Hope everyone's Lent was what they wanted it to be. . .
I am back for a brief hello, but I will probably not be returning to my old blogging habits--at least for a while. I will keep posting family updates, and will stop by here from time to time.
Lent was not particularly spiritual for me, regrettably. Easter was beautiful, as always. The Triduum I watched parts on EWTN--not really the same, but about all high spirited toddlerhood allows. I had many parenting ups & downs; the latest: potty-training! Aaaah!!! I started an online diet but stopped because it was taking as much time as blogging. But wanna know something crazy? In the first 2 weeks of not blogging, I wrote a 47-page chapter (some of the material was recycled) and scheduled my defense (mark "Pray for Literacy-chic" on your calendars for May 5)!! I also finished an additional chapter. So I have good drafts of all 5 of my chapters--some of which are quite exciting for me--and only have the conclusion left to do. This I need to finish in the next week or so so that I can give the full draft to the committee in early April. I received a revise and resubmit on a journal article (wait, you know that, don't you?), received my assignment for the Summer--to teach Science Fiction--applied for and got a post-doc lectureship for the fall, applied for one last grad student award for summer (not counting on it) and still felt like I was more attentive to my little girls at home. WOW! It has been a blessed Lent, no? My position for fall is special, too, but I'm not at liberty to divulge too much (especially online--sorry!!). It carries a reduced teaching load, one upper-level team-taught course, and some administrative duties that will be very good vita fodder--it's a good thing someone's looking out for me, because I need all the vita help I can get. (Two pregnancies don't count for much on a job search!) I'm working on the kinks right now, but I have some time & options (I think). . . This might explain why I plan on making myself scarce. I've also got assistantship duties to wrap up in a big way in coming weeks. But it's all pretty exciting. Taking "off" Lent to seriously evaluate whether I could still accomplish all of this was a good idea, I think, and I feel less guilty for not giving up any food items! I do regret that I didn't do as much spiritual preparation as I would like, though I know the opportunities for spiritual development are not limited to Lent. I will be an RCIA sponsor for someone (don't want to say too much about that until I know I am at liberty to do so) in the next RCIA "cycle"--yay!! That will be an opportunity for spiritual development in itself. As a side-note, I am investigating St. Benedict medals for my sister's apartment because everyone who stays there--including her!--has back-to-back nightmares of scenarios with people dying. My mother experienced it last night. *shudder* Anyone have any experience with St. Benedict medals?
I think I have rambled to the end of this post. I will check back, probably once or twice a week (if I can maintain the discipline). Until then, Happy Easter! May the blessings of the season be with all of you!
6 comments:
st. benedict medals...or the crosses seem to help me feel a lot more at peace in those eerie situations.
I remember when I was really depressed about my breakup with MJ, I was feeling so .. soo..down. I really felt that I was in this despairing mode for too long. I grabbed on to the cross, with a st. benedict medal in the middle.. and it really helped me get some sleep.
I think sometimes we're attacked (though I take offense to that word when it's used liberally) spiritually.. emotionally...by situations, places, people, in our lives..and it's not like demons are shattering windows and wine glasses or anything... but just a definite unease about things.
That's what I experienced. Better, longer sleep. I'd fall asleep with it in the bed with me. I'd always had it on my bed side table...but holding it, and keeping it under the pillow..
I'd pray to st. benedict, and to God.. a sentence or two..whatever I could muster.. and next thing I knew I was asleep.
I think that st. benedict is a powerful saint for those situations.. just based on those few weeks.
(hope that wasn't too rambly.)
Too creepy about your sister's apartment!
Anyway, welcome back! I missed reading your blog!
Hey there! *big wave* Sounds like things are going great!! Glad to hear all of this stuff and it sounds like Lent was very productive for you. Definitely missed you on here, but it looks like it paid off in a big way ;)
As for the St. Benedict medals, he's helped the family I work with quite a bit. One of the boys used to be in extreme pain non-stop and couldn't sleep at night at all to the point where he would scream and thrash in his bed. When he would fall asleep, he'd wake up in cold sweats and start screaming. So his mother bought him a St. Benedict pewter statue...just a tiny one...and put it on his headboard, and it helped him so much...no more screaming! It's still there! When I graduated, they gave me a St. Benedict rosary and 2 medals which I keep by my bed, and ever since I got them I sleep so sound...no problems at all!
Happy Easter!
Sounds like an amazingly productive Lent indeed. Tough I've missed your blogging, I'm glad giving it up proved so worthwhile.
As far as your sister's apartment, if it were me, I'd get a priest to come and bless it. I don't know much about St Benedict medals, but it's worth a shot.
Also, my sister has had more than a few experiences of the sort. Some of her stories make my hair stand on end. If you give me your sister's address (or yours), I can have her send some blessed salt that she says has worked for her (She had it blessed by an exorcist priest she met when she started worrying whether she was crazy because of some of her experiences. He blessed a bunch of water, salt and oil for her with some special prayers.)
Glad to hear lots of real stuff is getting written, though we'll miss you in the blog world.
Keep in touch!
Hey! Thought about you during Lent. Good job on all the work you've accomplished. Can't wait to hear more!
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