Living the Difference

"The purpose of life is not to be happy - but to matter, to be productive, to be useful, to have it make some difference that you have lived at all." ~Leo Rosten

I tried to post this last night but blogger was misbehaving so I gave up. Twenty-four hours later, here it is, mixed in with today's post.

Sometimes I wonder if my career does make a difference. Today (Tuesday) though I think I might have. As I drove from the capital city to another city today, I thought about how I am really happiest in developing countries, like Guatemala or Burundi.

I tell myself though that my work here in Manitoba is not quite done. I must still prepare the way for who will follow me when I leave. I have to remember that all things need to be done in love and service.

Tonight (Wednesday) I went to hear a talk on Rwanda--a three-night session on the country destroyed by genocide. Many people are mattering through the amazing work they do, especially in countries like Rwanda.I had missed the anniversary of my grandma’s death on Monday and hers was a life that made a difference.

Are you just aiming for happy—or are you mattering and living a difference?


Peace,

Suzanne

Good Conversations

"A single conversation across the table with a wise person is worth a month's study of books.” ~ Chinese Proverb

I have just finished a three-hour supper conversation with a dearly loved friend. I love how she stretches my mind and spirit. In some of my rougher times, she was my weekly sermon, giving strength for the journey. I am glad that has not changed for us.

Who in your life gives you a month’s worth of study in a single conversation?

Peace,

Suzanne

Prepare the Way!

“A prison cell, in which one waits, hopes... and is completely dependent on the fact that the door of freedom has to be opened from the outside, is not a bad picture of Advent.” ~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Waiting is never easy. The key, as Bonhoeffer suggests, is to wait with hope. This Advent begins with a new chapter in the history of the English-speaking church as we install the New Roman Missal. Mass went not too badly tonight, with the odd glitch of some folks standing and others kneeling here and there. Breaking the habit of saying, And also with you will take some time. Last night due to the priest preparing that particular parish went a whole lot smoother than tonight’s celebration. We have some catch up to do.

The sermon was good though. We are not a patient society and waiting is a chore for us. We do not save up money and then buy that big screen TV; instead we put it on credit. We do not wait patiently in traffic. We start honking the horn or flipping the bird. We want everything quickly and extravagantly so we cannot relinquish control to God who already has an agenda for us if we could wait simply, patiently, and hope-filled.

Tonight for the processional, we sang, Prepare the Way, from Godspell. Prepare my heart and spirit these next few weeks, Jesus, to live out the words from the Mass: As we wait in joyful hope, for the coming of our Saviour, Jesus Christ. God give me the grace to wait with hope and joy this Advent. May I be completely dependent on You this Advent to open the door to Freedom from the outside.

Peace,

Suzanne

Freezing Water

"A lot of people like snow. I find it to be an unnecessary freezing of water." ~ Carl Reiner

I was getting used to the no-snow look here in Winterpeg. Today though we awoke to a beautiful blanket of white. I had quite a bit to do today but driving was not too bad. The mall was packed when I dropped off my shoebox for Operation Christmas Child. However I did not have trouble finding a parking spot.

I went to mass with a friend tonight. Her church is ready for the changes that take place as we enter Advent with the new missal. It was a beautiful celebration, blessing the new book as it was used for the first time. I understand that my church had a beautiful blessing of the final use of the old book as it was removed from use.

Half way through the mass, I panicked as I suddenly realized that at some point I might have to interpret the new missal. I am so used to doing the liturgy that I grew up with that this unfamiliar language scared me in this aspect. I started planning a professional development workshop for a few minutes before settling back into the mass.

The homily was good. We begin the time of waiting but with the understanding that this is not a passive twiddling of the thumbs but an active and attentive expectation that something amazing is about to happen.

I ended the evening with another friend and colleague by attending a fundraiser for Anna’s House. Anna was my friend’s mother and a dear woman who would always greet me with, “Suzanne, where have you been?” even if I had seen her earlier in the week. A home for orphaned children has been set up in her memory in Ethiopia. Hutterite and Ethiopian food were on the menu plus music and clowning.

If water has to unnecessarily freeze, I must not let it keep me indoors. Today I am happy to say it did not.

Peace,

Suzanne

A Funny Thing Happened....

"Life was a funny thing that happened to me on the way to the grave." ~ Quentin Crisp

I could have also started this with a quote of a joke: Why did the chicken cross the road? The fact is though this is not a chicken; it is a wild turkey. It crossed the road in front of me today on my way to a school, leaving a bunch of other turkeys behind. I get that…sometimes you just have to leave the turkeys in order to get some perspective. Don’t we all do that once in a while to gain sanity? Some days things just look better on the other side of the street. I know I certainly love leaving the turkeys behind and moving on.

That is enough of an attempt at humour as my brother gets jealous when I venture into his genre.

Peace,

Suzanne

Cave Dwelling

“God does some of his best work in caves.” ~ John Ortberg

The cave is where God resurrects things…I have been reading Ortberg again. He is helping me with the concept of failure and reminding me that God is in the cave in those very dark moments. I sometimes wonder what God is resurrecting in my dark place these days. I am grateful that God sits here with me. This is Week 1 in the Spiritual Exercises and as I watch the retreatant walk through cosmic and personal sin, I am reminded of my own. I am oftentimes humbled by how much grace there is in this world.

Today I traveled to visit a situation that is very tough to see. My heart is frustrated with the situation on so many levels. It did not go too badly today though. I have been relaxing at the hotel. I watched The Last Song and cried. That is one dark cave to sit in. It brought back memories of watching people die. Tonight I was remembering when I visited my friend’s family after she had died and how her young son had a meltdown one morning because it was picture day at school and mom was not there to dress him. Grief is so painful.

When was the last time that you sat in a cave? What did the resurrection moment look like?

Peace,

Readership

"God put us here, on this carnival ride. We close our eyes never knowing where it'll take us next.” ~ Carrie Underwood

Currently there are more Russians than Canadians reading my blog. They started to outnumber my American friends last week. I do not think I have any friends or relatives currently in Russia. I am definitely surprised by this and wonder what might be the appeal for them. God’s ways are not ours though and so I just write and am not sure what will come out some days so I get to be surprised along with you.

Today was a busy day. I am in the midst of wrapping up a fundraiser with a colleague and was organizing the final details of the campaign. I saw my retreatant and had my group meeting with the other spiritual directors. That was a fantastic session as the Tanzanian Jesuit led the educational component of it. He brought a new perspective, which was inspiring. After that, I visited friends for a couple of hours before heading home to finish a few errands and for a quick supper before heading off to hear the Jesuit I just mentioned speak on Rwanda.

Now I see how tired I am and will soon head to bed. This carnival ride sometimes is wilder than other times.

Peace,

Suzanne

I Once Was Blind...

“The most pathetic person in the world is someone who has sight, but has no vision.” ~ Helen Keller

Today my colleagues met with the mediators, one more step on the journey of trying to become a healthier team. I realize how much inner work I have done on myself at moments like this--not that I have it all figured out cuz I don't! I have had a few aha moments lately about my own growth. Sometimes it takes tremendous courage to move forward in life. Oftentimes, a community of loving and affirming people is needed to be cheerleaders. I am blessed to have been given both when needed.

I think the ability to see ourselves honestly is one thing, but to embrace the vision to change what we see is yet another, and much more challenging task.

When was the last time you looked at yourself and decided you needed to make some changes for the better?

Peace,

Suzanne

Prayer is a Battle

"You're one of the most spiritual people I know..." ~ former colleague to me today

Living out your faith is not always easy which is why I received a graced moment today. I had been on a quick break during an all-day meeting when I stopped by to see a former colleague who was in the building doing a small project. As I was leaving she called me back, looking a little embarrassed. She had something to tell me and she said she would cry. My mind raced to a number of possible outcomes but I was not expecting her to say that I was one of the most spiritual people she knew. She thought I lived out my faith authentically in a way she had not seen many others do. She caught me totally off guard and as she teared up, I did too. I had not felt like the first part of the morning had been a shining example of living my faith but for her to tell me then and there was a reminder that I am more than who I am in some moments that are not so grace-filled.

I am grateful that others do see my integrity and my efforts in trying to be a disciple. It is not always easy. Tonight in my prayer group, we discussed prayer as a battle and I realize that my workplace does seem like a battleground where prayer is needed. I have had times of feeling blessed by others who see my faith—like in this photo at my missioning service before I headed to Africa. God, you are such a stronghold and refuge for me. Thanks for reminding me today that my journey can make a difference.

Peace,

Suzanne

The Least of These

"Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me." ~ Matthew 25:40

Today we finish up the tough readings from Matthew 25 with the Gospel of the sheep and goats. I love this reading as frightening as it is. I think it marked me for life early on. I try to live it by welcoming the stranger, clothing the naked, feeding the hungry, and visiting the prisoner. I am not always successful but I try to live out this challenge.

A friend of mine teases me about the blankets I make for the poor which is her way of saying I do live Matthew 25 fairly well, and not that I actually make blankets. I used to hand out blankets in Washington, DC when I volunteered with House of Ruth, which ministers to homeless people in downtown DC. The number of homeless people in DC is overwhelming. The man in the photo was having a hot dog from a vender along the Mall one day. I would often chat with some of the people who “lived” among the many tourist attractions in Washington. They remain a part of who I became that year.

We all have the potential to easily live out the orders Christ the King sets before us today and not know that we did gift the least of these. Do we remember the least of these in our prayers? Do we take it a step further by doing some action to rectify the situation? Do we give to the food bank? Do we send our old clothes to shelters? Do we drop off hats and mitts to organizations that collect them at this time of year? Do we donate for hampers in our workplace? Do we give a homeless person a warm smile and a kind word even if we do not give them cash?

Jesus, our King and Lord, wants to say to each of us, come! Which way are you heading? Left or right?

Peace,

Suzanne

El Camino

“At its heart, the journey of each life is a pilgrimage, through unforeseen sacred places that enlarge and enrich the soul.” ~ John O’Donohue



I went to see a movie called The Way tonight. I have been intrigued by the Camino de Santiago de Compostela for years now. I first heard about it in Taize where I met a pilgrim from Belgium. Every year he walked part of the pilgrimage, starting where he had stopped the year before. Over the years several of my friends have done the trek. One suggested we do it together but that has yet to materialize. I bought Joyce Rupp’s book, Walk in a Relaxed Manner: Life Lessons from the Camino and my interest was peaked again.

After seeing the film, I doubt I could actually physically do the Way with my limitations. I would have to do it slowly…and even then maybe not truly be a pilgrim as they discuss in the film because I might have to cheat and ride a bike, horse, or bus to complete the Way. Rupp was 60 when she did it so maybe there is still hope.

The movie is beautiful on many levels. Four pilgrims end up doing the journey together and each enrich their souls in their own way, just perhaps not the way they expected. The characters throughout the film are decadent from a spiritual gendarmerie who delivers the difficult news to the father, played by Martin Sheen to crazy pilgrim hosts who scare off the pilgrims to the son Daniel whose desire to break free of the constraints of the first world expectation on how to live.

On the way to the airport, Daniel tells his dad, “You don’t choose a life, you live it.” Ah, therein lies the sacredness of life. We spend so time trying to create life that we miss living it. Sometimes you just need to leap in, with a heart full of trust.

The theme of these past 24 hours has been that sometimes life does not turn out as you plan. The sense I had watching this film is that the son wanted to live fully while the dad had settled for living a life that had not turned out exactly as he wanted—especially when his son is suddenly killed. I am back to reading If You Want to Walk on Water which is now discussing that sinking feeling when not everything has a fairy tale ending and still things get worse. Have you ever had a time in your life where you weep until you fall exhausted in a heap? It is there that God may meet you.

Interestingly enough, none of the four pilgrims are doing the journey for spiritual reasons. I am not sure that they are even aware that they see the sacred spaces until they are enlarged enough to each have their own aha moment. Each life is a pilgrimage but like those in the film, despite the longing for something deeper or more meaningful, not everyone recognizes it along the way.

I have lots to ponder from this excellent film…and a desire to re-read Rupp’s book now having seen it. The desire to walk El Camino has never left me. Perhaps one day this sacred journey will be mine to discover.

Peace,

Suzanne

Sick and Tired

"Sickness shows us what we are.” ~ Latin Proverb

I woke up at 2:00 in the morning, feeling quite sick. I ran through supper in my head, wondering what I had eaten that had triggered the stomach pain and nausea. I could not have food poisoning. I envisioned the great plate of steak and garlic mashed potatoes with vegetables. No, I thought, nothing there. The Caesar salad was a possibility. The cake seemed most likely as it had cream in it and could have been sitting out on the counter for a while. Sigh…. In the end, I was left wondering if maybe beef that is not well-done causes this pain. I had experienced a similar episode earlier this fall.

I had to be on the highway early this morning. The lack of sleep would not be a good thing, especially since the forecast was for snow. I finally fell asleep and when I awoke, I called in sick for the morning. I still felt queasy. I slept for another couple of hours and then got up. I started answering emails from my blackberry and decided I should just go into work. I may as well not use sick hours when I was working from home.

I hate being sick…with a passion. I prefer to be healthy. Sickness shows me that I am stubborn and a bad patient. It shows me that I long to be well, in all aspects of my life. I am not a wimp when it comes to illness. How about you?

Peace,

Suzanne

Retirement Party

"When is the right age to retire? When you dread going to work." ~ Mary Bright

A colleague retired in June. Tonight we hosted a retirement party for him. Over 50 people gathered to wish him well. His comment, “I don’t regret retiring.” That is the second person to say that to me this fall. I have a sense I will feel the same way. I am starting to seriously consider it though it is still a few years away. I am so blessed with many options in my life and I hope I can do more of the things I love to do. I am not yet at the stage of dreading going to work but as the snow flies and word that a colleague was in yet another serious car accident, I know that I dread the next few months of work.

I am not sure when the right age is to retire, or what that even means to someone like me. I do know that I am happy to be working and that I foresee a future with many possibilities for me. The time is coming when I will want to do something different.

Peace,

Suzanne

Magic Memories

“God gave us memories that we might have roses in December.” ~J.M. Barrie

Tonight a few of us gathered to watch an old videotape of a performance we used to do in the Deaf Community called The Magic of ASL. I had hoped it would be one of the older tapes but this one had some fun moments on it. One of the stars of the show has since died; he was someone many interpreters, including myself, owe a great debt to as he welcomed us into the community and helped us maneuver through all the cultural issues.

I have fond memories of those early days in the community. We might revive it and have another live performance. Memories exist on a cold November night with snow falling. December is soon here and roses are fading but their fragrance lingers.

Peace,

Suzanne

Prison Ministry

“I was naked and you clothed me. I was sick, and you took care of me. I was in prison, and you came to me.” ~ Matthew 25:36

Tonight a meeting was held to discuss prison ministries that Catholics are doing in the province. About 45 people gathered to pray, share a meal, discuss their work, and listen to a panel tell of their experiences. I was impressed on several fronts. The turnout was awesome. The food was fantastic and provided by a parishioner who has a catering business. The number of people from my parish who showed up in various capacities was a testimony to our commitment to social justice. The Archbishop who had called the idea of the meeting into being stayed the entire evening and was purring like a cat, in his own words, about what he saw unfolding. The panelists (a volunteer, parents of an offender, and two offenders) were all thought provoking in their comments.

I am looking forward to future gatherings and am excited for what it might mean to our prison ministry.

Peace,

Suzanne

Angels in Disguise

I've seen and met angels wearing the disguise of ordinary people living ordinary lives. ~ Tracy Chapman

Every once in awhile you meet someone and you wonder if they are human or not. No, I mean this in a good way. They seem very holy or angelic in nature. I remember when I went to Greece I met someone who let me ride his donkey into town. He seemingly appeared out of nowhere and took my luggage so that I would not have to carry it in the hot noon sun. He disappeared after dropping me off. I thought of this again when I read Chapman’s quote.

Have you ever met an angel?

Suzanne

Lasting Joy

"Father of all that is good, keep us faithful in serving you, for to serve you is lasting joy." ~ from today's Opening Prayer of the Mass

What a busy weekend! I spent a good part of it in service or preparation for service. I probably still have a few more things to do but I MUST be in bed by 11:00 or earlier tonight.

Friday late afternoon I helped out with the annual Roast Beef Dinner in the Deaf Community. I usually am one of the food servers. As always, it was a delightful event. Right after I was done, I scooted home and finished packing for the youth retreat at a local retreat centre. Most of the young people had been to World Youth Day and I was to be cooking for them. Tonight I have prepared for a fundraiser for tomorrow. I am feeling energized at the moment but know I still need to get to bed and get a solid 8 hours of sleep.

The photo is the view from the back of the retreat house which is in the shape of a boat. I do feel like I got out of the boat this weekend, paradoxically, as I had never cooked for that many people before. I had fun! I would do it again for sure. I suppose I could have gotten caught in the fears and sank at any moment but that did not happen.

Anyway, I did want to say that one thing I say this weekend were young people with amazing faith and talents. I was impressed on several occasions as they shared and participated in prayer times. Perhaps our world is in better shape than I thought. On that bright note, I will sign off and head to my bed.

Peace,

Suzanne

Keep Searching

"For while they live among his works, they keep searching, and they trust in what they see, because the things that are seen are beautiful." ~ Book of Wisdom, Chapter 13

Today has been an awesome day. I awoke to a spectacular sunrise on the river, just outside my bedroom window at the retreat house where I am spending the weekend. I have had a busy day, cooking for a youth retreat but at the same time found a moment to chat briefly online with a friend who I met in Burundi who mentioned he might be moving to Eastern Congo. Afterwards, I went briefly on an errand and on my way, I saw a hawk sitting on a lamp post, seemingly oblivious to everything. Such a beautiful creature! The photo does not do it justice.

The evening liturgy was beautiful. I was moved several times by the music, the prayers, the explanation of certain parts, and the homily on the talents. I felt inspired and renewed. I can trust in a Eucharistic celebration that is well thought out. I felt sad for a moment because in a week or so, what I have known all of my life as the liturgy will change when the new missal begins. I trust that what is coming--finally having seen a glimpse tonight is also beautiful.

The priest challenged us to use our gifts or talents well so that we can glorify God. I live among the works of God and I continue to search for the beauty of this great and wondrous gift in order to fully appreciate life. May you too keep searching. Much beauty is out there. Look!

Peace,

Suzanne

Remembering War; Desiring Peace

November pierces with its bleak remembrance
Of all the bitterness and waste of war.
Our silence tries but fails to make a semblance
Of that lost peace they thought worth fighting for.
~ from Silence (a sonnet for Rembrance Day) ~ Malcolm Guite

I struggle with Remembrance Day. I think because of the sentiments in Guite’s sonnet. Every year, we stand silent for two minutes, and, we remember. The trouble for me is that many of us immediately forget. We go about our day, wearing our poppies, and continue to fight our private wars, without giving thought to peace.

Do we extend an effort to understand that sometimes where we shop, what we eat, what we wear, how we commute means that somewhere someone in our world may not have peace? Do we know that Remembrance Day is about now, not then? That countries beyond the obvious are still at war and every day thousands of women and children in particular are victims. I always feel unsettled on this day. I wish there was more that I could do personally. I despise the fact that war seems glorified on this day. There is nothing glamourous about what happened in any of the wars of old. All we need to do is watch the people who mourn for their dead children and spouses.

Today I pray that we would remember peace is essential in our world. May each of us understand the waste of war and work todays its end in our world so that no one else dies for a lost peace. Don’t forget. Peace to those who mourn. Peace to those who suffer the aftermath effects of war. Peace to those who gave their lives for our freedom.

Peace,

Suzanne

Small Decisions; Big Changes

“Sometimes it's the smallest decisions that can change your life forever.” ~ Keri Russell

I had wanted to go back to Africa for a long time when I finally made the decision to do it. That was a big decision. When I reflect on it now, I realize that a hundred little decisions often determine everything. You never know how one thing will lead to another. For example, before I left, a colleague asked me to drop off a care package for her sponsor child at a Deaf School in Nairobi. That started a chain of events that I could not have predicted, including raising almost $1000 CD for the school at a later date.

Life offers secondary opportunities like that sometimes. You make one decision and several more spin off of it. One must always be on the look out for miracles and occasions to allow Grace to enter in. Today in the middle of a long to-do list and a full day in the office, a colleague stopped by my desk and asked if I was coming to the Remembrance Day Service. I responded I had too much to do and went back to the work for a few moments--just a few moments. Long enough to make me ponder what was really important here. I knew that a woman in her 80’s was coming to speak to the students. While I have heard lots of men talk about their war experiences, I had not heard many women. I got up from my desk and walked into the assembly room just as the first chords of O Canada began to play.

She was delightful. The photo of the strikingly beautiful young woman made me think she must have been a firecracker with that twinkle in her eyes…and still she was a bombshell in many ways. She gave us all reason to pause. She talked about going to school and one day none of her Japanese friends were in the class. No teacher could really explain to a child’s satisfaction why they had disappeared. She suggested that few people in the room would know the fear she knew as a child when she missed curfew by 15 minutes and ran out of a neighbour’s house towards her own down the lane when she heard a voice cry out stop. The solider who caught her warned her that next time she might not be so lucky. Had she been a foot taller he would simply have shot her. This was the climate she grew up in, right here in Canada. The stories were real and relational. They showed a side of the war in a humble sense, right here in my country.

Small decisions can change you. I think tomorrow I will be ready to remember—those who gave their lives so that I may live in peace. I will be remembering soldiers serving in countries all over this world, especially those in eastern Congo where war was made real to me.

Peace,

Suzanne

Dragon Woman

"Be careful, lest in fighting the dragon you become the dragon." ~ Friedrich Nietzsche

Some days, the best intentions are still misunderstood and you are left to feel like you are a mean person. Today had the potential to be one of those days but if I sift through the encounters, I know that not everyone thought I was a dragon. Some days, it is a fine line.

Peace,

Suzanne

Live the Questions

“Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves. Do not now seek the answers, which cannot be given you because you would not be able to live them. And the point is to live everything. Live the questions.” ~ Rainer Maria Rilke

I was out with a friend for coffee tonight and we were engaged in an intense conversation as always. She said imagine us 14 years from now. What are the questions we will be asking then? I laughed, trying to imagine myself at almost 65 and all that will have transpired by then. What would the questions be, and how might I answer them differently than now? Love them anyway. The questions are what keeps me active and alert. Live the questions. It is a great suggestion.

Peace,

Suzanne

50 All Over Again

"The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate." ~ Oprah Winfrey

I had a marvelous gift awaiting me when I arrived home tonight. On my birthday, I gathered with good friends at a restaurant just outside the city. One of my friends videotaped the event and sent me a Youtube link to the piece he edited and created. I loved it. One of the guests had mentioned to me that I was quite articulate and I laughed. I had told stories off the top of my head that night about each guest. Watching it now, I concur that I did not do too bad of a job in honouring most of my friends.

I think Oprah’s quote above is true. As I watched the video, I chuckled at some of the “surprises” that went on without me knowing what was happening—a levitating angel??!! At the same time, I was touched all over again by how many magnificent people that I have in my life.

I have lots to celebrate in life and am grateful for this reminder. If you want to have a sneak peak at the video, drop me an email and I will be happy to pass it on to friends and family.

Celebrate and praise!

Peace,

Suzanne

Wise Stewards

"We owe it to our children to be better stewards of the environment. The alternative? - a world without whales. It's too terrible to imagine." ~ Pierce Brosnan

As I was flipping through materials yesterday, I came across some photos of my time with German friends, Susanne and Jurgen, in Cape Cod. We had an AMAZING whale watching tour one day. I had been on whale watching excursions on both the east and west coasts but I had experienced nothing as spectacular as what we saw that day—breaching, spy hopping, flipper slapping, and tail extensions left everyone breathless.

I cannot imagine what a world without that awesome creature would be like. It would be too terrible to contemplate. Be a good steward of the environment. We must be like the wise women in the Gospel today, not the foolish ones, who are ready and progressive in their thinking. We cannot just think of ourselves but of the generations to come. The next generation must be able to see whales playing in an ocean that is not toxic.

Peace,

Suzanne

Gifts of Memories

“The thing that has made the deepest impression on me about you is the value you place on people—each and every person. It’s as if you know the innate value of the individual regardless of their behaviour and qualities, their strengths and weaknesses. You just seem to know that they (we) are part of the holiness of life and holy just by our being.” ~ Ginny Earnest

Tonight I was sorting through some boxes, trying to find something, when I came across one that held letters from friends the year I lived in Washington, DC with the Sojourners Community. Within the box were the cards that each of my roommates and my two supervisors gave me on our last retreat together.

I pull them out sometimes because they are dear to me and tonight I took advantage of stumbling across them to reread them. Ginny, one of my supervisors, opened with the above sentences. I still get teary reading them. I am in awe of how each of those folks really saw into the depths of me in those 12 months we shared together. We did a lot of activities together but this one is the gift that continues to give abundantly.

It took me forever to figure out that conflict resolution was something that brought me life and yet tonight as I read these cards for the first time since graduating, I see that each of them has a comment about who I am in this regard. Bob, my other supervisor, wrote “I have seen you take risks, and step into pain—others and your own—when with ease you could have avoided it. For others, with others, you share your strength. And give away a piece of it, I think, because I don’t feel that people walk away aware of your strength as much as they walk away aware of their own and God’s.”

To me, these notes are such a gift. I treasure them. I don’t always see my own goodness. Like so many people, I see where I fell short, where I failed to extend grace, where I pray that God would redeem. Tonight, these cards were once again a balm to my deepest soul. I thank God for the wisdom of my two supervisors who came up with this concept and for each person who took the time to write a note of blessing to me. I pray that you too may encounter such a blessing at some point in your life.

Peace,

Suzanne

Breathe A Wee Bit Deeper

"Listen, are you breathing just a little and calling it a life?" ~ Mary Oliver
Today, I traveled in the beautiful sunny weather just south of the city. That corner of my province has some pretty spots to breathe in. The signer at the school is open and keen to learn. She breathes deeply, takes risks, learns much.

Tonight, I decided to stay home though there was something I wanted to attend. The week has been busy and I just needed a break. I decided that I needed to breathe just a little instead of gulp air madly while dog-paddling quickly to stay afloat. The weekend has a number of social events planned. I find I am tired this week and must be proactive about taking care of myself.

I am feeling blessed tonight as I think about turning off my computer and heading to bed. A friend from high school was in touch via Face Book and in my response I said to him something to the effect of, “My life has had many blessings and I am grateful.” It is over 30 years since I have seen him and so much has happened to me in that time. We used to walk home sometimes together because he lived up the street from me. Two of my friends dated him—at different times. We could never have predicted where life would lead us. I call what I do a life and thank God for the blessings received.

Breathe…as deep as you can. Life is meant to be inhaled.

Peace,

Suzanne

See the Miracle

"People usually consider walking on water or in thin air a miracle.
But I think the real miracle is not to walk either on water or in thin
air, but to walk on earth. Every day we are engaged in a miracle
which we don't even recognize: a blue sky, white clouds, green
leaves, the black, curious eyes of a child -- our own two eyes.
All is a miracle." ~ Thich Nhat Hanh

Thich Nhat Hanh has some amazing writings. I could not help but think of my life vision as I read this today—that every day I awake expecting a miracle to happen. Today I had several. I saw people passionate about the interpreting field again. I heard four snow geese honk as they flew low over my head, indeed a beauty to marvel at. I easily resolved a problem with the help of a colleague. I even managed to fit in a walk at the end of a busy and long day. Not only that, I was stopped in my tracks by this magnificent tree in my neighbourhood that seemed to be on fire—a tree still fully clothed in November. That alone is a miracle where I live!

Every day we have the opportunity to recognize at least one miracle in our midst. Every day, I want to see that all is a miracle. Walking on earth is a profound mystery. Just open your eyes and heart and you will see the joy that awaits.

Peace,

Suzanne

Milk and Cookies

"Think what a better world it would be if we all, the whole world, had cookies and milk about three o'clock every afternoon and then lay down on our blankets for a nap.” ~ Robert Fulgham

I made double ginger crinkle cookies for tomorrow’s staff meeting. I wonder if we might just have cookies and milk, followed by a nap instead of a meeting. Month three of school begins and the pace is still frantic. I should be in bed perhaps rather than typing this.

I had the day off today and still was baking cookies at 8:30 at night. The rest of the day was filled with church activities…no time for napping. How disappointing! However, I can say I accomplished many good works today and so will soon head to bed with a feeling of a job fairly well done.

Peace,

Suzanne

Spectacular Sunrise

"Let God's promises shine on your problems." ~Corrie Ten Boom

Sometimes God surprises us. Today was one of those days. God took a couple of problems I was dealing with and took care of them in ways that I could not imagine. God promises to be there. God is pure Light. God’s light entered several conversations today and that changed everything. Who better to know this than someone like Corrie Ten Boom? Or the people of Kenya where this photo was taken? These are reminders too that God's light can shine in a dark world.

When was the last time God’s promises shone on your problems?

Peace,

Suzanne