I hope you all are well on this fine day.
My sabbath time was wonderful. It reminds me strongly of the comrades of spending time with friends in college.
We have dubbed Sunday night, burgers and beer night. After eating healthy all week, it was fun not to. There's just something about laughing and joking over an appetizer and a beer that is just freeing.
If you've known me for five minutes you know my love for, interest in, and curiosity about people. I want to know them, not just who they pretend to be. So observing silence for those on silent retreat is hard for me. Silence during meals is something I'm finding great comfort in. Can't explain it, it's almost a restful, relaxing experience.
This link is important, and explains the next part.
http://www.ssje.org/5.pdf/cowleypdf/SSJE%20Rule%20of%20Life.pdf
Our 'homework' for our meeting this afternoon was to read chapters 21-25 of the rule. I had difficulty at first, but as with many things, it's better to chew smaller bites. Some of my recent FB posts have been either direct quotes or paraphrases from my reading.
This kind of feels like a 'duh' moment for me but perhaps not. I found myself early for noonday prayer Sunday. I'm figuring out that sitting on the floor in the corner is where I feel I can "hang out" with God. I use environmental noise to keep me focused and just chill. I don't have to do or be anything, I am just me. May sound a bit boring, but you'd be surprised. My thought for the day came when, perhaps the Spirit moved but I felt this overwhelming sense of how deeply I love God. I feel like these words feel empty, this feeling was so strong I want to weep all over again. I've never felt this way before, it's almost an expectancy, for what, I don't know, I just know it's there. Not like I have to do something, like something's happening.
I'm out of words for now. Have a good week, share with you soon!
Love Nancy
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
First full day... Phew
I'm beat!
I hope not all days are This tiring an hopefully I'll sleep all night this time.
A lot happened today. Learned about the structure of SSJE, talked a bit about liturgy, and had another talk later about what we hope to experience. I had a 'duh' moment with that, I realized why I'm here, to find peace- The still small voice of God in the silence, and to test my vocation. I didn't have words for this really, until that conversation.
A couple cool things on a long list, we started 'silent meals' today. There's music and maybe a book read during the meal. At lunch the weirdness almost overtook me, but thankfully I reigned myself in. Dinner I noticed a 'comfort' in the community of the silence, cool eh?
We also got our stalls today- hold your livestock jokes if you will please :)
Our stall is where we sit in choir. We each have an office book with our names on them, and a hymnal. The only service not in there is Eucharist, I cant remember why. Liturgy is different here, not sure if I can explain how but maybe eventually.
We also took a walk today, poured the entire time but Doc and I had raincoats and I survived sans my rain boots, no soggy tennis shoes thanks be to God.
I think that's it in a nutshell. Think we're going to Emmory House tomorrow. Another new adventure.
Night and many blessings to you all.
Nancy
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
I hope not all days are This tiring an hopefully I'll sleep all night this time.
A lot happened today. Learned about the structure of SSJE, talked a bit about liturgy, and had another talk later about what we hope to experience. I had a 'duh' moment with that, I realized why I'm here, to find peace- The still small voice of God in the silence, and to test my vocation. I didn't have words for this really, until that conversation.
A couple cool things on a long list, we started 'silent meals' today. There's music and maybe a book read during the meal. At lunch the weirdness almost overtook me, but thankfully I reigned myself in. Dinner I noticed a 'comfort' in the community of the silence, cool eh?
We also got our stalls today- hold your livestock jokes if you will please :)
Our stall is where we sit in choir. We each have an office book with our names on them, and a hymnal. The only service not in there is Eucharist, I cant remember why. Liturgy is different here, not sure if I can explain how but maybe eventually.
We also took a walk today, poured the entire time but Doc and I had raincoats and I survived sans my rain boots, no soggy tennis shoes thanks be to God.
I think that's it in a nutshell. Think we're going to Emmory House tomorrow. Another new adventure.
Night and many blessings to you all.
Nancy
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Location:Memorial Dr,Cambridge,United States
Day 2- up early
I'll probably do another one. Still no Internet for now, so there will be a bunch at once.
I woke up at 4- why you ask, Doc moved and I needed to eh, you know.
I couldn't go back to sleep, so after tossing and turning for about an hour I got up, dressed and went to morning prayer.
That is, well I don't have words for that. Not able to fully participate yet, but I'm patient.
I'm just kinda hangin out for now.
I've heard incense spoken about with scorn not sure why but I don't mind it. Makes my vision even more blurry but at least I'm not the only one!
The silence here is heavy, especially before now. I'm in the GH common room and it's been raining slot here so you hear the traffic and the water out the window.
Think I'm going to go find the guest house guy, he was an intern here from feb or Jan to june, cool guy. Sounds like folks are waking up.
Later for now,
Nancy
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
I woke up at 4- why you ask, Doc moved and I needed to eh, you know.
I couldn't go back to sleep, so after tossing and turning for about an hour I got up, dressed and went to morning prayer.
That is, well I don't have words for that. Not able to fully participate yet, but I'm patient.
I'm just kinda hangin out for now.
I've heard incense spoken about with scorn not sure why but I don't mind it. Makes my vision even more blurry but at least I'm not the only one!
The silence here is heavy, especially before now. I'm in the GH common room and it's been raining slot here so you hear the traffic and the water out the window.
Think I'm going to go find the guest house guy, he was an intern here from feb or Jan to june, cool guy. Sounds like folks are waking up.
Later for now,
Nancy
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Location:SSJE, Boston
What a Long and Full day
I am exhausted, it has been a Long day.
Where to start...
Let me start by saying, there is so much to say and I am so tired that I may just post what I get to, then write more in the morning.
I've been up since 4:45 and had a cup of coffee on the plane this morning and a cup of tea this afternoon.
It was raining in Spartanburg this morning when I left- which was at about 8. We got to the airport at 9-ish and it was pretty cool because both my parents hung out with me at the gate, but we all had to go through security, which wasn't That bad I thought.
I boarded about 11 and we took off at 11:15. Interestingly, they had to put someone beside me in our 2-person row. I took Doc's harness off so he'd be comfortable. I was a bit cramped, but he was happy. I don't even want to fathom what not-flying up front would feel like, ouch.
My flight arrived 15 mins early and I was first off. The guy at the gate took me to baggage claim where some amazing staff took me to a dog relieving spot and even got my bag for me. Turns out I had to take a cab to the monastery- never done so with a dog before. Expensive! $31, the toll was $7. The monastery is going to reimburse me for that. Oh my bag, just under the limit, 47.8lbs.
I get here and I arrive just as a few others do. So I get taken on a tour. This place is confusing! Because of fire codes, there are doors everywhere! So far I know how to get to the bathroom, the kitchen in the guesthouse, the gh common room and the gh dining room. Getting to the chapel and refectory is still a bit confusing but I'll have it in a few days.
We've had Eucharist dinner and Compline so far and we hung out a bit before-hand. There's a lot of still working out the bugs to do, but that's always true with new situations. It's a bit surreal to be here. I found myself looking around a lot during Eucharist. Br Geoffrey delivered a great sermon on Vocation. I truly believe this is where I'm meant to be right now.
Interesting note, one of the interns I thought was a guy, nope, so that means two girls at Emmory House and me and Ruben Tyler and somebody I can't remember here. The guys are on the 3rd floor, I'm on the 2nd. I'm in this little corridor where it's my room and a two room suite. Apparently Bishops stay there or families, so it's apparently really quiet over here.
I'm tired. Think that's enough to get along with. Don't call me, I'll call you.
Love me and Doc
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Where to start...
Let me start by saying, there is so much to say and I am so tired that I may just post what I get to, then write more in the morning.
I've been up since 4:45 and had a cup of coffee on the plane this morning and a cup of tea this afternoon.
It was raining in Spartanburg this morning when I left- which was at about 8. We got to the airport at 9-ish and it was pretty cool because both my parents hung out with me at the gate, but we all had to go through security, which wasn't That bad I thought.
I boarded about 11 and we took off at 11:15. Interestingly, they had to put someone beside me in our 2-person row. I took Doc's harness off so he'd be comfortable. I was a bit cramped, but he was happy. I don't even want to fathom what not-flying up front would feel like, ouch.
My flight arrived 15 mins early and I was first off. The guy at the gate took me to baggage claim where some amazing staff took me to a dog relieving spot and even got my bag for me. Turns out I had to take a cab to the monastery- never done so with a dog before. Expensive! $31, the toll was $7. The monastery is going to reimburse me for that. Oh my bag, just under the limit, 47.8lbs.
I get here and I arrive just as a few others do. So I get taken on a tour. This place is confusing! Because of fire codes, there are doors everywhere! So far I know how to get to the bathroom, the kitchen in the guesthouse, the gh common room and the gh dining room. Getting to the chapel and refectory is still a bit confusing but I'll have it in a few days.
We've had Eucharist dinner and Compline so far and we hung out a bit before-hand. There's a lot of still working out the bugs to do, but that's always true with new situations. It's a bit surreal to be here. I found myself looking around a lot during Eucharist. Br Geoffrey delivered a great sermon on Vocation. I truly believe this is where I'm meant to be right now.
Interesting note, one of the interns I thought was a guy, nope, so that means two girls at Emmory House and me and Ruben Tyler and somebody I can't remember here. The guys are on the 3rd floor, I'm on the 2nd. I'm in this little corridor where it's my room and a two room suite. Apparently Bishops stay there or families, so it's apparently really quiet over here.
I'm tired. Think that's enough to get along with. Don't call me, I'll call you.
Love me and Doc
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Location:SSJE, Boston
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