Stretching my Heart...the aftermath
Mood:  hug me
Now Playing: the movie "My Best Friend's Wedding"
Well, this is day one of my getting back from Cleveland, OH where I volunteered for a week with the Sisters of Notre Dame. Here's a little about the Stretch Your Heart Program. I really did stretch my heart. I found a place in my heart for all of the people that I met, the children I worked with at St Thomas and Saint Francis Schools, and all of the Sisters and other people that I got to meet.
My feelings...I've got a mixture of them... I am so glad that I had the opportunity to help with this service program. I wish it was longer. I really enjoyed living with the Sisters and spending time helping out in their ministries. Spending time with the Sisters reminded me how much I don't like living alone. I want to be a part of something bigger than myself. I want to live with people who share that desire.
I got to test out my cooking skills when I spearheaded the Mexican dinner on Thursday night. I also helped out earlier in the week with various other dinners. We had an awesome Korean dinner made by JiSoo, who's from Korea. It was very delicious. I also got to meet two Sisters from Korea as well. They danced and sang for us. We then danced and taught them the Electric Slide. I love to dance! I also found out that one of the Sisters also likes to dance and does things like I do for personal prayer. Meeting her was great!
I'm kinda sad though too; I really miss the Sisters. I live by myself, and really miss living with others. I don't do much cooking, but somehow it was a nice experience just to cook for other people for a change.
On Friday, we got to see the provincial house of the Sisters of Notre Dame in Chardon. It was really huge (that's an understatement). I could spend days and days there and not really see all of everything there is to see up there. I wish I had more time to just wander around up there and spend more time looking at everything. I especially liked the chapel and all of its little niches (sp?). Click here to see the website of the Sisters of Notre Dame up in Chardon.
After the week of service, Sr Kate (who ran the program) took us toMalley's (an icecream parlor that's popular in Cleveland--that might be an understatement). I had a peanut butter sundae and it was really good. I really liked the place where we chose to sit and eat our sundaes. It was decorated in the Alice in Wonderland Theme. The mural was really nice to look at.
I could also see God at work in the lives of these people that I met. The children that I worked with were so accepting and loved having us there. The Sisters were great as well.
I also got to look at a book about the foundress of the community and I see my story in it. She took in children who needed someone to care for them. One of my dreams is to work with orphans, and she was able to do just that. I don't think there are any more orphanages in the United States, so I wonder if I'll ever get the opportunity. But I see alot of children in my life already who need to be loved and cared for. Right now, I'll continue working at Concordia at the preschool. In another month, I'll be at Holy Trinity where I'll be working with toddlers. I'm excited!

How good God is!

Loving it!
Now Playing: absolutely nothing
Hi everyone!

Well, I'm now up in Cleveland for the week on my mission trip. I really like everything so far. The Sister who met me at the airport is really nice. She reminds me of my God mother...I think it's her manurisms (sp?). Anyways, I got to see alot of the cool sites that are associated with the Sisters of Notre Dame up here. The first house they had up here is as big as a castle. In fact, it got the nickname Castle Ansel (b/c it's on Ansel street). My first reaction was like....wow....that's big....

Anyways, not sure how the rest of the week will go. Today I helped out at a school called St Thomas. I helped with the third grade class and then had recess duty (which was fun) and then library duty. These kids are so awesome. The Sister who is running this program is named Sr Kate. She's really neat (she's the one who picked me up from the airport). Anyways, she was wandering around the school with her camera taking like a gazillion pictures. I wonder if any of them will be used for anything. I signed a release form for that.

Tomorrow the other volunteer and I will go to a school called St Francis which is right next door to where we are staying (St Francis convent).

I'm closing for now. Don't know if I'll write anything much for the next week, but we'll see.

Peace out!

Mission Trip
Mood:  happy
Now Playing: nothing
This Sunday I will be leaving to go on a mission trip in Cleveland, Ohio. I'll be working with other volunteers and living in a community setting. I'm really excited about it! The volunteer mission trip is called "Stretch Your Heart" and it's sponsored by the Sisters of Notre Dame. I'm going to be helping out in one of the schools that the Sisters run.

I'll return on Saturday. Please pray that it goes well. I've flown before, but it makes me a little nervous sometimes. I hope that both of my carry-ons will fit on the plane. I've got a bookbag (filled with clothing) and a sleeping bag that I hope I can just carry onto the plane instead of having to check anything.

I'm going down to Kentucky today to give my new boss some of the things she wanted me to fill out for my new job. (My new boss is a Sister of Notre Dame). Pray that that goes well as well. I'll start working with the 24-30 month old children starting mid-June.

This Saturday, I'll get to see the first Sister that I ever knew. She has a big role in my vocation story. She's a Dominican Sister (St Catherine de'Ricci congregation in PA). As I said, this is the first sister I ever knew. She was the Director of Religious Education at the church that I went to growing up. She left about 5 years ago (2001) and that's when I started discerning a call to Religous Life. I'm soooo excited about seeing her too! I haven't seen her in like forever.

Wow! God Leaves me Breathless
Mood:  happy
Now Playing: Listening to my Mom and Dad talking to each other and the TV's in the background
Yay! God is good! I got a job! I will start working at Holy Trinity Child Development Center in Kentucky. I just had my interview yesterday and I was hired right away. I'm excited to finish up my work at Concordia School and start at Holy Trinity.

How I came to get this job: two people recommended me calling this one Sister who runs a daycare center...my therapist and the vocation director that I've been working with. I thought if two people gave me the same person's name, I'd better check into it. When I talked with Sister, she said that she'd been praying that some people would come along that needed a job and loved childcare. And I'd been praying that I could find a childcare job near where I live instead of where my parents live. Well, that's how this all started! I am excited!

So, anyways, tomorrow is Mother's Day and I got my mom a carrot cake. I hope she likes it.

Peace!

The Search is On...and odds and ends
Mood:  not sure
Now Playing: Total Eclipse of the Heart (techno remix)
Ok! Wow, it's been awhile since I wrote, but here I am. I'm currently still looking for a new job thats near the area where I currently live. I've had one job offer that's up by my parents' house, but I don't think I want to take that one because I like it down here in the city and I like living without my parents....if you get my drift. Please pray for me.

Also while we're on the topic of prayer, I have a friend who needs lots of prayers sent her way. She had a bad PAP test and they told her that she's got to wait for another 4 months before they can retest her to see if it's cancer or not. Please help me to storm heaven on this woman's behalf. She's already been told that she can't have kids and that's hard enough...but why this???

Has anyone else been following the nun's murder trial? I have and they finally convicted that priest. They say he has 15 years to life....I hope that they keep him in for life, though he'd probably get off on good deed work or something. Something is seriously wrong with our culture when someone is sentenced to life and gets off within so many years. Though, when faced with what some countries do, we've got it good. At least they don't lop off your hands or other body parts for doing something...but then again, I'm sure that they don't have repeat offenders and people think twice before doing anything like that...something to think about... I'm not condoning mutilation for any kind...just food for thought.

This Sunday is Mother's Day. I need to get my mom a card and maybe some flowers. I have to go shopping today so I'll pick something up for her then. I'm also going to movie night with my friends and we're going to have a pot-luck. I've got to figure out what I can make. I haven't seen these friends in like forever, so I'm super excited!

I met with the vocation director yesterday and it went pretty well. She invited me to the Sisters' Jubilee celebration. That will be interesting.

Well, God bless, I'm off to do other things.
Peace out!

On the Hunt
Mood:  not sure
Now Playing: Sound of the fishtank because I'm blogging too early in the morning for music
This is not official because I haven't heard it from the headmaster of the school personally, but they are thinking about switching all teacher's assistants to part time work. Well, that means that I am going to start looking for another job. I prefer a job in childcare...infant or toddler childcare to be exact, but I could take whatever childcare position is open, I guess.

So, my first steps in looking for a new job.... I looked up jobs in my local newspaper (online) and sent a few of them my resume. I'll have to see how that goes. I'd like something that keeps me around the area that I am now. Mainly I don't want to take something around where my parents live because I don't want the hassle of telling them that I'd rather not move back in with them.

So, anyone know of any job openings in childcare in the Cincinnati area?

Next step...calling a few of the phone numbers that I have obtained... I'll do this when I get around to it...

Lazy Saturday
Mood:  lazy
Now Playing: my dad's watching TV...ESPN
Today's just a lounge around day...well, at least for the first half of it. I've got my website that I'm trying to manage, plus this blog entry. I also think that I'd like to go chat for awhile in one of the Catholic chat rooms.

Later today I have to go to the bank and put a check in. I'd also like to either get my hair cut again sometime soon, or get it cut and re-permed. Depends on how much my perm has grown out. I don't know if I'll get around to this for a couple of weeks though because there are lots of other things that I'd rather be doing, so I'll put it on the back burner.

I have several books that I've been reading. The book about Saint Julie that I took with me on retreat is really neat. I like it alot and am about halfway through it. I am also reading the third and fourth chapters of the book that my vocation director wants me to read. I'm about halfway through that too. I keep picking it up and putting it back down, so I'm sure I'll have to re-read it. There's some profound stuff in there. And then some of it just goes over my head.

The pastor at the Lutheran school where I work asked me if I'd like to work on a Saturday. I don't think so...lol...I've heard horror stories from people suckered into that.

I get to go to mass tonight! I am soooo looking forward to it! I get to receive communion so I am soooo joyful! Please pray for a friend of mine whose father lost his job. Also pray for a friend of mine who is losing her hearing who has a doctor's appointment this coming week to determine if she's able to have corrective surgery.

Peace!

Your Job Dissatisfaction Level is 44%

Well, you don't have the worst job in the world, but it's not great. And don't worry, you're not the problem - your company is. Start looking around for another job, even if you're not totally fed up. Because in time, you're going to be dying to quit!

Spacey
Mood:  irritated
Now Playing: We Are Family -- Sister Sledge
I've been keeping track via the internet of this cold case murder trial. A Sister of Mercy was killed in Toledo, Ohio in 1980 and they just now have the person who they think killed her in custody. The person is a priest. I hope that justice will be served in this case. Please pray for a closure for her family so that they will finally know what happened and why.

The administration at work tried to pin something on me this week that is not my problem. The headmaster tried to tell me that I should be the one to call and talk to the parents of 2 children who attacked each other (one got a black eye). This happened while I was the only one there. The school was out of ratio (there's a city ratio of 10 children to 1 adult). I had 12 children with me when I noticed a white pick-up truck drive up to the school (we were outside). I walked forward to check out the truck to see if the men inside of it posed a threat to the children....it was just a parent and friend dropping off another child. While they did so, two of the other children were punching each other...fighting... I told the headmaster and filled out an incident report on the black eye. The school never followed up on it. A few weeks later, I was told that I have to call the parents because one of the parents was a Board member and demanded some sort of closure. I was mad because this happened while I was out of ratio. I thought I did my job by reporting it to the person in charge and filling out an incident report. I refused to make the calls. I talked to my lead teacher about it and she talked to the headmaster, and he suggested that we just drop it. I'm relieved.

Tonight a friend is going to come over and cleanse my apartment of bad spirits...etc... I don't know if I buy into that, but it's always nice to have the company. I have an amethyst stone that needs to be cleansed as well. I hope the smoke doesn't set off the smoke alarm. I need to get some small cleaning done before she comes over. Tomorrow's Friday! Thank God!

On Monday I spent some time with my spiritual director who is a Sister of Mercy and my friend Renee. We were looking at my spiritual director's computer to see if we could figure out why it was being so dang slow. My spiritual director made us dinner and we also got to get a glimpse into her life pre-vatican 2 and thereafter. She showed us a photo album of herself when she was in habit. She said her religious name was Sister Rosaire (spelling?). Both Renee and I had an awesome time looking at the pictures. My spiritual director also writes booksand takes photos. She's great at both. I have all three books that she's written. See the above link for her books.

I think I need a nap.

High on God
Mood:  amorous
Now Playing: Chiquitita -- Abba Teens
Hello everyone!

I'm once again flying high on God. I came back from retreat this past Sunday and I had a wonderful time. I was at the Heights with the other retreatants and the Sisters. One of the Sisters gave me a prism (this one is simply a bottle of water (mouthwash had come in it at one time) that reflects the light in all kinds of rainbows). I love it! I felt so much like a little child again at the joy of receiving this unexpected gift. I was sooo excited.

I was able to reflect and pray alot that weekend. I loved praying with the Sisters. I was able to even pass out communion! One of my prayers was definitely answered, and I'm sure that alot more that I don't know about but God does were too. The one that I was aware of was that I'd been praying to see how I could receive the Eucharist every day. (Which is not possible at this point because I work when all masses are in service). The answer to my prayer came in a simple poem that explains that receiving the Eucharist is not simply going to church and getting communion, that it's a giving and receiving of Jesus. This can be done by taking the time to listen to a friend, or in receiving a hug, etc...etc.... I was overjoyed that God is sooo good and answered my prayer in this way.

Here's the poem for your reflection:

THE EUCHARISTHe was old, tired and sweaty pushing His homemade cart down the alley, Stopping now and then to poke around insomebody’s garbage. I wanted to tell him about Eucharist But the look in his eyes, the despair on his face, The hopelessness of somebody else’s life in hiscart, told me to forget it. So I smiled, said “Hi” – and gave him Eucharist.

She was cute, nice build, a little too much paint,Wobbly on her feet as she slid from her barstool, and on the make.
“No thanks, not tonight”, - and I gave her Eucharist.

She lived alone, her husband dead, her familygone, and she talked at you, not to you, words, endless words, spewed out.So I listened – and gave her Eucharist.

Downtown is nice, lights change from red togreen and back again, flashing blues, pinks and oranges, I gulped them in, Said “Thank You Father”, and made them Eucharist.

I laughed at myself, and told myself “You with all your sin and all your selfishness, I forgive you, I accept you, I love you” It’s nice, and so necessary to give yourselfEucharist.

My Father, when will we learn – You cannot talk Eucharist – you cannot philosophize about it. You do it. You don’t dogmatize Eucharist. Sometimes you laugh it, sometimes you cry it, often you sing it. Sometimes it’s wild peace, then crying hurt, often humiliating, never deserved.

You see Eucharist in another’s eyes, give it inanother’s hand held tight, squeeze it in an embrace. You pause Eucharist in the middle of a busyday, speak it in another’s ear, listen to it from a person who wants to talk.

For Eucharist is as simple as being on time and as profound as sympathy, I give you my supper, I give you my sustenance,I give you my life, I give you me. I give you EUCHARIST.

BY: R. Voigt

Isn't this poem so profound???? Anyways... there were alot of associates of the Sisters of Notre Dame at this retreat and several of them asked me if I would consider becoming one. Before I could answer, one of the other associates interrupted them and told them that "This one has a higher calling". I was quite taken aback because I had not told anyone on this retreat that I was discerning a call to religious life. (I don't really see it as a higher calling either). I asked her what she meant, and she answered back that I have the air of the nuns. She thought I'd make a good nun. Is this God at work or what? This is like the second time that someone has said something like this out of the blue.

Peace to you all.

That empty space in my heart
Mood:  special
Now Playing: sound of fish tank because I don't feel like listening to music at the moment
Hello everyone! There's something that I've got on my chest that I have to get off. I attended mass 4 times during Holy Week (I've never done that before in my life), and I just came back into the world with this hole in my heart that I know can only be filled by God. I am sooo much in love with Jesus. So much so that I want to go to mass every day or at least to a communion service so that I can have him in my body every day. I don't ever want this love of mine to go away.

I'm sad though because there is not a daily mass that's in the evening here that I can go to. I work very early in the morning 'til mid-afternoon and I can't leave work to attend mass.

Tomorrow evening I start my retreat. I will pray about this little dilemma there. God is good!

On another note. I need to try to figure out what's wrong with my spiritual director's computer. It's slower than heck and it's not a bad computer, in fact, it's better than mine. But it's sooooo slow. Any ideas of what it could be?