Taking Time to Notice

"We must learn to be still in the midst of activity
and to be vibrantly alive in repose."                   ~Indira Gandhi

I was finally able to get out for a nice bike ride last weekend. The day was brisk, fairly overcast, but really no snow and the pavement was dry and clear! For most of us, our every day days get  on the fast track pretty quickly and are full of business and busyness! How good it is to have a Sunday to step back a bit, relax, reflect and do something fun. 

This is where Indira Gandhi's quote comes into play ... so often we think that we are not able to be still in the midst of the chaos of the day. Even the weekends or the day off can get packed with things to do. It is important to teach ourselves ... train ourselves, to look out the window once in awhile and gaze up at the beauty of the sky, or out over the landscape and breathe, or pay attention the bird hopping along the sidewalk as we walk between meetings. These little things do not seem like much, but they do put us in a contemplative frame of mind! Those are the quick moments that can bring a sense of peace to our minds and hearts and perhaps allows us then to turn strong to meet the rest of the day!

I share with you a wonderful piece of advice that I  found once from Pema Chodron ...
"Let everything stop your mind and let everything open your heart."

In the Spirit of St. Francis ... Pace E Bene ~ Peace and All Good!

Be Kind and Loving

Yes, we are called, we are invited to approach our world and all the difficulties we face with merciful, compassionate, tender hearts. I just read a quote this morning that said something like "... when our eyes are open we SEE and when our hearts are open, we UNDERSTAND ..."

Part of the conversion of St. Francis of Assisi came when he allowed his eyes to see the leper that was coming towards him as a person - a person who felt rejected, but none-the-less was loved by a God of Infinite Goodness. Francis, by the grace of that same loving God, opened his heart and understood! AND THAT has helped to change the world!

In the cold of this winter and in a world that sometimes feels hostile, may we not be cold-hearted! Be kind and loving today .... to yourself and to those whose paths you cross!

Pace E Bene ~ Peace and All Good!

Dwell in Possibilities

... Dwell in Possibilities ....
We are at the beginning of a new year ~ a year that is filled with so many possibilities and so much potential! My prayer is that every person strives to bring PEACE to their corner of the world and also work for the COMMON GOOD of all people ... Just imagine!

St. Bonaventure, a great FRANCISCAN theologian and mystic wrote: "Justice is the restoration of beauty to all that is broken..."
When we have caring for each other, when we have peace in our hearts, peace in all parts of our lives and peace in our world we will have BEAUTY! ... Dwell in Possibilities ....

Sunrise, Sunset ,,, A New Chapter Dawning

I'm back .... As I begin this blog entry I realize it has been way over a month since I last wrote "Lost in Transition"! I am reminded of the song from Fiddler on the Roof when Tevye sang:
Sunrise, sunset ... swiftly flow the days. Seedlings turn overnight to sunflowers, blossoming even as I gaze.
Sunrise, sunset ... swiftly fly the years. One season following another, laden with happiness and tears.

In many ways that is how I have felt the past month and a half! The days have swiftly past as I have moved from Portland, Oregon after 21 years, to Spokane, WA and a new ministry. I am about to begin my third week as Spirituality/Healing Arts Program Director of the Franciscan Place at St. Joseph Family Center here in Spokane. My first week my head was spinning having a new job, moving into a new local community of Franciscan Sisters and being in a new city, although I lived here in the late 80's as well as when I was a college student at Gonzaga University.
Anyway, all of that is part of the reason I haven't posted recently ....

Along with moving I was able to take some time to try and renew and refresh myself before starting something new. At the end of August I made my annual week's retreat. This year I spent the week at a beautiful spot overlooking the Puget Sound. It was a preached retreat and a little bit busier than I would have liked, but God was good and graced me with peace and insights as I prepared to move into my new ministry. I was gifted with many gorgeous sunsets during that week including the one above. I saw the sun in the morning, but never was quite up for sunrise ...

After Labor Day I finally got some vacation time. After traveling so much over the last eight years as a Vocation Director I treated myself to some "miles" and got to go to Hawaii! Of course I enjoyed the warm Hawaiian breeze, the beautiful ocean water for swimming and reflecting, some gorgeous sunsets and a wonderful day snorkeling ~ a prayer experience for me as I was awed at the colorfulness and diversity of the stunning tropical fish and sea creatures including a sea turtle! All of that just added to the great experience to visit and spend time with two of my Sisters in Community, Sr. Joan (L) and Sr. Rochelle (R), who live and minister in Honolulu. They were the perfect hostesses and tour guides! We had fun and shared many conversations ... it was very good to be with them and connect :)

There is soooo much more I could write, but it is getting late and I want to get this long delayed entry posted before another sunrise and sunset go by! I close with a Hawaiian sunset and a quote from Ignatius of Loyola that I happened upon yesterday as I walked through the campus of my alma mater - Gonzaga U. yesterday morning ....
"Let your soul hold itself tranquil and peaceful, ready to submit to the action of God."

Glimmers of HOPE in the New Year...

We are not quite at the two week mark of the new year so I think I can I still wish you a very Happy New Year! Hopefully 2011 has started out in a positive way for you!? Today definitely seems like a good day to post a new entry to this blog. There is just something fun or magical about 1-11-11 to me!
As we move into this new year I share with you the above verse that Sr. Joyce Rupp shared with us. I am an Epiphany kind of person and I love this quote, so I made a little Epiphany greeting with stars surrounding the verse - stars and hope ... some of my favorite things to dwell on. Stars that twinkle their light in the beautiful night sky, stars that kept the shepherds company, stars that guided sailors of old as well as guiding the Magi to the Christ child, stars that are for wishing upon! Then there is hope ... one dictionary definition defines hope as "to cherish a desire with anticipation". Aren't there so many things we hope for in life? ...love, happiness, peace in our world, a job for our relative, good health .... How important it is to keep HOPE alive!
What brings you hope? How can you share it?
Before I sign off here I share with you a picture taken the other morning on a rainy day in Portland.... Rain drops hanging onto pine needles. That is a hope symbol for me! I remember many year ago, I was in a bad state of heart and mind and was out walking in the rain "crashing around"- knocking tree branches that happened to get in my way with my fist, thinking I DID NOT care about anything!! I came to an evergreen branch hanging low and laden with rain. I was getting ready to smash that branch when all of a sudden as if someone grabbed my arm and held it in midair, I stopped! I stopped and noticed how delicate a single raindrop was hanging on the tip of the needle ... and it was beautiful! I remember hearing myself say, "I guess I DO care about something!" That moment, that single raindrop became a hope sign for me and helped to change my attitude around - thank goodness! A lesson learned from nature right in line with the Franciscan spirit! Francis was often discovering things in all of creation ... He also is a great model of a person who desired to grow and change. Today I read in my Franciscan Prayer book ~ "Tireless in pursuit of holy newness, Francis constantly hoped to begin again ...(from the life of St. Francis by Thomas of Celano 1C 103)!
So as we begin this new year, consider Sr. Joyce's insightful words and the example of St. Francis ... in pursuit of holy newness ~ how appropriate as we journey into the months ahead that are full of life and possibilities ... Hope comes in little ways...

Peace ... Let it grow!

I had hoped to write a quick post on Monday or Tuesday, but it didn't happen ...ohhh, those good intentions of mine!
So here I am at Friday! This morning when I went for my walk I saw a sticker in the back window of a parked car similar to the picture I recreated here (isn't technology with the Internet and clip art great!). I know I have seen the sticker on this car before, but this morning I read the words that were next to the PEACE symbol ..."Let it grow". It is funny how things get missed and then all of a sudden, something strikes you. That struck me this morning! It started me thinking, in a prayerful sort of way, that when we have peace in our hearts, peace in our neighborhoods, peace in our world, it can be like beautiful flowers growing - they bring refreshment, hope and delight to the weary spirit, and ... how we need to nourish the soil of our own hearts and that of each other to bring about those blossoms of peace. Prayer, scripture and a life in God is the living water that helps to do that. Really, wasn't that part of the mission of St. Francis' life?!? Think of the peace prayer we so often pray and sing! St. Francis probably didn't write those exact words, but they definitely embody his thought and belief.

With all that in mind, I also want to mention two great people our Church honors this week. Monday, October 11th was the Memorial feast of Pope John XXIII. It was on that day in 1962 that he convened the Second Vatican Council. Since he is a man I really admire for many reasons, it was a delight for me to be reminded on Monday at prayer time that he belonged to the Secular Franciscan Order. In his "Journal of a Soul", John XXIII wrote: "My Soul is open before you. Like a blank sheet of paper. Write on it what you will. O Lord: I am yours." After reading a biography of his life a couple of years ago it is very clear that he lived those words! God surely used this kind, wise and compassionate man to make a difference in our world and in the Church.
And, today, is the Feast of Teresa of Avila (1550-1582) - a Carmelite Nun, saint and doctor of the Church. She was indeed a woman of prayer as well as insight and wisdom whose spirit still inspires people today.

Another significant event I want to mention before I sign off is a wonderful gathering I was a part of last weekend. About 25 of our Sisters gathered here in the Portland area (one of many such gatherings being held throughout the country) at our Franciscan Spiritual Center for an all day meeting with members of our Leadership who were in town. It was great day of prayer, sharing and dialogue about our life together as Sisters of St. Francis. Our day concluded with a beautiful prayer ritual in which we each received our new Constitution - the way of life that we follow. After much work to revise the Constitutions we had for over 25 years, it was exciting to receive this finished and beautiful document! Some of the concluding words of the Constitution are: "Inspired by thespirit of Francis and Clare of Assisi and our foundress Mother Francis Bachmann, we seek to follow Jesus Christ, who chose to be poor, and Mary, his Mother, by faithfully living the principles and practices set forth in our constitutions." Words for me that are both blessing and challenge as I strive to live my vocation daily.

So, for me and for you, may Jesus, the Prince of Peace be at the core of all of our lives!

Remembering PEACE in our world over this Memorial Day

Peace and All Good!

I can hardly believe that it is the end of May already and that we are heading into the Memorial Day Holiday weekend!
Hopefully the sun will shine for part of the weekend because the past few days here in Portland the days have been quite wet and soggy ...

Anyway, when I think of the month of May, I do think of peace and to remember to pray for peace in our world. As we come to this Memorial Day we remember in a special way our veterans who have given their lives to help to make the world a more just and peaceful place. We also remember all those who have died.

The past day or so I keep thinking of some words of St. Francis connected to all of this, so I share them with you ...
from the Legend of the Three Companions:

"May the peace you announce with your lips be even more abundant in your hearts. Do not provoke anyone to anger or to scandal. May everyone be attracted by your lived example of meekness, peace, goodness and harmony. This is your vocation: to heal the wounds, to mend the broken, to call back the lost."
St. Francis sure has a way of challenging me in my life! I guess that is what conversion is all about ... a daily stiving to make a difference and live in peace ...
Have a great holiday weekend and be safe especially if you are traveling about! I'm heading to Spokane Washington for a quick trip to help one of my Franciscan Sisters to celebrate her Golden Jubilee - WOW 50 years of service and dedication to the Church and to the people of God. Congratualtions Sr. Elaine!
It should be a grand celebration! Hopefully I will have some pictures to share next time...
Peace and Blessings!