Mission Post # 19

Omigoodness. I'm tingling with chills. We are six days from Christmas. We are nine days from the wedding. And, we are 21 days away from leaving for our mission trip. 

Over the past few months, we have collected so many donations of children's clothing and maternity clothing that, in all likelihood, we will have to ship some of it to arrive ahead of us. We have also received a few cash donations that people have told us to use as we like and/or for trip expenses. 

Then. TODAY. A Christmas card arrived with another donation enclosed. The donation was cash. The card was anonymous. I'm still feeling chilled and pleasantly shocked, by what we found inside. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

I am so grateful for the goodness of so many. Never, in my wildest dreams did I see any of this coming. God bless you all.

Mission Post #18

This week and last brought us some exceedingly generous donations.  I met the Millers in the church parking lot and bags of food, baby cereal, wipes, diapers, and much more (all new) transferred from their car to mine.  The big surprise though was a brand new EvenFlo car seat.  I was floored.  Sister needs car seats and I knew that one very lucky mother was going to be very happy.

Then I met up with a good and long-time friend for lunch a few days ago.  In between caring for her very ailing mother, she still was able to find time to go to Walmart and gather up $200 in gift cards for sister to use for stocking the most needed ongoing items.

Today we received a phone call from another lady from the church who, as it turns out, lives just a few blocks away from us.  She brought by ANOTHER car seat.  It's used but in very good condition.  Score!  Two car seats for sister; another lucky mother.  Sister Darlene may bust out in a happy dance.

Mission Post #17 - Gifts of the Spirit

The First and Highest Gift of the Holy Spirit is Wisdom.  Wisdom is the perfection of faith. As Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J., notes in his Modern Catholic Dictionary, "Where faith is a simple knowledge of the articles of Christian belief, wisdom goes on to a certain divine penetration of the truths themselves." The better we understand those truths, the more we value them properly. Thus wisdom, the Catholic Encyclopedia notes, "by detaching us from the world, makes us relish and love only the things of heaven." Through wisdom, we judge the things of the world in light of the highest end of man—the contemplation of God.

II am nowhere near perfection and actually, the amount of wisdom I possess may be equal to what is needed to know when I've taken a step backwards.  Today I realized that I was taking forward steps towards wisdom without even knowing it and that bit of awareness lead me right to what I'm going to call "my error of the day".  Yeah.  Just one.  But wisdom tells me that an "s" can easily be added to "error".  So I guess I should count my blessings that today's insight came in one long protracted lesson.

Committing to going on a mission takes a lot of thought and later, preparation.  And then practical actions (like applying to be a volunteer).  And then there are recommendations, criminal checks, background checks, and online classes to be aware of child abuse and elder abuse.  Reality check time.  This just going out and doing something good for others is not a simple process in the 21st century. 

But with that all behind me, other areas started to open up.  I found myself praying more, becoming more conscious of my actions, and following breadcrumbs that pointed out behavior that needs to change.  Which brings me to today.

The Walmart Neighborhood Store was not very busy and I got everything I needed that was on my list.  Then I wandered around and decided to pick up a few more things that I had reserved for Raleys.  Win/Win.  Then I got to the checkout stand. 

Stand one - there is a problem so I go to

Stand two - and met a big load of groceries to be checked so back to

Stand one - where I discover the problem will take a while and it's back to

Stand two - where a full basket from another shopper is now in line.

At this point, I start to wonder when they will open checkout stand three because people are gathering; everything else is Self-Checkout.   I make a comment about opening Stand 3 but it falls on deaf ears.  Then, Stand 2 shuts down too and still no one responsive about getting someone to open Stand 3.  I'm not shy about stating my feelings.  Then in undisguised exasperation, I go to Self-Checkout.

Self-Checkout at Walmart is easier than it is at Raleys; I'll give it that.  There is no machine beeping and speaking at you.  Nice.  BUT, reaching deep into the basket was hard on my back and by the time I was finished with my very full basket, I was a sore and crabby mess.

To add insult to injury, another couple who had been there with me when this mess started (and had only five items) was just finishing checking out at Stand 2.  Yes, they had finally reopened.  A few growling words later, aimed at the clerk, and I was gone.

Okay, so you had to be there.  Bad customer service at the checkout after a good in-store experience and a nice clerk at the meat counter, just plain soured me.  Walmart!

So, I went home, cooled off (literally and figuratively) and then headed out to Raleys.  First stop, Starbucks (and the beginning of my breadcrumb trail fed by my moderate supply of accumulated wisdom).  There, I ran into John, a young man I had not seen for a while.  We chatted and caught up and I admired his Spanish language Catechism of the Catholic Church.  I told him about my and Don's upcoming mission and what we would be doing and at the same time consider that I need to start paying attention to my Spanish self-studies again.  It occurred to me that reading the Catechism in English and Spanish might be a helpful learning aid.  It also got me thinking about Walmart and my actions there.  God was sending me a message and His Wisdom was moving in and taking over.  I then moved on to Raleys and quickly discovered that God wasn't finished with me.

So, no sooner did I go into Raleys than I saw two nuns.  Now, this isn't an everyday occurrence around here and to add to the recognition factor, they were wearing traditional habits.  One of the nuns was hurrying down the aisle and rounded the corner.  She disappeared but then I turned around and there was another nun, with a laywoman.  I had to speak and said "hello".  The breadcrumbs turned into an entire loaf of bread.

She was Sr. Maria Santana of the  Irmas Missionarios dos Pebres.  Their mission is to help and serve the homeless, sick and destitute among the children of Brazil.  This naturally lead to me sharing our upcoming mission to serve the poor in SE Missouri and our work with Sr. Darlene.  It was an amazing and unifying moment and God's message and His grace was received loud and clear.

Wisdom is teaching me take a deep breath.  Look at what is going on around me.  Take inventory.  Be patient.  Recall the wisdom of keeping your mouth shut when the words that want to come out will wound someone or, worse yet, make you look like an idiot.  And just to make sure that I knew who was in charge, He gave me one final test and after some thought and deliberation, I said just the right thing.  I spoke from my heart.  I was direct, honest and didn't compromise my beliefs.  End result?  A nice conversation with a former student and an opportunity to teach a little bit about taking information about the Church from the source, not from media or other uninformed interpreters.   Thank you, God, for the gift of wisdom that gave me just the right words to make everything end A-okay.

Mission Post #16 - What Unites Us?

What unites us as human beings?  What is it that we all have in common that makes us one?  In answer to this question, at its most essential, what unites us is blood and bone.  We are all human.  We are men and women.  We may come in various shapes, sizes, and colors, but, we are all human.  We all experience joy, satisfaction, and the desired to do good.  We suffer pain and sorrow, know hunger, want, and thirst, and we all experience the impulse to commit acts for good or evil.  We are complicated creatures that act on more than instinct.  Sometimes this sense of unity comes home in a very real way and we find that we may be the sum of our individual parts but we are all also brothers and sisters beneath the skin.

This weekend Don and I took our next big step in preparing for our mission to southeastern Missouri this coming winter/spring 2014,  Saturday and Sunday we spoke at all of the English and Spanish Masses telling our community of Catholic brethren at St. Anthony's of our upcoming mission; we introduced them to the small community of Glenmary nuns, priests and brothers who serve Appalachia and the South and their mission to serve the poorest of the poor in areas where there is often no Catholic presence at all.

We spoke of Mother's House in Caruthersville, MO and Sr. Darlene's mission to serve the many impoverished single moms of the area.  We asked, not for money but, for donations of maternity clothes, baby clothes and baby food and baby toys.  In a community where children wear uniforms to public schools, we asked for navy and khaki pants and red, blue and white  polo shirts that would fit teenage pregnant girls.

After seven Masses, I found myself reflecting on what unites us.  We of St. Anthony's are a community of people where some have great wealth, many are ordinary middle class, and more than a few are the working poor and not a few who are undocumented and living in the shadows.  We are Anglos, Latinos, and Filipinos.  But at the end of the Masses, at the end of our appeal, I felt so united with all of them.  The response was so overwhelming and positive.  People understand need no matter their "station" in life.  Giving is something we can all do.  There is always someone who has less than we ourselves have and giving fills the need to reach out and help another even if we have a hard time helping ourselves.

Mission Post #15

We have been accepted.  We are going on our mission.  The official word has been sent to us.  We've spoken to Fr. Marcelino to start our planning on the parish end; we have spoken to Sr. Darlene and we think we will be staying with her; we have spoken to Fr. Armando - our pastor - and the details of our appeal to the parish for contributions have been settled.  

We will make our appeal at all the Masses on September 14th and 15th and then once a month after, until we leave, there will be an announcement that we will be outside after Mass. 

Fr. A. also mentioned that La Favorita (a Spanish language radio station) has an English and Spanish Catholic program and we may be able to arrange to make an appeal through there.  

Athens (a friend) is setting up a radio interview for us on her radio program later in September or early October.

Now is the time for me to touch base with Sue again (in Mineral Wells, TX) and start the ground work for a news article and connect with the Catholic Church there.  

We are going to be meeting to make a presentation to Knights of Columbus, YLI, and the Rosary Ladies' group, and others.  Just those three alone will make a deeper connection with parish members.

Our friends Alicia Ruelas and Sara Fontana will translate for us at the Spanish Masses.  So - we are set to go.  I'm excited.

Mission Post #14

My path was set and I thought that with age, that path was cast in stone.  How short-sighted of me.  Age flung the door to my path wide open. 

The walk on this path has been ambling and without special purpose.  Each corner and curve revealed new choices and possibilities. 

Each threshold leads to a new path, some short and some longer.  But no matter the length, each was ambled upon and carefully examined. 

Creativity

Theology

Political Philosophy

Each takes their turn, in turn. 

My daydreaming self-achieved some completion – showing my photography, completing a class on the basics of my faith, exploring political thought and the why of our society’s current conflict.

Satisfaction followed by satisfaction followed by dismay.  I had to ask myself, “What path is right for me?”  Epiphany flared up, dropping glittering awareness, like shining confetti, creating a path of an entirely new direction, a quest, if you will, to live a new way by following:

The corporal works of mercy - feed the hungry; give drink to the thirsty; clothe the naked; shelter the homeless; visit the sick; ransom the captive; and bury the dead.

The spiritual works of mercy – instruct the ignorant; counsel the doubtful; admonish sinners; bear wrongs patiently; forgive offences willingly; comfort the afflicted; and pray for the living and the dead.

This new path will lead me to new places in the coming spring.  Now I plan the endeavor, prepare myself emotionally and pray for spiritual guidance and a willing heart to accept what is asked of me. 

Mission Post #13

We are simply waiting now.  The application is in.  The clearances are completed. The personal recommendations are received.  Now we are simply waiting for final approval to volunteer with the Glenmary Sister at their mission post in Caruthersville, MO.

Lately, I've started to make lists of what I need for basic packing and living on the road for a few months.  I ran across a blog a while back that, in part, talks about this as well as economizing on sleeping and eating on the road.  I also discovered a couple of creative journaling books by Vivian Swift.  One that has been especially helpful is Le Road Trip.  As you might suspect, this has a French twist to it but traveling is traveling and it doesn't take much tweaking to use her ideas as a fun and useful guide to getting myself organized.  Most of it is common sense but having it laid out here, and in such a fun way, helps me focus, not to mention the reduced brain power I need to use to get it right and not think, down the line, "How could I have not thought of that?".

Post-mission we are now fine tuning our adventures.  Civil War sites and Catholic shrines are high on our list.  Shiloh National Battlefield in Tennessee is just three hours from where we will be in Missouri.  Later, after leaving Indianapolis, we will be heading east visiting Gettysburg in Pennsylvania and Antietam in Maryland.  In between is The National Shrine of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton.  There are so many historic sites so close together that the mind boggles.  I'm already thinking forward to 2015 and another mission and trip.

The other nice news is that three of my blogging/Facebook friends have volunteered to host us as we travel through their area.  Texas, Maryland, and Michigan friends - "Thank you so much".   Sue, Dave, and Jeanie - so looking forward to meeting you face to face.

Bye for now.  More soon.

Mission Post #12

This post of this meeting was summarized and written by Don Jeffries.

Letter to Sr. Darlene

Yesterday morning we had an hour long visit, with Father Marcelino, who is the Associate Pastor of our Parish.  He is our newest priest here and from the Philippines.  A very conservative person, who knows the value of American freedom as the Philippines were basically enslaved for 300 years, by the Spanish.  First he became a priest and then he became a medical doctor.  His personal mission, in the Philippines, is the caring of discarded babies, who were born of unwed mothers.  He donates his salary, from here, to that mission.  So he relates to your own mission of Mother’s House, which we discussed.

The Pastor is Father Armando, whom I think may have received a letter of enquiry from Glenmary Sisters, concerning Annie and I.  Father Armando is finishing up his vacation and will be back at the end of this week.  I say this because it is relevant later in this report.

Father Marcelino discussed many aspects of our trip, to Caruthersville, with us.  Remember that I sent you an email reporting what had transpired, when we attended the Catholic Charities meeting?  We also informed Father of that.

Bottom line is that even if Annie and I are not accepted, for temporary home mission work with you, we are still going to visit Caruthersville and bring any items donated by the Parish here, for Mother’s House.

By the way, I have noticed indications that we will be accepted, including from you, but of course none of us can assume that we will be accepted and must act accordingly until the formal acceptance is received.  Just wanted you to know that we know.

Father does know that our application is still pending.

Some of his ideas are the same as those thought of at the Catholic Charities meeting.

I need to compose a two minute presentation concerning Glenmary Sisters, your Pemiscot County mission, our visiting, Mother’s House and the requirements for Mother’s House.  This presentation will be delivered, by Annie and I, at weekend Masses, on both Saturday and Sunday.  The appeal will also be placed in the Parish Bulletin.  All of this is pending approval by Father Armando, who Father Marcelino will confer with next week.

We already discussed the receiving, warehousing, packaging and transportation of the received items, which Annie and I have experience with, from a project Annie once achieved for another project concerning an orphanage.  Oh…if we are so blessed, what we cannot transport via car we will ship.

This brings me to the point of asking you if you can please compose a priority list of items required, for Mother’s House not only for continuous need, but also for the time we will be there, during the winter season.  The list will be printed up and distributed.  One item we are including is WalMart Gift Cards, to be used by you.

Father Marcelino suggested that you write a letter to Father Armando explaining the Glenmary Sisters Order, their mission in general, your respective mission and what Annie and I might be doing there or even Sister Sharon writing it.  The address is:

Saint Anthony Catholic Church, 7820 Fox Road, Hughson CA  95326

I told him that you and other Sisters will go to Parishes and promote the Glenmary Order and its Missions, to receive donations.  He stated that donations, for Glenmary Sisters, could also be requested; therefore I plan to use the “Adopt a Sister Program” form, from Kinship, to include in the handout.  I will include the Glenmary Sisters web site as well.

Also in the handout, I will include the Kinship articles on Mother’s House.  That is if it is okay to do so.  Father suggested providing photos, for a more tangible effect.  This too he will request permission, from Father Armando.

I just noticed that I need to contact Richard, for reprint permission.

Father mentioned having some kind of feedback, from us, concerning our trip.  I told him that one of the Parish Council members suggested that Annie do photos and I do reports, to be sent by email, to the Parish, or placed on the Parish’s Face Book page.  As I said, in my previous email, we want to talk to you concerning the photography protocol.

Father views us as representing the Parish, in our activity, in your mission.  All of this rather amazes me.  In my mind, we were just going to visit back home and assist you.  I was clueless concerning all of the formalities and now the Parish involvement here.

Look forward to hearing back from you soon.

Mission Post #11

I made an appointment to talk with Fr. Marcelino and then cancelled it.  I wanted to talk with him about the mission but it felt forced and I couldn't focus on what it was I really wanted to talk about so . . . I cancelled the appointment.

This past Sunday, after Mass announcements told of a meeting to be presented by Catholic Charities on responding to the call of Pope Francis.  The agenda for the evening was to discuss serving the poor, working for peace, and caring for God's creation all under the umbrella of Catholic social teaching.  

I thought this meeting might give me a place to start for pulling together the loose threads of my unfocused thoughts on what this mission would mean for me.  I knew what I expected for Don - something positive, a way to inner peace and an escape from the negativity that our political activism has surrounded us in.  Like most new things I take on, I just commit and then put one foot in front of the other and follow the bread crumbs.  The meaning and purpose always seems to come afterwards.

There were about ten of us there, seven from the Hispanic community and Don, myself, and Melanie.  I was relieved that there were ten there, I was disappointed that there weren't more.  I guess this was a sort of Matthew 22:14 moment.  By the end of the evening, we had navigated some dangerous waters.

Political buzz words such as globalization, climate change, social justice and redistribution of wealth reared up.  Don listened closely, damping down his feelings about these buzz words.  I focused on the messenger and tried to determine if this was pure Catholic social teaching or if it was tainted by catholic liberalism and humanism and socialism.  Lots of isms trying to do what Christ taught us, all of them taking out the spirit that makes His teachings whole.  Absent God, we really have nothing.

After the meeting, we told the group what we had planned for January and both of us were completely unprepared for the reaction.  All of a sudden, there was a community of people reaching out to help us help others.   YLI, KC, the Tuesday night Rosary ladies, Life Teen, Matthew's Ministry - with them there would be a way to receive assistance, prayers, and perhaps even goods to bring to Mother's House.  Fr. Marcelino spoke of perhaps setting up a sister parish relationship.

Suddenly I feel more focused; I have more of an idea of what I can bring to our work whatever that will be.  I'm going to call Fr. M. this week and get this ball rolling this week.  

Mission Post #10

Today, and all this past week in fact, I've been thinking on things to finish and how that relates to going forward with the idea of the Mission.  Mission is a serious effort.  What I am doing and its outcome has a direct effect on others.  It's more than a job, hence the naming of it as Mission.  What I leave behind will echo far beyond me.

It's one thing to lollygag at home and put thing off until tomorrow what can be done today.  However, I can't do that on Mission.  So, today I started looking for some pictures that Don needs.  I have no idea where they are so I'm looking through all the boxes and albums I have.  Believe me, that is A. LOT.  In the course of starting the work, I ran across pictures on CDs.  I have copies of them but uploading the CDs will save time on the other end of scanning the copies.

So far, the pictures for Don haven't surface but I've uploads seven CDs and gone through six boxes.  I have a lot more to go and feel a strong sense of purpose.  I will be busy for the next couple of days.

Mission Post #9

Well, it's been a bit of time since my last post.  The world has been providing me with lots of reasons to be depressed for the future of our country.  Abortion.  Homosexual marriage.  HHS mandate coming at us like a screaming runaway train.  The craziness of our politicians, particularly Nancy Pelosi.  The lack of support for the U.S. military.  And more.  I allowed myself to fall into the trap of believing that my world, the world we all live in, would derail hopelessly onto the path of becoming a new Sodom.  The I read this.   

After reading How to be an annoying Catholic, I resolved to:

• Laugh more
• Be the real me
• Be unexpected
• Know what I believe and why
• Grow a backbone
• Love - live the example of love the sinner, hate the sin
• Pray more

I think God meant for some of this to be easy.  In fact, the list wouldn't have had to exist at all but for our fall from Grace.  No, what should be so easy - love one another - is the hardest this we can do.  Love has powerful enemies - Fear. Hate. Anger. Bullishness. Contempt. The view of tolerance as a virtue. And more.  These are all weapons that we use on each other almost indiscriminately.

I've felt the slings and arrows of all these enemies and these weapons haven't been limited to just "those liberals" attacking "we conservatives".   I've noticed that these weapons are used whenever any ideological brethren strays from an approved line of belief.    Consider Juan Williams and his ejection from NPR or, more prosaically, the damaged career of The Dixie Chicks when lead singer, Natalie Maines, infamously criticized President Bush on the eve of the Iraqi invasion.

As I sit here mulling matters, sorrowing over the state of my world, and wondering what social calamity will hit us next, I really have to just remind myself to suck it up, quit the pity party, focus on the rules above and pay close attention to the example of Pope Francis who simply "lives it" and that, my friends, is no simple thing at all.

Mission Post #8

One of the requirements of being selected for volunteer work is completing an online class on child safety - how to detect and report behavior that suggests potential abuse and inappropriate interaction with children and vulnerable adults.  This 2 hour course took me 6-7 hours to complete over a two day period.  

The format and study was easy to work with and accomplish.  The subject matter, on the other hand was not easy to get through.  I was surprised by what I didn't know, the sheer awfulness some people.  As a consequence, it took me a lot longer to get through.  I also wanted a complete record of the course so page by 68 pages, I copied and pasted it into a word document.  

Not knowing what will be expected of us, I know that taking this course could add up to just being a formality.  If it isn't, I sincerely hope that I detect no evidence of actually abuse.  I know we will come face to face with some fierce poverty but neglect and abuse? - well, I hope not.  

Based on what I've read , volunteers aren't left alone with children or vulnerable adults so quite possibly Don and I will work as partners.

I haven't thought about it much this week but the week is young.  I DID have an idea though, on Saturday, the day we went to Sonora to attend a memorial service.  As I listened to Fr. John Fitzgerald speak of why we are drawn to gather together, he reminded us that it isn't death that draws us together, it is love (perhaps a novel idea to some of us).  His words nudged a germ of an idea on recording the experience of this trip.

We will be on the road for at least four months and we will have a chance to meet all sorts of people who may feel very different from what I grew up with.  Don is very adaptable to the slower pace of life and the Midwestern and Southern thought processes.  I'm not.  Very Catholic and Conservative I may be but I'm also firmly imprinted with a California mentality.  It will be a golden opportunity for me to:

• talk and listen
• ask questions
• find out what people know
• discover their points of view

I expect a lot of differences.  I'll take lots of sets of pictures, series that tell a story.  I've also thought about putting the information together and creating a mini-documentary of what we encountered and who we met.   The materials needed will be part of the organized supplies I plan to bring with me so I can mitigate the lack of some art or writing tool that will make my record keeping easier.  But in the end it really is still all just thoughts.

Mission Post #7

I took a step back for a few days.  I've been feeling very muzzled lately like I don't have a right to dissent from current popular mores.  The feeling sneaked up on me over a period of time and the end result is that I have become angry that I am feeling effectively shut up.   

My position of abortion, same sex marriage, and speaking freely if I disagree run counter to our current repressive culture.   

I've been thinking a lot about the mission this week and I realized today that I really need to do some interior housecleaning.  I'm thinking of finding a spiritual advisor to help me along the road.  I know a couple of priests, Sam West in particular, whom I might approach.

I think part of what holds us back from seeking spiritual advise is our sense that we can be self-reliant.  I know that is one of my big problems so I don't turn to God first when troubled.  I stumble around in the dark a lot.  I must admit that I have gotten a lot better at turning to God than when I was much younger.  But at the moment I feel a bit behind the eight ball.  There are serious changes coming up in the not too distant future and I want to get this right.

Mission Post #6

Just a short check-in.  Don is gone all day today.  No car for me.  The front room is calling.  Today I'm gathering up all my crocheting and embroidery supplies to start working on now and to have ready for the big trip.  Along the way, I'll dump more stuff from the front room.

I ordered some books from Amazon yesterday.  I'll be doing this periodically to prep my travel library.  I won't take them all with me, of course, but I'll have plenty to choose from.

I've been thinking about clothes and totally failing. Typical. I think I just need to start a list of whatever I think of and then hone away.

One good step forward is the email I sent to Hewlett's Auction House a few weeks ago.  I spoke with Mrs. Hewlett yesterday and she is forwarding the information about my prints to a local Turlock expert.  Perhaps I'll get some guidance from her and get these prints sold.  It would be nice to have the money to add to our travel fund.

Mission Post #5

I'm looking for that positive spin and there is no time like the present.  We may  be six months out from the trip but as the wedding draws closer I am going to be less and less focused on the mission and more and more focused on the wedding.  Right now the big question is "What do I think I need to bring with me?  What are the familiar things I need to take with me to make my world still comfortably my world"?

Well - first and most obviously, I need books.  Books, my windows to satisfying curiosity, my hunger for knowledge, my desire to read and hear the thoughts  of others,  from those those long ago to current thinkers and observers.  Books, my avenue to escape, romance, fantasy, adventure.

Running neck and neck with books is my camera(s).  I have six months to use the owner's manual and really completely familiarize myself with what they are capable of doing.    Along with my camera, I want to attach a little piece of hardware to my laptop..  I've been looking for a mini-printer and there are a couple of possibilities but I've still a lot of looking to do.  Staples has one option but as I learn more about them, I'm thinking that a small regular printer may be better.

So at this point is books, camera and printer.  Next stop is art supplies and I'm thinking crochet, photo tinting (click HERE for more info about that) and creation of a small art survival kit (check out YouTube for ideas).  But right now I really have my mind on that printer so it's close this and head back over to Staples/Target/Walmart and see what is offered and do some comparison shopping while I'm at it.

Mission Post #4

Continually thinking about C'ville and the future.  

Fears of boredom.  

Fear of saying something that comes out wrong and will embarrass Don - these are his friends after all.  

Will it be COLD?  Will I be prepared?.  Will the weather scare me?  Not just there but throughout the SE.  I'm not used to snow and ice and storms and lightning, and, and, and . . .  

The people are different.  The world there is different.  I've been there twice and all I remember are his parents and a very slow pace. I'm wandering so far outside of my comfort zone, I feel alien.  Going to Europe would feel more familiar. 

 I'm being an idiot.  I need to think of Ingrid Loyau-Kennett in England and her bravery in the face o f a blood covered islamic madman.

 I need to think of what lead me in this direction; my belief that my Faith is truly my strength.  I don't need to fear anything.  

I don't need to fear that I'll embarrass Don. 

 I need to remember where fear comes from and that it is one of the evil one's most efficient tools for keeping us from doing what is right.

Mission Post #3

Don and I talked about Caruthersville over dinner last night.  Sacred Heart Church has a Mass on Wednesday evenings, but no morning Masses.  We might have time to drive over to Owensville, KY with Sister Darlene (to the Mother House) for a visit.  Memphis and Graceland are only two hours away so visiting Elvis is on our dance card.

We have a large USA map Don is posting on the wall in the hallway and I'm going to start locating blog friends and family members to consider possible visiting alternatives.  There are a cluster of people in W.Va and VA and Tennessee.  Later, Michigan and Wisconsin visit on the way home.

I've started thinking about what I plan to bring with me for reading and entertainment.  I suspect we won't be seeing much TV which certainly isn't a bad thing.

Mission Post #2

There is no question that part of my anxiety is wrapped up in money.  We have little extra and are simply moving forward in faith that we will have enough.

None of our financial obligations will really change.  Kris and Adrian will live at the house while we are gone and cover utilities but the entire house payment will no doubt continue to be ours.  The expectation will be that the kids will have time to find an affordable place to live.  And, of course, at this point, we have no idea where we will be staying of how much it will cost us.

MY plan, which started a couple of months ago, is to save money every week.  The method is thus:

Week 1 = $1
Week 2 = $2
Week 3 = $3

and so on.

Last week I saved $10 and I happen to have another $5 to add to the box.  Yes.  The box.  I haven't told Don.  I am simply squirreling money away.  I hope to have over $1000 come January.

So, yes, money is a big concern.  It always is with me but I'm renewing my faith that we will be provided for and have sufficient for our needs.  I did it successfully when Don retired from the military in 2000.  I can do it again.

Mission Post #1

We are now officially applicants for volunteer work with Sr. Darleen.  We have gone from thinking about it to talking about it to applying for the work.

I have gone from worrying about Don and suggesting it to thinking about it in the abstract to now feeling anxious because I know my life is going to change.

Questions of what I will be giving up and what I will be gaining have taken up residence in my head.  The questions are unanswerable, the mission isn't here yet - the experience is still 6-7 months in the future.  Don knows exactly what he is seeking, I'm lost in the possibilities and the unknowns.