Weekend Update

The theme for my second week of Advent was inner reflection.

Last week's activities:
Monday: Led a "Blind Taste Testing" experiement for our teen-girl group.  We tasted 3 different brands of peanut butter, toaster pastries (Poptarts), and sports drinks.  The winners were Peter Pan peanut butter, BigY Poptarts, and Gatorade!

Tuesday: Went for a 6 mile run with a Cross Country coach I know from church.  She mentioned that she used to run with a friend of hers, but hasn't run much since.  When I told her about my interest in training for a half-marathon, she offered go running with me sometime and suggest some training loops around town.  On Tuesday, her husband drove us out about 6 miles, dropped us off, and we ran home to a hot dinner made by her husband (how cute is that?).   Not only was dinner great, but they also have two little girls and a dog I had the blessing of getting to play with.  At one point, I was reading to the girls and petting the dog simultaneously ... on some level, I felt like a sister/babysitter/parent.  What an unexpected joy.
We are running again this Tuesday, so stay tuned!

Wednesday: Boy did it snow - over 7 inches, in fact!  I made a sizable snow man for the first time in my life AND shoveled the backporch/driveway  - 2 quintessential New England experiences, check.
While crying through the last 2 chapters, I finished Marley and Me.  Reading about that loyal, humorous, yet obstinately mischievious dog made me wish for one of my own.  Maybe someday...

Thursday: Went to St. Peter's Choir practice and then Adoration at Assumption Chapel.  Choir practice was awesome - my heart melted at the sound of voices in harmony.  To me, there is something heavenly about it...as if God's essence is harmony, 3 voices in One.

Friday: Worked in the Kindergarten class for the ENTIRE school-day, instructing centers and feverishly wrapping presents.  That day, the kids purchased gifts for family members at the school-sponsored "Holiday Shop" which offered small gifts ranging from 50 cents to $3.  All of these kids come from poor families, so the Shop gave families a way to buy presents at a lower cost. 
Later that night, I went to La Salette with one of my friends from the Assumptionist community.  This Shrine has an amazing Christmas display with thousands of lights every year and often sponsors choir concerts - we were there to see the Daughters of St. Paul concert, which was pretty cool.  After visiting the Shrine, we went to an Ice Cream Shop/Diner that I spotted on the way there.  I had the Belgian Waffle Sundae - AMAZING.

Saturday: The day was dedicated to prayer.  Sister Catherine came over and we made 4 loaves of wheat bread!  During the "dough-rising" periods, we prayed the rosary, reflected on Advent, and walked to a nearby Cafe.  It was very theraputic!  That evening, the Sisters invited us over for dinner and Lectio (divine reading).  We studied Sunday's readings and discussed its significance.  I love the verse from Phillipians, "...make your requests known to God.  Then the peace of God that surpases all understanding will guard your hearts and minds" 

What an amazing week!

Photo courtesy of http://www.travelblog.org/Photos/1459615.html

Advent Reflection

I was asked to write a little reflection for the AMA Newsletter... thought I would share!

"As we enter the Advent season, we are called to focus on God and his incarnation in human form on Earth. This remarkably humble and sacrificial act is the reason why God's children are welcomed into the Kingdom of Heaven. Mary surrendered to God’s will and in doing so paved the way to our salvation. During Advent, we are called to remember His humbling birth and precious spirit on Earth.


But shouldn't we, as Christians, focus on God every day in our lives? Shouldn't we recognize God's presence all around us whether it is Advent or not? The answer is most definitely yes; however, as fallible humans we are often unable to see beyond the distractions of this world to the heart of life, God's love. We are made in His image and nature itself is His creation – God is a part of everything and everyone. As our lives and calendars become full of meetings, responsibilities and concerns, we tend to neglect our God and miss the opportunity to rejoice in the greater purpose of our life here on Earth. Speaking as a detail-oriented person, I find myself falling into this trap as my weekly agenda becomes more about completing tasks rather than deepening my relationship with our Father. Even during a recent leisurely hike in the woods, I noticed that I rarely raised my eyes to the sky until my trail guide made the suggestion to do so. My interests were focused on what was in front of me – rocks, moss, leaves, trees, the direction of my path. As humans, we are all susceptible to this tunnel vision and often lose sight of the beautiful forest of God’s spirit surrounding us.

Well my friends, the season of Advent is a time to allow our souls to catch-up with our busy bodies and ponder on the beauty of the forest. During the weeks leading up to Christmas, we are called to set aside time to recognize God's presence in our lives. As AMAs it is our challenge to humble ourselves and see beyond our own interests, worries, agendas, and focus on how God is working in our lives. God is blessing us every day, we just have to sit still long enough to discover it! "

The Lord is near. Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Phillipians 4:5-7

Photo courtesy of http://forestscene.com/Trails/

Week I of Advent

Sr. Catherine, my roommate Lee and I visited a nearby Trappist Monastery today.  Trappist monks pray Liturgy of the Hours (structured community prayer) seven times a day, often beginning in the wee hours of the morning (around 3am) and ending in the evening around 7:30pm. The community also earns their living through the production of commercial goods, such as cheese, bread, jam, and coffee.  These men devote their entire being to God, living for Him and offering everything for His glory.  Pretty amazing...

In other news, the first week of Advent has come to a close.  This week was fairly remarkable:
-Spent time with the Brommer Family in PA 
- Ran 15 miles
- Celebrated the last days of ESL and Mentoring for the year
- Instituted daily reflection and began personal hiatus
- Considered running a Half-Marathon in PA

Who knows what the next few weeks will bring... 

Life Update

This year, I spent Thanksgiving break in Quakertown, PA with my friend Lucas and his family. We had a great time - feasting, crossword puzzling, playing Yatzee, running (I ran 8 miles for the first time in my life!) and walking around quaint towns enjoying the brisk November weather.  I also received an early Christmas present from Lucas, a Christian Prayer book containing the traditional "Liturgy of the Hours".  Catholic religious orders use this structure to pray together morning, afternoon, evening, and night.  It's unifying to think that religious orders all over the world (including the Order I work for right here in Worcester) are using the same material to pray.  It's pretty cool be to Catholic...

In other news, I taught my last ESL class of the semester today.  I have awesome students by the way.  They all have a great sense of humor and are proficient in charades.  Well today, I had a very loose lesson plan schedule, but looking back on the day I think that's how God intended. 
This morning, I went outside to tend the garden and felt as if I had walked out into a Texas Winter - it was 62 degrees and sunny with a slight breeze!  This is no day to be stuck in a classroom, I thought.  So, I decided I would take my class on a field trip to the nearest park.  Coincidentally, I had a gift certificate for the pizza parlor (shout out to Uncle Sam's Pizza!)  across the street from the park.  After about 40 minutes of teaching, we walked to the park, picked up pizzas and had a picnic!  What a great day.

Today was also the last day of St. Peter's Mentoring program for the semester.  I'm definitely going to miss the kiddos and hanging out with the college students.  We celebrated Christmas with Winter Bingo and candy for all.  There was almost a stampede when the kids found out they were getting candy... and I was the only thing in their way!  After I snatched the bag of candy and held it high above their heads, they agreed to form a line and I managed to come away unscathed. 

My next big task is to plan a craft/activity for our "Girls with Dreams" group.  It's times like these I wish I was more artsy! 

**photo is from theophilus monk

Bloodshed...over this?

Recently watched "Blood Diamond", which vividly portrays the harsh reality of the global diamond trade in the late 1990's (and continuing to the present).   I heard the term "conflict-diamonds" maybe once or twice, but did not realize the gravity of the problem until my roommates and I watched and discussed the movie.  Unforunately, there is still no reparation for the millions of lives lost and families scarred due to the Blood Diamond trade.  The Kimberly Process Certification Scheme, which was written to curb the purchase of these "conflict-diamonds", is merely a suggestion and offers no culpability to countries who violate its requirements.

However, under President Clinton, the United States agreed to ban the direct and indirect importation of diamonds from Sierra Leone (a prominent area for blood diamonds).  Also, President Bush banned diamond importation from Liberia (an alt. route for Sierra Leone's conflict diamonds).  While America is making progress, I still wonder if blood diamonds are able to find their way into our market and into our matrimonial rings, ladies.

As one of the largest diamond consumers in the world, I feel that America has a responsibility to ensure their purchases are not fueling human exploitation.  Think about it and do your research before you buy that rock (if you must)!

Apple Farm Hoedown

This past Saturday, I desperately wanted to drive some place far away (relatively).  After a few weekends of ESL lesson planning, laundry, and chores, I was ready for an adventure!  I checked out the Massachusetts Tourism website specifically for events on Saturday and I stumbled upon a Thanksgiving Harvest Festival at the Red Apple Farm in Phillipston, MA (about 1 hr away).  Since I missed apple-picking this year, I was really excited to get a last-minute taste of harvest season.  I mentioned it to my roommates and they jumped on board too!

The Festival was awesome - even better than I imagined!  We drove through a winding country road lined with trees and pulled into a bustling farm complete with a wind turbine.  Local vendors with homemade goods like Alpaca knitted winter clothing, local cheese, maple syrup, evergreen wreaths, and pottery displayed their artistic prowess.  The Harwick Wine Co. served free wine tasting and a local brewery sold their Harvest Brew (seemed to be popular).  There was even a Civil War reenactment camp set-up with "soldiers" armed with historical knowledge.  The Red Apple Farm also had a barn/meeting area that was decorated with lights for the occasion.  Local bands played bluegrass and piano ragtime while people sipped on fresh apple cider and ate apple dumplings in front of the toasty fireplace. This was a truly idyllic scene. 

My roommates and I decided to stay for lunch since there were several food vendors from which to choose.  When I'm on an adventure, my motto is "Go big or go home", so I bought the BBQ Burger: flame-toasted bun, cheeseburger topped with pulled pork and BBQ sauce.  Sure, this was more meat than I had eatten since I arrived in Worcester, but what the heck!  The burger was well worth the cholesterol, my friends.  Thankfully, Liz suggested we go on a guided hike to the nearby 1,000 Acre Swamp so I could make sure my heart was still willing to work.  All told, we had a great adventure!

On my next excursion, I would like to drive to Stockbridge,MA: home of the Normal Rockwell Museum, quaint country roads, Edith Wharton's home (designed by herself), and the National Shrine of Divine Mercy.

It's a Jungle out there.

Every Wednesday morning, I volunteer with the Preschool Class at the local children's science museum in Worcester (EcoTarium).  This free program (awesome, right?) is available from 10:30-11:30am every Wed. and is divided into two sessions: story time and craft/snack time.  I work in the craft session with the kids and their parents.  My favorite part of my volunteer work during the Preschool Class is observing kids -they are hilarious! 
For example, one of the kids today was climbing on his mom like she was a Jungle Gym*!  He dove in her lap, squeezed through her arms, rolled off her side and clinged to her back.  He would be a nimble spy, that's for sure! Meanwhile, the mom was attempting to have a conversation with another adult.  I admired her persistence.  Another boy, who was much younger (maybe 1 year old), would roll over on the floor every 2 minutes so that by 15 minutes, he was nearly off the rug that was in the center of the room!  Haha...he was quite content to keep rolling, but his mother reeled him into her arms.

*I wondered where the term "Jungle Gym" came from... turns out it was a brand name during the 1920s!  I had no idea "monkey bars" and climbing structures are such a new concept (relatively).  I guess the idea of recess came with the restructuring of public education in America.  Thank you Sebastion Hinton!

The picture is of a wicked cool Jungle Gym in Black Rock City, Nevada.