Remembering Women in El Salvador

December 2, 2010 is the 30th Anniversary of the death of the four North American Churchwomen, killed by Salvadoran paramilitary troups.

on bullying

I have been listening to the recent and all-too-often ugly accounts of bullying among school-age children. It has felt unbelievable to me, until yesterday ...

I went over to the high school behind my house to vote. It is a large building and I had to walk its long hallways to get to the gymnasium where the voting was taking place. I rounded a corner, took several steps and fell forward, landing hard on my knees and hands before ending-up in a prone position. I lay there for a few seconds, somewhat in shock. There was uproarious laughter from students around me. I felt embarrassed and a little afraid that I would not be able to get up.

I finally mustered the courage to crawl towards the wall and use it to steady myself in order to stand. I stood, pulled down my jacket, and walked on toward the gymnasium with the laughing students behind me the entire way. Not one person stopped to give me a hand or ask if I was ok.

recycling old books

I had 8 of these MacMillan Pocket Classics that belonged to my Grandmother and Great Aunt. They were filled with penciled notes and comments from their high school days. I decided to recycle them in order to make them useable and gift them to each of my siblings. I removed the pages from each of the books to use for other ideas. Then I followed Cathi's tutorial to put a pocket on the inside of each cover. I then visited Dollar Tree and found some decorative pads of paper ... some with pockets and others with calendars ... and some cute little mini pens to finish each set.

"I'm a TIGER"

Mijo visiting Aunt Trish at work:

"I'm a TIGER," says Mijo!

[Don't even TH!NK about

calling him T!gger!]

And he makes the cutest little tiger sounds, complete with paw swipe! :)

creating with pages from an old book

I began with an empty salad dressing bottle,

pages from an old book,

and ModPodge (MP).

I covered the bottle with MP using a paintbrush, placed book pages over the wet MP,

and covered the pages with more MP.

I continued to place pages on the bottle,

twisting, turning and overlapping them until I was satisfied.

Then I covered the whole thing once more with MP and let it dry.

A black ribbon from an old pair of drawstring-waisted shorts made a cute bow.

Then I made some flowers with more pages using this tutorial,

attached them to some skewers hanging around in my kitchen drawer,

and placed them in the vase for a finished bouquet that you never have to water.

Hmmmmm, Christmas gifts?

Maybe I'll show you what I did with the cover of the book next time!

Weekend delights for young and "not so young" too!

I spent a wonderful weekend with Mijo and Mom.

We took a little ride on Sunday and stopped to greet some of Mijo's favorite animals along the way.

Mom shows us how to say hello in horse language. Mijo tries to clear the fence.

Anticipating his hello ...

Time to go ...

Mijo's response,

"I wanna stay here, Weewa."

So did I!

Think Mercy

Have you ever thought about it?

Creating ...

Recycling old magazines into picture frames and fun little vessels.

In my next life I want to be an artist ... FULL TIME!

Happy Mercy Day!

In 1824, Catherine used her inheritance to lease property on Baggot Street, a fashionable neighborhood in Dublin, for the purpose of building a large house for religious, educational and social services for women and children. Other women, intrigued by the house and the work for which it was intended, were attracted to Catherine and began to join her preparations for the ministry she planned. On September 24, 1827, the Feast of our Lady of Mercy, the first residents came to live in the house they called the House of Mercy in honor of the day.Catherine’s vision has been carried forth by thousands of Sisters of Mercy in at least 44 countries since her death on November 11th, 1841.Today it is called Mercy International Centre and the mission that began there, continues through the Sisters of Mercy all over the world. HAPPY MERCY DAY!

Saturday Morning

Saturday Morning It's grey outside , raining, little ones are playing football in the field behind my building,

and people are singing “hallelujah” on the tele. A pair of jeans sits on the chair,

waiting to become a skirt, and the young man on the tele exclaims

“welcome to the choir!”

There’s laundry to do,

pages to write, I cannot get a program to install on the computer, and the choir sings “would you know my name if I saw you in heaven?" I cancelled breakfast with a friend, settled for cookie dough and tears under a quilt, in front of the tele where the choir sings "would you hold my hand?" A couple stands under a roof, birds align on the wire above them, skies brighten, and the choir takes a bow.

Circle of Mercy

"There are things the poor

prize more highly than gold,

though they cost the donor nothing.

Among these are the kind word,

the gentle, compassionate look,

and the patient hearing of their sorrows."Catherine McAuley

Foundress of The Sisters of Mercy

Visit Circle of Mercy

for a musical montage

of the Works of Mercy

around the world!

morning goosebumps ...

I spent the morning in the lounge of the service department while my car was being attended to. I read 3 People magazines and listened - unwillingly - to several cell phone conversations. {After which I half expected to be handed a cigarette and asked if it had been good for me! But that's a whole other topic and does not belong in this blog ...} Service personnel would enter the lounge now and again to find a customer whose car was finished by calling their name. "Tom" ... "Alan" ... "Ed" ... "Sophie" ... "Jason" ... And then it happened ... he said "Sister, you're car is ready" and the entire lounge, myself included, looked up to see who was being summoned. That's when I realized he was talking to ME! {Why is it that after 25 years of being a Sister I still get goosebumps of embarrassment when someone calls me that in public?} So I put down the magazine, listened to the damage being done to my wallet, and gathered-up my belongings. While I waited for the car to be brought around I glanced at the TV but what I paid attention to was the woman I could see out of the corner of my eye. She seemed to be staring my way in great concentration. After about 10 seconds {which feels like an eternity when someone you have not made eye contact with is looking straight at you!} I looked her way and realized she was looking at my foot. I looked down and saw ... Just then I remembered why after 25 years of being a Sister I still get goosebumps of embarrassment when someone calls me that in public.

HAPPY FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!

From Elementary ...

{4th Grade and 1st Grade}

To College ...

All are BACKPACK READY

to take on a new year of study.

Blessings on a new school year!

The Guest House

"God dwells in you as you"

it was my favorite line of the movie

HAPPY BIRTHDAY +DAD+ ... I love you and miss you a whole great big bunch!

Tuesday's Eventide ...

Evening Blessings from the lake ...

SUNday morning ...

GOOD MORNING

FROM MY BEDROOM WINDOW ...

Here's lookin' at you!

Here's lookin' at you!

something to be said ...

theresa, if the mind pictures words and the heart feels them, i suppose there is something to be said ... when with eyes closed you can be seen and felt with reminiscing warmth, i believe there is something to be said ... while i pray for your journey and love you from afar, i know there is something to be said ... thank you. sarah

I met Theresa, or "T.O." as we often called her, 25 years ago when she lived and journeyed alongside me as my Novice Director. We became friends in the years that followed and she walked and witnessed me through first and final vows. Yesterday morning she passed away and all I can do now is say thank you through the tears.