A Retreat...

Last night, I was thinking about retreats. A lot. Before this COVID-19 thing started, I was thinking I need to get out of here for awhile and go be elsewhere to collect myself. Not ‘find’ myself – because we don’t actually ‘lose’ ourselves… – but to collect myself. Every retreat I’ve ever been on, even the scrapbooking one I went on in 2005, had a ‘theme’ of sorts.

Every single one. (= That got me thinking, I was going to go be with God for a few days out in the wilderness, but the people I was going to go do it with, they didn’t get a chance to get back to me when I’d left them a message, because the COVID-19 virus started hitting our country, too. Understandably, that retreat wasn’t meant to be, and I’m okay with that. Everything, literally, that I was going to do with those beautiful ladies, I can easily do here at home.

But, having never done a private retreat before, let alone one on my own, I was at a loss as to what to do, where to even start.

So.

It's getting more real...

Good morning, Readers! Here we are in week two of this crazy COVID-19… Show of hands, who’s going nuts? Anyone? Anyone?

In my state, Ohio, we’re not on martial law, but we are told we are not permitted to go to any social things. The only places we’re permitted to go are the doctor, the store, and that’s … pretty much it. It’s so strange. I went to the store yesterday because I needed to get out of the house for a minute, and I wasn’t gone super long, but it’s crazy how … odd the atmosphere felt. I don’t mean the temperature of the room, right, but how we interact with each other anymore. People were not going Black Friday nuts, but they were kind of … subdued, I guess would be the best word I can think of. The cashiers’ smiles didn’t meet their eyes, customers just kind of lumbered along like, ‘Well, Myrtle, let’s go grab some milk for the kids, let’s get this over with...’ Almost like a collective exasperated sigh could be heard.

It was deafening.

Adoration.

Hey, y'all.  I just wanted to check in and draw your attention to the latest addition to my blog, I've embedded a video of the live feed for Perpetual Adoration broadcast from Tyburn Convent.

In this difficult time, it's not feasible to be able to attend Adoration, so I felt the need to add a spot on my website to share the live feed from Tyburn Convent, they have Perpetual Adoration they broadcast live through YouTube.  Right now, with things being so chaotic, and let's face it, terrifying, I don't know about y'all, but I'm feeling pretty isolated and cut off from our Beloved Lord.  Not being able to attend Mass is difficult enough.

I don't know if you're able to find a way to watch Mass remotely, but I certainly hope so.  If nothing else, I know that Papa Francis broadcasts the Mass from the Vatican.

My hope is that this COVID-19 issue is cleared quickly and as safely as possible, but I'm so grateful to the swet nuns at Tyburn Convent for doing the Perpetual Adoration live feed on YouTube so we can still have Adoration.

Know that I'm praying for you all, I love you, and I hope we're able to get through this unscathed and stronger on the other side of this.

Let your faith be bigger than your fear!  Keep safe!

Girl Up, Already! Combatting Fear with the Cross of Beloved Jesus Christ.

Tonight, because I can’t (read: won’t) sleep, I’m going to take some time to sit and work through my over-abundant anxiety and attempt to write. I sat here and carefully listened to a couple of homilies from Fathers of Mercy priests. Both of these beautiful homilies really got me where I live, and where I’ve been for a long time.

While I was listening to them, I’ve been sitting here thinking a lot – too much, let’s be honest, yeah? - and decided to clear out my e-mail. I came across a few things that got me really to pause and say, ‘Ohhhh…’

COVID-19 IS OUR WAKE-UP CALL!

...Hiya, gang. I don’t even know where to begin. I had another article started, about appreciation, and I discussed it with my friend/mentor… Not so much the content, not yet, as it was still pretty raw. To be fair, by the time y’all see anything hit my blog, it’s gone over by me at least a couple times and at least once with my friend/mentor.

...and breathe...?

Good morning, Reader! Happy Thursday.

...Can you tell the coffee kicked in… 

And there’s another reason for my good mood: I don’t remember how much I’ve written about this in the past, but over a year ago, I started on an adventure. I decided to sign up – at the encouragement of a few close friends – for a Creative Writing Specialization online. I had no idea where it would take me, and I certainly didn’t think it would take this long to get this far. But, as the saying goes, ‘If you wanna make God laugh, tell Him your plans!’

Lent: It's NOT About Us!

How is your Lent going, Reader? I hope things are going well, and you’re drawing ever-nearer to our Beloved Lord!

Something that I wanted to address is how we approach Lent. I know that two posts ago, I mentioned some ideas of what to do as penances this year to do, some suggestions. Here’s the thing, I wanted to reach out and discuss a little something about Lent a bit further than I did last week: HOW are you approaching Lent? I don’t just mean, ‘are you praying more?’ or ‘are you fasting more?’ I certainly hope these things are happening, of course, but… No. I want to take some time to share a little something with you that I just learnt about: 2 Samuel 7.1-7:

After the king had taken up residence in his house, and the Lord had given him rest from his enemies on every side, the king said to Nathan the prophet, ‘Here I am living in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells in a tent!’ Nathan answered the king, ‘What ever is in your heart, go and do, for the Lord is with you.’ But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan: ‘Go and tell David My servant, Thus says the Lord: Is it you who would build Me a house to dwell in? I have never dwelt in a house from the day I brought Israel up from Egypt to this day, but I have been going about in a tent or a tabernacle. As long as I have wandered about among the Israelites, did I ever say a word to any of the judges whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel: Why have you not built me a house of cedar?’

Zeus and Athena...?

Reader, can we have a real conversation right now? I’m in a weird place. Let’s face it, your girl is not okay. But yet, I totally am. I’m just in a weird place. My mood’s been great, but my brain won’t stop going seventeen different directions all at once. Honestly, it’s frustrating.