are images of God's love and thus are filled with dignity and purpose.  By being human, we are all connected through our God.  We are many parts of one body.  When one part is suffering, the rest of the body suffers too.


-Living a good life begins with today. Our future plans mean nothing if we never take the first step in the present.


-Take responsibility when you make a mistake (paradoxically, the more human you are, the more people will trust you). 


- Show gratitute always.  You never know what God has planned for you.

- If you don't like someone, spend more time with them and your perspective will change.

Sledding at EcoTarium!

Last week, my roommate Lee and I went sledding at EcoTarium (the local Children's Science museum)!  Here are some pics from our adventures:

My roommate Lee and I!

Me laughing hysterically...I was knee deep in snow for the first time EVER!

Lee zooming down the slope!

 What a gorgeous day!

CCC Mexico Mission Trip

I was recently asked to comment on a mission trip that I attended with the Catholic Campus Center at my college.  After reflecting upon my time in Mexico, I realize that time brings clarity and perspective to all experiences.

Here are my remarks:

"The time I spent in Mexico enriched my love for the Mexican culture, the language, and especially the people. After living and working in Quernavaca, I feel connected with the people and their struggles for economic and social justice. As humans and images of God's love, we are all united in solidarity through Christ. Thus, when one human suffers, we are all entrusted with the responsibility to comfort the suffering. The CCC Mexico Mission trip reinforced the ideology that as individual threads of the same tapestry, we can support each other and work together to weave a world of social justice and dignity for all."

added Jan 24th: 1 Corinthians 12  For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body.  The body is not a single part, but many.  God placed the parts, each one of them, in the body as he intended.  Indeed, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are all the more necessary....If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if one part is honored, all the parts share its joy.

Thank you Debbie for giving us the opportunity to serve in Mexico!

massive month update!

Speaking of blessings, my mom was able to visit me up here in Worcester for Christmas!  I  took her to all of the places where I work - EcoTarium, Columbus Park Elementary, St. Vincent de Paul Clothing store, and of course St. Peter's.  As she participated in some of the work I do on a daily basis, she said that she reinforced her appreciation for what I do and why I volunteer full-time.  It was fun getting to watch her interact with my community here in Worcester...for once, I wasn't the only "new girl" from Texas in the room!  After a brief period in Worcester, we drove to the snow covered beaches of Cape Cod to stay with my Tante Arlette and her family for Christmas.  Everything was covered in snow when we arrived - the Cape had received nearly 20 inches of snow before we came!  That's an uncanny amount for the Cape.  The local beach and lighthouse looked so beautiful covered in snow...odd, but serene.  My fondest memories from the Cape included entertaining my little cousins (Anne and Peter, 4 year old twins), savoring delicious meals with my extended family, and seeing the children open their Christmas presents from "Santa".  Oh to have that magical excitement of Christmas morning again... 


Lucas decided to visit Worcester too!  St. Peter (after whom my church is named) must have known Lucas was coming and wanted to make a good first impression...  As Monsignor Scollen was consecrating the host, a bat flew out from the rafters and began to fly in circles around the ceiling!  After flying around the ceiling a few times, he migrated down and made a few loops near the altar, the priest, and deacon.  He almost flew right into the priest!  Like I said, St. Peter wanted to give Lucas an accurate impression.  After all, our parish is a little batty at times!


After a quick visit in Worcester, Lucas and I drove to his hometown in PA to visit his family.  I love Pennsylvania - rolling hills and forests, independent farms, towns rich with early American history, and lest we forget the Soft Pretzles!  PA has quickly become one of my favorite states (second to Texas, of course).  During my January visit, I ice-skated OUTSIDE for the first time in my life, played bridge with Lucas' parents, learned about an early American faith community known as the Moravians, and toured historic Bethlehem, PA with Lucas' mom.  I was sad to leave, but excited to return to my community here in Worcester.  After a long vacation, there is nothing more comforting than attending Mass in your home parish.
Home sweet home.


Next week, all the regular activities begin again!  This year, I am teaching the ESL Intermediate II class and volunteering in the St. Peter's Mentoring program as usual.

picture provided by: wikipedia.org

The Gift of a Cookie

I am a firm believer that children can teach adults powerful life lessons.  During Preschool Time at EcoTarium, the snack area is usually overflowing with puffy animal crackers, but today chocolate chip cookies were on the menu.  As I watched the children react at the sight of this coveted new snack, I laughed to see their faces light up with joy.  I remember when a cookie used to make me that happy; although, I sometimes surprise myself at my excitement towards chocolate (You know what I mean, Debbie)!   As I was looking through the crowd of children and parents, I noticed one of the kiddos looking around and seeing that his friend didn't have cookie yet.  After a few seconds of thinking, he bounced off the floor, walked up to his mother (who was standing near the "Snack Area") and exclaimed, "David doesn't have a cookie - he needs one!".  After David was given a cookie, this generous little boy made sure that everyone around him had a cookie.  It was amazing to see such love from a child.

If only we as adults would learn to be as generous with our blessings as that little boy, the world would be a better place.  Of course, his generosity originated by first recognizing his gifts - mainly, the satisfaction of eating a cookie at 11am.  Once he realized this was a blessing in his own life, he was then able to be aware of children without cookies and offer them a cookie so to share in his gifts.

Today's Mission:  List the blessings in your life and share at least one blessing with someone who lacks that same gift you cherish.

Some of my blessings: time, a loving family, caring friends, food, shelter, clothing, ears with which to listen, eyes with which to see, legs for walking, a mouth for talking, arms to embrace, a knack for cooking and organizing, a car and the ability to drive ...  I'll let you know what I share!

photo provided by: http://www.old-picture.com/

Voices in Harmony

December 17, 2009

I've been going to St. Peter's choir practice for the past few Thursdays (including this one).  There are only 6 members, but we have a great time singing and harmonizing our voices.  The organist even brings hot cocoa and cookies to share with the group!  We are quite a group of characters - Kelly, a mother of 10 children (5 of whom are still home) is so vibrant and full of joy; Jenn is from Kenya and is attending grad school at Assumption College when she is not working in Boston (an hour drive); another woman works as a nurse in the ER and still manages to find the energy to sing with us after 12-14 hour shifts at work.  What a crew!  After every practice, I leave with a reinforced appreciation for the endurance of the human spirit.

If I have enough time after choir, I drive to the Assumption Chapel for adoration and the weekly recitation of the Divine Mercy Chaplet.  What I love about adoration at Assumption is the atmosphere - the chapel is completely dark, save for several candles lit around the altar with one sole light shining down from above on Christ.  The Monstrance glimmers and reflects the beauty and radiance of the Eucharist within.  Just being present in the Chapel is incredibly powerful.  Here is some background on the Chaplet: http://thedivinemercy.org/message/devotions/chaplet.php  and the chaplet in song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eym833fy8Uc.  Again, the harmony is glorious (minute 6 and 7 are particularly poignant)

December 15, 2009

I went to a meeting with Frances, the CEO of the Family Health Center in Worcester, MA.  We first met at my church - Sr. Mary Ann (my boss) introduced me to her.  First of all, I was slightly surprised that a CEO of a major health center is a parishioner of St. Peter's church. The parish resides in an impoverished part of town known as Main South and is thus one of the poorer parishes in Worcester.  Not to mention, there are over 40 Catholic churches from which to choose in an 8 mile radius of St. Peter's.  After talking with Frances, the CEO, for a few minutes I realized why she goes to St. P - she is an incredibly humble advocate for the poor and truly loves the people in Main South.  Her passion is inspiring!

As Frances walked me through the center (this is the only place you will find the CEO giving tours to lowly volunteers), I was struck by the concept of a "community health center".  The intent of the center is to provide medical care that treats the physical ailments of patients as well as the root causes of their health problems, such as poor drinking water, malnutrition, the lack of health education, and/or the lack of adequate housing.  This Worcester center in particular offers a "Read with Me" program, wherein every child that sees a doctor here receives a book (in their language) and is encouraged to read with their parents.  Not only that, but as the children are waiting for the doctor, volunteers read with/to the children in the lobby.  How cool is that?  

These health centers are non-profit companies wherein at least 51% of the board members are required to be patients of that particular center.  Patients have a voice!  What a concept...
I hope to be working there in a few weeks with the Administration department.  Frances mentioned fund-raising and I immediately thought of a 5K/1mi Fun Run.  She gave me the green light, so I hope I'm ready.