STOP Rushing!

As I rush to take Chuck to physical therapy and then drive to San Antonio to meet MJ and her boy friend flying in from Salt Lake City, this reminder is very good for me:

It is also a good word for Advent!

Lean Into the Darkness

Advent Longing

In the darkness of the season, in the silence of Mary’s womb,

          new life waits and grows.

          Hope is shaped in hidden places,

          on the edges, in the depths

          far from the blinding lights and deafening sounds of consumer frenzy.

In the darkness and silence of my own life,

          I wait,

          listening for the whisper of angel wings,

          longing for a genuine experience of mystery,

          hoping for a rekindling of joy and the establishment of peace.

I lean into the darkness

         and silence.

         Expectant.

                                                            ~Larry J. Peacock

I need to remember to TARRY!

"The season of Advent means there is something on the horizon the likes of which we have never seen before. . . . What is possible is to not see it, to miss it, to turn just as it brushes past you. And you begin to grasp what it was you missed, like Moses in the cleft of the rock, watching God's (back) fade in the distance. So stay. Sit. Linger. Tarry. Ponder. Wait. Behold. Wonder. There will be time enough for running. For rushing. For worrying. For pushing. For now, stay. Wait. Something is on the horizon."

~~Jan L. Richardson

Mea Culpa!

Despite committing to blog two weeks ago, I did not come through. Helping Chuck get ready for his knee replacement surgery plus Christmas preparations kept me busy the first week. Then one week ago today, Chuck's right knee was replaced by an excellent orthopedic surgeon and his staff. So this week has been even busier than the first one!

Although not true, I have been feeling overwhelmed by all there is to do. In fact, I cried and fell apart last Thursday when Chuck was released from the hospital. Getting him home, out of the car and into the house, I forgot that the car had been parked by the back door for easiest entry for him. However that meant the gate was NOT closed, and forgetting that, I let the dogs out--who streaked off.

Cisco, the older German Shepherd mix, came back when called, but crazy Maisie (Lab and hound mix) had disappeared. She does this at any opportunity and that's when my tears let forth. . . .as I went off to drive the neighborhood, trying to spot Maisie.

Somehow Chuck felt sorry for me in his own pain and called me up to tell me to come home. After I did, someone called to say they had found Maisie and would walk her home. Even though Maisie bolted again, this kind young woman ran her down and brought her back. People are so good.

I have not noticed Advent as much as usual, with Chuck's surgery. He had some rough days at the beginning, but has been doing better since the weekend. His mobility is increasing, and he has cut his pain meds way back.

I still have to drive him places, because his right knee was replaced. We've heard stories that it will take a month before he is able to lift his foot and leg quickly enough to drive. Only three more weeks! But it's easy to take him around, especially because he is so cheerful.

Center Oneself

From Shalem on Facebook

Our Granddaughters

Avery and Emma

Thanks to our son and these girls' daddy DC, here is a picture of our beloved granddaughters in Austin this past weekend. I am glad that they will spend Christmas with us!

Advent Is A Time of Creation

"In the beginning, the Spirit brooded over the face of the waters and God spoke and there was Light. Likewise, in the fullness of time, an angel announced to Mary and the same creative Spirit visited her and she conceived the Son of God. This Advent, our Advent, is equally a time of creation. God's same Spirit abides in us--brooding over our waters--shaping and forming us, being formed and shaped by us. We are God's creative works in process. God alone knows what we shall become. What might God have in store in the fullness of our time? In the beginning, God created Light. In Mary, God became flesh. What will God become in us this Advent? Is there room in us for God's seed to take root and grow? God has visited us with grace and favor. Are we ready to become Light?"

~~by Thomas Hoffman

Slow Down. Quiet. It's Advent!

Some years ago, a friend gave me this Advent poster that has been taped on the inside of my pantry door ever since then. Every Advent, I look at it again, even though the suggestions could be used daily!

AND this year I finally ordered some of these from Forward Movement. If you want one, it is entitled "2014 Slow Down. Quiet. It's Advent." The cost is $12 for 25 copies.

Sorry I am so late with this thought--or at least in sharing it.

Below you'll see what suggestions are given for the first three days of Advent.


And here's how it looks:

And in Texas. . . .

I am sad at all the weather problems in the north, but here in TX about the only snowmen we ever get are these:

from Facebook

Ha-Ha to the Dogs!

Window open

Window closed

Our cat likes to taunt our dogs from the safety of the kitchen. She was officially named "Gracie" by youngest daughter MJ, but she's known as "Kitty" these days.

Visitors!

Daughters AE and KA came to see us on a brief trip from Seattle to Texas. They spent Friday night with us and Saturday night in Austin with their nieces Avery and Emma (and their parents).

Daughter-in-law KA and Emma in Austin

For Emma's first birthday, her parents gave her a matching chair (purple) to her older sister's Avery's pink chair. Even at 1 year old, Emma already prefers her older sister's chair--sibling rivalry!

Congenial idol?

We are your people and mostly we don’t mind,

          except that you do not fit any of our categories.

We keep pushing

                    and pulling

                    and twisting

                    and turning,

          trying to make you fit the God we would rather have,

                    and every time we distort you that way

                              we end up with an idol more congenial to us.

In our more honest moments of grief and pain

          we are very glad that you are who you are,

          and that you are toward us in all your freedom

          what you have been toward us.

So be your faithful self

          and by your very engagement in the suffering of the world,

          transform the world even as you are being changed.

We pray in the name of Jesus,

          who is the sign of your suffering love. Amen.

(In anticipation of reading Jeremiah 4-6/2000)

Brueggemann, Walter. Awed to Heaven, Rooted in Earth: Prayers of Walter Brueggemann. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2003. 147.

Carrot and Ginger Soup Recipe

Now that it is fall, I feel like I can make soups again. I love to make soups!

This is Jan’s adaptation to the original recipe of Carrot and Ginger Soup in The New England Soup Factory Cookbook (171). The ingredients in parenthesis are the original components, which I did not use.

3 Tbsp. butter

2 whole cloves garlic, peeled

1 onion, peeled and diced

3 ribs celery sliced (2 ribs)

3 pounds carrots, peeled and sliced

3 Tbsp. peeled and chopped fresh ginger

4 cups vegetable stock (or chicken)

1 tsp. coriander

1 tsp. cumin  (1 tsp. ginger)

½ cup honey

2 cans coconut milk (1 ½ cups heavy cream)

Salt and pepper to taste

In a large, heavy-bottomed stockpot over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the garlic, onion, celery, carrots, and gingerroot. Saute for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

Pour the stock over the vegetables and bring to a boil. Lower the heat slightly and simmer until the carrots are soft and tender, about 30-35 minutes.

Remove from the heat. Add the spices and honey. Puree the soup in the pot using a hand blender or working in batches with a regular blender until smooth.

Add the coconut milk and season with salt and pepper. Stir (and maybe warm) until the ingredients are well combined.

Makes 8-10 servings.

From this highly recommended cookbook:

Druker, Marjorie and Silverstein, Clara. New England Soup Factory Cookbook. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2007. 171.

Monday

I am on a jury panel, so I will be going back to the courthouse for questioning and jury selection after lunch. So I will post this nice picture Chuck took of Emma and me this past weekend:




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Friday Five: Random!

1. How do you sign off in your emails, professional and personally?

Automatically, my emails end with "The highest form of wisdom is kindness,"
-The Talmud

2. If you were an animal TODAY, what is it and why?

Dog, because I would be very loving, which is how I want to be visiting my granddaughters this weekend in Austin.

3. If you get snarky, what triggers it? If you don’t get snarky, please, what is the secret?

Not too often, because I am too passive-aggressive, though trying to grow into honesty.

4. Look up from your computer/tablet/phone screen. What is the first
favorite thing your eyes land on. Describe it. (For example, I just
did this, and my eyes landed on a little angel made out of multicolored
wires whose head and wings are quite askew because of being chewed upon
by my puppy. That aside, I love it because it was a gift from two
little girls who came often to my office in my last call to play with
all the tshotke on my table. They wanted to add to it.)

I am rushing before leaving to see those granddaughters, so I see our kitty sitting about three feet away while looking at me suspiciously, probably suspecting that we are leaving soon. (When I returned from my weekend with Nancy in San Antonio on Monday this kitty BIT me on my leg!)

5. Do you have a favorite pair of socks? Tell us about them!

I like colorful socks, but don't get to wear them often here in south TX. I like some green and blue striped ones a lot.

San Fernando Cathedral Light Show in San Antonio

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

My Friend Nancy

Nancy and I met each other at Yokosuka Naval Base in Japan in 1962(3?) so we have been friends for over 50 years. Since I grew up in a military family and moved every few years, I don't have any other "childhood" friends that I am still in touch with.

Every five years or so, we go on a trip together. This year Nancy is flying to San Antonio, where we will attend an ART workshop on Saturday and Sunday. She flies in Thursday night, and I will drive there tomorrow. She will stay until Monday when she must return to CA to her family and her teaching job.

Here is a picture of Nancy from our last trip together--New Mexico in 2010.

Nancy at Chaco Canyon 2010

 I am excited about seeing Nancy and exploring San Antonio together on Friday. Nancy is much more artistic than I am (not), so this will be a growth experience at the workshop this weekend for me!

Saint Francis

My friend Louise has this Saint Francis statue at her house from her mother.

Quiet Day at Home

Detachment?

This is a profound thought I saw on Facebook:

Jan and Emma

This must have been taken the weekend of Emma's baptism in May. She was 7 months old then and will be 1 year old in three weeks. Her dad just sent me the pic from his phone, which makes me very happy.

Friday Five: Surprising Finds

Only afterwards, do we realize that we have “found” something that we like–like a new way to look at something; a new (to me) author; a new song or hymn; a new food. Today share with us something that you like that seemed surprisingly “new” to you sometime in the near past. It could even be a RE-discovery.

Here is a list, but you can choose your own five items you would like to share! Please join us today in playing FF.

1. author: A new author for me is Nina Schuyler who wrote The Translator. I found this at The King's English book store in Salt Lake City on my last visit with daughter MJ. I find the best books at independent book stores! This is beautifully written, though a little slow to begin with. It wrestles with the translator being the "author" or "interpreter" of a work being translated. A friend is reading The Painting by the same author, which is available on Kindle but out of print. Like The Translator, this book takes place in Japan.

2. shampoo:  Oribe Shampoo for Magnificent Volume: When I had thinning hair due to the medications I was taking for RA three years ago, I found a thickening shampoo that I continue to use. It is expensive (approximately $30 on Amazon) but lasts almost a year. (My hair doesn't have "magnificent volume," but it is usually fluffier.)

3.TV: Husband Chuck and I are enjoying streaming British television shows at night to watch together. The latest one we like is MI-5 (or Spooks), which has 86 episodes! This one will last a long time. Others we have liked are Doc Martin and Foyles War.

4.book re-discovery: Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin has been sitting in a pile of books to read for several years. I finally started it, which seemed intimidating with the weight and thickness of the book--900 pages. There are 26 chapters and I am committed to reading one chapter a day. Abraham Lincoln has been a hero of mine since second grade when I read a biography of him. I am enjoying the reading and learning about him and his four political rivals as they grew into manhood (only as far as I've gotten in three chapters) and beyond as opponents and eventually allies. The movie "Lincoln" was based upon this book. It is worth reading if you haven't already read it.

5. food: Silly, though it is, we've rediscovered Lance crackers Whole Grain cracker sandwiches with real Sharp Cheddar Cheese. It's a quickie "meal" or snack of 200 calories, even though it is a little salty. Both Chuck and I will share a package of six--having just three each for 100 calories.

Dark then Bright

Assuming this is the last day of my life

(which might mean it is almost the first),

I’m struck blind but my blindness is bright.

Prepare for what’s known here as death;

have no fear of that strange word forever.

Even I can see there’s nothing there

to be afraid of: having already been

to forever I’m unable to recall

anything that scared me, there, or hurt.

What frightened me, apparently, and hurt

was being born. But I got over that

with no hard feelings. Dying, I imagine,

it will be the same deal, lonesomer maybe,

but surely no more shocking or prolonged—

It’s dark as I recall, then bright, so bright.

                    ~Franz Wright

Beloved Father Kelly

Father Kelly Nemeck 1936-2014

I have known Father Kelly for twenty years, through some of his time of being the director of Lebh Shomea "House of Prayer" retreat center in Sarita, TX. He was a priest in the order of Oblates of Mary Immaculate; he is the one who guided me to go to school at the Oblate School of Theology in San Antonio. He died last Thursday.

Father Kelly was a spiritual icon/mentor to me. Through his contemplative masses, I came to love the Eucharist and experience the presence of God. He taught me so many things that I cannot enumerate them, just as he touched many, many others' lives. One thing that stands out is him telling a class at OST that he believed at the moment of death, each of us comes face to face with the Divine One and who could refuse Him then??

I am copying his obituary below, mostly because I want a copy saved.

1936 - 2014
Father Francis Kelly Nemeck, O.M.I., known as Father Kelly, was a great influence in the spiritual lives of countless men and women - married, single, vowed religious, priests, and bishops. From his young adulthood onward, he responded to a special calling to fostering attentive listening to God and others - a life of prayerful contemplation. Born in 1936 in Prescott, Arizona, he came to San Antonio as a child with his parents, May Yeary (of Kingsville, Texas) and Lt. Col. Francis Leonard "Kelly" Nemeck (of Douglas, Arizona) and his sister, Ann. After attending St. Anthony High School Seminary, he made his novitiate year in Mission, Texas, in preparation for joining the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate and professed his first vows as an Oblate in 1955. In preparation for the priesthood, he studied philosophy at DeMazenod Scholasticate (today's Oblate School of Theology) in San Antonio and theology at St. Joseph Scholasticate in Ottawa, Canada. During the course of these studies he was drawn by the thought of the Jesuit cosmologist and theologian Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, who envisioned all of creation evolving to ultimate reunion with Jesus Christ. Teilhard's thought was a lifelong influence in Fr. Nemeck's spirituality. His other model was St. John of the Cross, whom he studied very deeply and followed in his spirituality very closely. Ordained a priest at St. Mary's Church in downtown San Antonio in 1961, his first assignment was to DeMazenod Scholasticate as a professor for five years. Then, after briefly serving among the Chontals in Tehuantepec, Mexico, and at parishes in Midland and Houston, he began studies for a doctorate in spiritual theology at the Catholic Institute in Lyons, France, during which time he also taught and directed retreats in Ontario, Canada. His dissertation in 1973, under the direction of Henri de Lubac, S.J., developed the thought of Teilhard de Chardin and St. John of the Cross on the constructive value of human suffering. In late 1973, Fr. Nemeck joined the house of prayer founded earlier that year by Fr. Tom Marcoux, O.M.I., in the former main house of the vast La Parra Ranch surrounding Sarita, Texas, on the parcel of the ranch bequeathed to the Oblates by Sarita Kenedy East in gratitude for the long ministry of Oblate missionaries in South Texas. The fact that Fr. Marcoux had named the house of prayer Lebh Shomea, Hebrew for "listening heart," after King Solomon's request for a listening heart when God offered to grant the king anything that he wanted, certainly corresponded with Fr. Nemeck's own contemplative spirit. Together with Sisters Marie Theresa Coombs and Maria Meister, Father Nemeck developed Lebh Shomea during the next forty years into a nationally recognized place of silent contemplation and discernment for thousands of people from all walks of life. Fr. Nemeck and Marie Theresa Coombs coauthored several books on spiritual discernment, which have also been translated into Spanish. He also traveled to San Antonio to teach courses in spirituality and discernment at Oblate School of Theology for several years. In 1988-1991 and 1994-1999 he served on the Provincial Council (leadership group) of the Southern Province of the Missionary Oblates. When his health began to significantly deteriorate in late 2013, Fr. Nemeck moved to the Oblate Madonna Residence in San Antonio. Supporting increasing suffering with spiritual fortitude, he died there on September 11, 2014. He is survived by his sister, Ann Nemeck Henry, his nieces Elizabeth and Kathryn, and his Missionary Oblate brothers. May Father Kelly rejoice in God's abiding love.

Emma and Avery

Emma and Avery

"The Wave" by David Whyte

You arrived as a ripple of change emanating
from an original, unstoppable,
memory, a then made now,
entirely yourself, found now in the world,
now as creator of that world.
You were a signature written in sand
taken by the ocean and scattered
to another wave form, your disappearance
only made more beautiful
by the everyday arrival of a tide
where my voice can still join yours,
hungering for the fall of water,
so that walking the reflected sand,
I set myself to learn by your going,
knowing across death’s wide ocean,
the ultimate parallel to friendship.

(In Memoriam: John O’Donohue)
From Pilgrim: Poems by David Whyte
©2012 David Whyte

My Sweet Granddaughters

Today AA, mother of my granddaughters, posted this cute picture of them on Facebook, so I am sharing it here.

Avery and Emma

Blogging again!

Almost two months later, here I am again. Blogging since 2006 recently seemed like too long a time. Having a vacation, various trips, and enduring the hot summer of south TX (which continues), I will attempt to get back to writing. 

So here is a random sampling of my retired life:

• I have gotten two postcards from Dee, who commented on my last post in July that she would like to exchange postcards! I have enjoyed her cards so much that I feel like I have found a new friend! It is really easy to write a few lines on a postcard and count it as "mail." 

• The Wisdom Class started again this past Tuesday with a new book that is sparking interesting conversations: The December Project: An Extraordinary Rabbi and a Skeptical Seeker Confront Life's Greatest Mystery by Sara Davidson.

 Although Reb Zalman died this past July, he spent the previous two years talking to Sara Davidson, a seeking and spiritually cynical writer, about dying and death, with stories about his life thrown in. It is very interesting how he met theologian Howard Thurman when he was a young man and thought he was the janitor!

Later, he came to admire him as his professor.

I liked how Reb Zalman described dying (or the "dark end"):

"I don't think it's all dark. Something continues. It's as if the body and soul are tied together with little strings. The closer you get to leaving, the more the strings loosen and the more you connect with greater awareness, the expanded mind." (6)

So often Americans look to Eastern religions for further answers, but it seemed time for us to look at Judaism, the foundation of Christianity in the Wisdom Class.

Reb Zalman and Sara Davidson

•  On the various trips we've taken, I have read a lot of books. I finished the witches trilogy by Diana Harkness with The Book of Life. It's been fun to read all three books; I even re-read the first two before reading the third when it was published this summer. Just days ago, I finished the latest Louise Penny mystery that features Inspector Gamache: The Long Way Home. Louise Penny writes better with each mystery; this one was excellent. 

• I found other books on my travels in independent book stores, so those will be on my list to write about in the near future. 

• And here is a wonderful quote about listening, which was our opening meditation in the Wisdom Class this past Tuesday:

• “Listening is a magnetic and strange thing, a creative force. When we really listen to people there is an alternating current, and this recharges us so that we never get tired of each other. We are constantly being re-created.”
  
  
  
                      ~~Brenda Ueland (1891-1985) writer, editor, teacher of writing
   

Postcards!

Postcards! Long ago, I read a newspaper article where someone advocated sending postcards in place of letters, which took too long to write. That's still a valid suggestion. Dash off a thought!

I like to send postcards, always have and probably always will. As I get ready to go to WA State for our annual summer visit, I am wondering if any of my friends would like me to mail them a postcard. . . .If I don't already have your address, which could be likely for blogging friends anyway, please send it to me!

I have my postcards stamps along with my little address book ready to be packed. I can easily pen in a new address.

It will be nice to leave the heat and humidity behind for a few weeks and to see daughters, Chuck's parents and family, and friends. We are always reassured that two people stay in our house to take care of the dogs (and one cat) while we are gone.
Do you want some mail?

Remembering

Flowers from daughters AE and KA!

We Remember
from the Gates of Prayer
Reform Judaism Prayerbook

In the rising of the sun
and in its going down,
We remember them;

In the blowing of the wind
and in the chill of the winter,
We remember them;

In the opening of the buds
and in the warmth of the summer,
We remember them;

In the rustling of the leaves
and the beauty of the autumn,
We remember them;

And in the beginning of the year
and when it ends,
We remember them;

When we are weary
and in need of strength,
We remember them;

When we are lost
and sick at heart,
We remember them;

When we have joys
we long to share,
We remember them;

So long as we shall live
they too shall live,
For they are now a part of us as
We remember them.

 I am remembering my mother who died 22 years ago today.  I am appreciating friends who have birthdays today, as well as my family still with me.

Pledge Allegiance

At church on Sunday, our wonderful choir sang a "Growing Allegiance" written by Paul Priest. 

It is quite lovely and one that resonates with me:

"I pledge allegiance to the flag of these United States, and to the founding principles its pattern celebrates: that as the stripes and stars combine in unity more grand, so my allegiance has to grow beyond my native land.

"And as a tree grows ring on ring in ever widening girth, I love my family, town, and state, my country and my Earth. And soaring on beyond the sun, beyond the galaxy, I find my home in endless Love that has its home in me."

Happy Birthday!

35 years ago, Chuck and I were overjoyed to have our first baby, DC and on a big learning curve to learn how to be the loving parents we wanted to be. Happy Birthday!

August 1981, DC in Bellingham, WA on Grandma and Grandpa's lounge chair.

We would go to Bellingham, WA every summer to visit our parents and experience the cool temperatures and beauty of the Pacific Northwest. It was also an opportunity for the children to play and explore in large parks with creeks and trees. Wonderful memories.

And how he looks today with Avery and Emma!

July 6, 2014: Avery, DC, and Emma

Procrastinating (through reading)

Went to Austin last weekend to help DC and AA move and to babysit Emma and Avery. Chuck stayed two days longer to paint rooms in their new house, where they move next week.

Chuck and I ordered our dinners from Mama Fu's two nights in a row (I like the Spice General Fu), while we babysat the girls. That's when we learned that Avery loves the fortune papers in fortune cookies, but she doesn't like to eat the cookies.

Coming home, I have been reading and reading. Since the Jung talks by Robert Moore at Oblate School of Theology, I have become very intrigued by dreams and books about them. Currently, I am reading several books about them, while starting others:

• Wisdom of the Heart: Working with Women's Dreams by Karen A. Signell, Ph.D.
• The Living Labyrinth: Exploring Universal Themes in Myths, Dreams, and the Symbolism of Waking Life by Jeremy Taylor
• The Uses of Enchantment: The Meaning and Importance of Fairy Tales by Bruno Bettelheim (which I wish I had read when my children were young!)
• Primary Speech: A Psychology of Prayer by Ann and Barry Ulanov (which I read over a decade ago by the recommendation of Mary Jane and remember very little)

These are being read; no wonder I am confused!

Plus, I read a mystery on my Kindle, which turned out to be very similar to other mysteries by the same author, though I only noticed this at the end: Peter Pan Must Die by John Verdon.

All these books point to further procrastination, since I have not listed most of the books I have read  this year in my "2014" list. I might as well delete that!

Books and Trips

Since the Summer Conference at Oblate with Robert L. Moore as the main speaker, I have been reading books related to Jung. My interest was ignited by the various speakers, and I see that the spiritual journey coincides with the psychological journey to wholeness.

Briefly, I will tell you what I am reading and have read:

The book that surprised me by its synchronicity with the talks I heard at Oblate was a book I brought with me with the strange title of The Great Work of Your Life: A Guide for the Journey to Your True Calling by Stephen Cope. I had bought it long ago because a friend had recommended it to me, but the title turned me off. Still to counteract that, I loved the story of how her daughter-in-law was at a yoga retreat in the NE and asked at their bookstore for a recommendation for her mother-in-law that she described as a "Christian Mystic." This is that book! It is based on the Bhagavad Gita, with descriptions of famous people living out the true life of following dharma--Jane Goodall, Susan B. Anthony, John Keats, and Harriet Tubman.

Finding Meaning in the Second Half of Life: How to Finally, Really Grow Up by James Hollis

What Matters Most: Living a More Considered Life by James Hollis

Those were easily downloaded on my Kindle and so I started reading the first one while I was still in San Antonio. (This was after a Jungian analyst I met from Houston recommended James Hollis' books).

And I got the cd set for "Through the Dark Wood: Finding Meaning in the Second Half of Life" by James Hollis, which I will listen to as I drive to Austin tomorrow.

Chuck and I are driving separate cars to drive there to help our son and his wife and two little girls get ready to move into their new house. Chuck will probably stay longer than I will, because he'll be painting walls. It will be fun to see Avery and Emma (and their mommy and daddy)! And we are so lucky that we have dependable people to take care of our dogs, cat, and house.

When I get back, I will try to write about what I've been reading and also finish telling you about our vacation!

Wisdom!

Oblate Summer Institute 2014

I have been attending the Oblate Summer Institute since 2001, when it was a much smaller event. Since Father Ronald Rolheiser became President of Oblate School of Theology, he has fostered many more programs for spiritual development, including the expansion of this Summer Institute.

This year's Summer Institute is featuring Dr. Robert Moore, Jungian analyst, professor, and author. On Monday-Wednesday, he will speak about:

June 16th:

The Flood: Facing the Growing Global Epidemic of Grandiosity

 

June 17th:

Understanding Our Need for a Psycho-Spiritual Ark

 

June 18th:

The Real Ark: Building the Fellowship of the Golden Dragon

I will be attending with other friends from Corpus Christi. I am looking forward to hearing the author of Facing the Dragon: Confronting Personal and Spiritual Grandiosity (which only costs $7.99 on the Kindle).

Grand Canyon: South Rim

When Chuck and I traveled to our new home in Virginia in 1972, we stopped to see the Grand Canyon. However, for the 20 hours that we were there, it was filled with fog, which is probably normal in late winter months. So 40+ years later, we decided to see it again (and really for the first time).

Driving from Albuquerque, we reached the South Rim of the Grand Canyon in the early afternoon and spent daylight hours there. It was beautiful, even though the view was hazy with smoke from major forest fires south of there.

Our first stop was the viewpoint where the 70-ft. high Watchtower is situated.

We ooh-ad and ahh-ed at the beautiful views and took some pictures. Then, I decided I wanted to climb the tower, while Chuck said he would wait for me below. That must have taken at least 30 minutes, because I had to look and take pictures at every window!

The first level of windows has a round room with paintings of Indians on the walls. These are in the Hopi Room which presents paintings by Hopi artist Fred Kabotie, who took the room's theme from the Hopi Snake Dance.

Viewpoint from the Watchtower

 The walkways up are narrow, with people trying to both ascend and descend. It got tight with me trying to make myself smaller than I am for people passing by! A few parts seemed very steep to me, so I was glad that Chuck had not attempted the climb.

The magnificence of the rock formations overwhelmed us, just as they have for centuries. It is hard to imagine early people seeing this, exploring and trying to find their ways with all these canyons and cliffs.  The tribes who have lived here are many, including the Haulapi, Navajo, Hopi, Zuni, Paiute, and Havasupai. Go here for information about them.

Due to the smoky conditions, we decided not to stay late or to come back early in the morning before we drove off to Las Vegas.

Acoma Pueblo, New Mexico

I loved visiting the Acoma Pueblo so much with my friend Nancy almost ten years ago that I wanted Chuck to see it, too. He patiently took me there, which goes against his nature for back-tracking on any trip: We had to drive 55 miles west of Albuquerque (that night's destination) to go to Acoma before checking in to our hotel (and then drive back to Albuquerque).

View of Acoma Pueblo with Sky City Visitor's Center below

One must purchase a ticket to visit Acoma Pueblo and access to it is only allowed via their mini-buses. Dark clouds were approaching, and we were glad that we wore our windbreakers and brought an umbrella because rain started after our arrival on top.

From Wikipedia:
"The Pueblo lies on a 365-foot mesa, about 60 miles west of Albuquerque, New Mexico. The isolation and location of the Pueblo has sheltered the community for more than 1,200 years, which sought to avoid conflict with neighboring Navajos and Apaches.


"Today, about 300 two- and three-story adobe buildings reside on the mesa, with exterior ladders used to access the upper levels where residents live. Access to the mesa is by a road blasted into the rock face during the 1950s. Approximately 30 or so people live permanently on the mesa, with the population increasing on the weekends as family members come to visit and tourists, some 55,000 annually, visit for the day."

It is a little disappointing to find homes that do not appear to be old still standing there, but the designs are similar to the originals. During the tourist season, more people live there, because tables with Acoma pottery are out for sale with the artists' and their families selling them.  

I found it very interesting that the houses are passed on through mothers and daughters, on and on. That is also how people know which family they belong to--through their mothers.

Only living tree on Acoma Pueblo

We were lucky to arrive at the church, where no picture-taking is allowed with its cemetery in front, before the downpour began.

When the rain had lessened, most of the people went back to the bus. About five ladies, including me, went back to some tables with a guide because we wanted to buy some pottery. I went all out, mostly because this was my second trip there, and bought a large pot from Terrance Chino, Sr. He made the other pots pictured, and the one I got is in the front.

Pots by Terrance M. Chino, Sr.

While it rained, I wrote him a check and we arranged for him to mail it to me. A week had passed after our return home, and it had not come. Last Friday I was surprised by a phone call from Terrance Chino, himself; asking me if the pot had arrived. In fact, it was delivered that very afternoon! I was surprised at how well he had wrapped it--triple wrapped in bubble wrap, taped together, and in two boxes with styrofoam pellets for protection. Plus, I was astounded at how it was more beautiful (and bigger!) than I had remembered. Amazingly, the artist enclosed a piece of notebook paper, with the different symbols drawn and described. I am thrilled with this personal connection with the artist.

 Poor Chuck had a stressful drive back to Albuquerque, because the thunderstorm accompanied us along the way.

Still, we were/are both glad that we visited Acoma (Sky City) Pueblo on May 23, 2014.

Friday Five: Friday the 13th!

RevKarla brings today's Friday Five to RevGalBlogPals:

Happy Friday the 13th, Gals and Pals!

SO, let’s get right on it~~

1.  Are you superstitious about anything?  Like, lucky socks for competition, special necklace for preaching, etc.?
 Not really. I think I've tried to be at different times in my life by carrying some special item like a rock or cross, but I always lose track of it sometime.


2.  I’m going on vacation on Tuesday.  I have never been so ready for vacation.  What are you looking forward to?
We already had a wonderful vacation that I am currently blogging about. Husband Chuck wanted to go traveling before all the kids got out of school, so we came home about the time schools were closing.

We always look forward to a brief respite in Washington State, visiting Chuck's parents, dear friends, and our daughters, in July or August.

3.  There is a lot going on in sports right now–World Cup, Basketball finals, and much more.   If your life were a sport, what would it be, and why? 
Probably like the soccer team of young children who huddle around the ball and don't seem to know which way to go, slowly learning the dynamics of the game.

4.  Hey!  Remember orange push-up ice cream treats?  What happened to them?  What is one of your favorite summer treats?  Ice cream sandwich, popsicles, frozen grapes, fruit pizza, DQ Dilly Bar, etc.?
I used to love Dilly Bars and even ordered enough for a bus-load of kids when we took them on a field trip to the Portland Zoo and were returning to Eddyville School way back in 1978.

While my children were young, I always made many, many popsicles from fruit juices for them.  Another good treat is taking pineapple rings and laying two on top of each other on a cookie sheet, then putting an ice cream stick in between each one. Put the entire sheet into the freezer to freeze.

5.  So there is this thing called “Listserve” that picks one random person per day to write an email to like a million people world-wide.  It’s pretty cool. Some people make music suggestions, offer sage advice, or plug their latest interest/project.  If you could write a note to a million people around the world, what would you say?
 Remember what Julian of Norwich said: "All shall be well, all shall be well, all manner of things shall be well" while keeping in mind that the Torah says "The highest form of wisdom is kindness."

Let This Be Prayer

O God, I do not know how to pray. Because I do not know what it means to pray properly, to pray in 
such a way as to serve or worship, I must offer what I have and can do as my prayer. And here it is.

 Let this posture be the prayer

Let this intention be the prayer

Let this very not-knowing be the prayer

Let this breath be the prayer

Let this resistance and discomfort be the prayer

Let this distraction be the prayer

Let this drinking of tea be the prayer

Let this eating of breakfast be the prayer

Let this hectic schedule be the prayer

Let this attempt at Remembrance be the prayer

Let the steps walked in silence across the parking lot be the prayer

Let the birdsong noted be the prayer

Let this poor journal-writing be the prayer

Let the vastness of the night sky be the prayer

Let worrying, and then dropping the worry be the prayer

Let chanting and dancing and reading be the prayer

Let dressing and undressing be the prayer

Let sleeping and rising and sleeping and rising be the prayer

Let missing someone be the prayer

Let memories and whispered calls for help for others be the prayer

Let opening the door and putting on and taking off shoes be the prayer

Let the keeping simple order be the prayer

Let the celebration of light and darkness be the prayer

Let warmth and cold be the prayer

All of it, not bad, not good, just as it is and wondrous all of it. . . .

          be the prayer

O God, in my helplessness, from nowhere, with nothing, let these poor prayers, as flowers, draw You

to the garden from which their fragrance arises.

                                        ~Regina Sara Ryan

Ryan, Regina Sara. Praying Dangerously: Radical Reliance on God. Prescott, Arizona: Hohm Press, 2011. 19-20.