Resting Up

I have been sleeping a lot since my last work day. I have also become aware that my bones hurt a lot all the time - something I was much less aware of before - probably because I had no choice but to keep moving forward and so I ignored my body's messages.
I also feel a great responsibility to pray for all my brothers and sisters still working or seeking work. I keep them all in prayer every day.
I think I have more resting to do as I continue my journey, along with the slow steps I am taking towards inreasing my church's ministry. Please pray for me, for us, as we seek the path which we are meant to follow.
Love,
Sr Patti

Retirement Party

Because of how wonderfully touching the tributes were that I recieved at my retirement party yesterday, I was reminded how deeply wounded I still am. Part of me still has trouble believing anyone thinks that well of me. I was also reminded how far I have come, thanks to grace, in being able to love other people as they are. It was particularly touching to me that they went to the trouble to hire a live Celtic band to play at the party, and that they saw fit to give me the financial gift normally reserved for those who have worked for 30 years at the firm (I have only been here 23 years). My home church will beenfit greatly!

I go forth from my workaday life to retirement with fond memories and great challenges ahead. May God richly bless those in my firm who have been such a big part of my life.

Outa here!

My retirement precludes my further use of this access to my blog. So until I figure out how to acess it from home, I am not going to post further. In addition, my network administrator has decided this is a blocked domain! LOL! Lucky for me I knew a way around that for this post.
More later, from another address.

What is my spiritual condition?

When I was about 15 years old President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. Not long after that, Lee Harvey Oswald was arrested for the killing. Then, on live TV, Jack Ruby killed Lee Harvey Oswald. Now, I loved Jack Kennedy with all my heart. And at the moment Ruby killed Oswald, I felt a fierce, wild gladness! The moment after that, I realized my own darkness - my own sinfulness.
I experienced that sinfulness last night again. A young gangster has been after my grandson for two years. Last night, that boy was murdered. For a moment, I was so glad! And then I began to weep. That young man never had anything but a brutal, savage and very short life. I am still gratefl that my grandson is now safe. But I am so sad that anyone has to live such a horrible life as that young man. Pray for David Wilson, now, I hope, at peace.

It also made me realize at a very deep level that my salvation is moment to moment, contingent up on my spiritual condition. Shelter me oh God! Hide me in the shadow of your wings. You alone are my hope!

What if?

I saw a query on another blog - if you were President for one day, what would you do?
Well, no President can do much in one day, but I would like to change things so that everyone has to vote, like it or not. That would pretty much transform this country. Failing that, I would like to go on TV and ask everyone to send a letter to Congress asking them to respond pubicly to this question: What is the purpose of government?
For me, the purpose of civil government ought to be to protect the weak from the strong. Sadly, it seems rather to be to protect private property. That being the case, those without property have no power. Nothing ever changes, eh? "The poor are driven into hiding and the rich lay waste to the land."
May God richly bless us with conversion.

One thing have I asked....

"One thing I have asked of the Lord,this is what I seek:that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life; to behold the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple."

As I work through this 43rd day before my retirement, I rejoice, thinking about being able to spend the rest of my days in the temple of the lord, and praying that he will give me a word of wisdom for my life, and for anyone who asks, something to give them, whether material or spiritual. To behold the beauty of the Lord - all I need to is open my eyes to Christ in others and to the beauty of creation.

Thanks be to God!

Be Transformed

Scripture advises us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. Last night, I was kept awake, and then repeatedly awakened by physical pain due to a recent accident. It was not until morning that I realized that every time I woke up, my mind had been reciting the Jesus prayer: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner." I have been diligently training myself for over 35 years to "run" that prayer in my mind whenever nothing else deliberate is going on. I guess it works.
This is no more than re-programming, perhaps, but how much better it is than to be rehearsing worry or self-hatred or some other destructive thing. I am grateful today for the difference many years of practice can make. Peace in place of fear or self-pity - no contest! I give thanks today for the person who first taught me that prayer - one of my first spiritual directors, a priest who heard the worst things I ever did and loved me anyway. May Fr. Jim Keely be having a pint and a laugh in heaven!