Blessings of the Week - vol. 39

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Blogging Again. After a much-needed respite from this little space in the world wide web, I am back. It feels really good to be writing publicly again... and I thank all of you who've stuck by me during my hiatus. A blessing to write, a blessing to have a place to get these little thoughts down, and a blessing to know that I'm not alone out there.

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A Productive 24 Hours at Vision of Peace. Last Sunday, I headed back down to Pevely for a short break. I hadn't been there since Thanksgiving, and it felt so good to step out of the car and soak up the views of the Mississippi. While I am not a cold-weather person, it was absolutely beautiful down there, with ice flows floating downriver, eagles soaring above, and clear views through the naked trees. I spent 24 hours. In that time, I took a 3-hour nap, designed 2 conference sessions for the upcoming March retreat, created a full month meal plan (including grocery list!) and wrote a draft of an article that's been buzzing in my head for a month now. It was an incredibly productive visit... though, it did leave me longing for just a little more time... enough to get a little bored. Next time. Once again, I'm reminded what a blessing that place is in my life.

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Spirituality on Tap. Last Saturday night, I ran a new program at our parish. We had adult beverages and appetizers, a (really dynamic!!!) speaker, and some time for fellowship and discussion... all while the kids were next door watching a movie. This came about in a brainstorming session at a meeting last September, and I was really pleased with how well it all came together. The turnout was great, the evaluations were stellar, and I am looking forward to making the next one even better (sometime this spring). So... a blessing to have such a supportive, creative pastor and a blessing that this night helped start a different sort of faith formation program for our parish.

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Please join me in taking a moment to thank God for all the many ways He continues to bless us... and for His continued care and mercy for those suffering, and those helping, in Haiti.