I've been working my way through "Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens lately, trying to find moments here and there to read for pleasure. Because I've been mostly reading it fits and starts, I sometimes have to flip back earlier in the book to remind myself of this or that detail. While doing so today, I found this quote I'd underlined a while back and thought I'd share :)
"That was a memorable day to me, for in made great changes in me. But, it is the same with any life. Imagine one selected day struck out of it, and think how different its course would have been. Pause you who read this, and think for a moment of the long chain of iron or gold, of thorns or flowers, that would never have bound you, but for the formation of the first link on one memorable day."
Monday, May 18, 2009
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Scary, scary stuff
Pray for Sweden...let's hope this isn't a sign of things to come:
Gender-based Abortion
Gender-based Abortion
Friday, May 8, 2009
The Curse of the Senioritis
If any of you read my Facebook status update you may have noticed that I kept posting about some dratted midterm. Well it's done and in, finally, and despite having over a week to get it done...I turned it at about 4:52 (it was due at 5:00). With only two quarters, well actually a quarter and a half now, left in the classroom before my clinicals start and I am meeting up back up with a near and dear friend.
We first met my junior year of high school, and were close friends for the next couple of years. Then he disappeared for a little bit, only to reappear in my last quarter of college. We haven't seen each other for over four years now, but guess what? He's back, and his name is Senioritis, now a la Grad School. This quarter my schedule has blessedly gotten less intense and the pressure has dropped off by a lot. At the same time it's harder to get motivated, more tempting to sleep in just a little later, and easier to push that homework assignment to the very last second. *Sigh* - it may be a long couple of quarters, but we're hitting the home stretch now, and the end is in sight!
We first met my junior year of high school, and were close friends for the next couple of years. Then he disappeared for a little bit, only to reappear in my last quarter of college. We haven't seen each other for over four years now, but guess what? He's back, and his name is Senioritis, now a la Grad School. This quarter my schedule has blessedly gotten less intense and the pressure has dropped off by a lot. At the same time it's harder to get motivated, more tempting to sleep in just a little later, and easier to push that homework assignment to the very last second. *Sigh* - it may be a long couple of quarters, but we're hitting the home stretch now, and the end is in sight!
Monday, May 4, 2009
Another Life Teen Year Behind Us
Hard to believe, but last night marked the passing of another Life Teen year, and my four and a half year mark working in high school youth ministry. I've felt myself grow more and more every year, and I am constantly trying to give 100% to these amazing teens. This year has been a challenge as school projects and exams would tend to rear their ugly head at the most inopportune times, and as usual it's been quite the lesson in time management!
By far one of the greatest gifts this year was getting to work more than usual with our senior class. We have been blessed with a group of about 7 teens who are so involved in the program and are always willing to step in and share of their gifts. They are the first class that I've seen go from day one freshman year to graduation. Working on them as the spring retreat approached I realized how lucky our community was to have them and how much they will be missed next year. I know, though, that they will be blessing new communities next year and that's a beautiful thing! We have some great teens stepping up to take their place next year too.
Next fall will mark the first time in nearly five years that I take a hiatus from youth ministry…so hard to believe!! I'll be in Spokane, doing my first clinical, and trust me, I'm really excited for that too. But I do have a funny feeling I'll back at this as soon as I can be :)
I'm thankful to this program for the blessing it's been, for it's faithfulness to the Magisterium and it's exhortations to the teens to trust their Holy Mother Church in all her wisdom.
By far one of the greatest gifts this year was getting to work more than usual with our senior class. We have been blessed with a group of about 7 teens who are so involved in the program and are always willing to step in and share of their gifts. They are the first class that I've seen go from day one freshman year to graduation. Working on them as the spring retreat approached I realized how lucky our community was to have them and how much they will be missed next year. I know, though, that they will be blessing new communities next year and that's a beautiful thing! We have some great teens stepping up to take their place next year too.
Next fall will mark the first time in nearly five years that I take a hiatus from youth ministry…so hard to believe!! I'll be in Spokane, doing my first clinical, and trust me, I'm really excited for that too. But I do have a funny feeling I'll back at this as soon as I can be :)
I'm thankful to this program for the blessing it's been, for it's faithfulness to the Magisterium and it's exhortations to the teens to trust their Holy Mother Church in all her wisdom.
Always a fun ride, and of course when the last night of the year is an 80's dance, how can it not be fun?
Jim and I rocking out to "Tainted Love" (pic credit: Heather Schreiner)
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Leavin' on a Jet Plane...
Well, just in time for a long overdue update! After one of the most intense quarters to date - still not sure how I survived it - I'm on vacation, visiting my sister in New York City. It's been quite an adventure so far, unbelieveably my trip is more than half over! I'll tell you all about it, but am going to break it up into more bite-sized chunks rather than one huge post :)
After finishing my peds final on Tuesday morning I headed home to pack...finals week and the week before were both busy so packing had fallen to the bottom of my list. At 10:30 that night I was on my way. Thankfully, the flights were easy and for the most part on time, and my sister Andrea was waiting for me outside in baggage claim at Laguardia Airport in Queens. We headed out and hopped a bus bound for Manhattan where we would transfer to a subway taking us to her place in the Bronx. New York City is unlike anything I have ever experienced! The bus ride gave me my first experience of NYC driving in all its glory...let's just say it would take me awhile to be brave enough to dare to bring a car out here. Drivers weave in and out of lanes and around stopped cars barely slowing down, and I don't know how they squeeze through those tight spaces!
The Bronx is an interesting place too. People are everywhere, walking in the streets, lots of hustle and bustle. The streets are lined with tall, old brick buildings whose bottom floors are full of shops and boutiques. My sister lives along a main road with boutiques, drugstores, and mom and pop grocery stores competing for space to entice you with their wares. Every race and nationality seems represented and as you walk down the street you can hear the Spanish and English and Asian languages weaving through the conversations. It is as far removed from Seattle as I could possibly imagine and in many ways reminds more of Mexico than anything else.
The rest of my Wednesday was pretty low-key. I spent most of the day finishing my take-home final for my Neuro class, then joined my sister and her roommates for dinner. They had a group of students from Merrimack College visiting them for a Spring Break service trip and I also got a chance to hear how two Dominican Sisters started a couple of the groups that the Augustinian Volunteers, the group my sister is here with, give their time and service to. Sister Jean runs the St. Rita's Center, offering assistence to immigrants and refugees, and Sister C helps at Siena House, a group dedicated to helping homeless women and children.
After a long day of travelling I was pretty tired, so all the tourist fun would have to wait until the next day. Look for more to come (plus pictures!) in the next post...
After finishing my peds final on Tuesday morning I headed home to pack...finals week and the week before were both busy so packing had fallen to the bottom of my list. At 10:30 that night I was on my way. Thankfully, the flights were easy and for the most part on time, and my sister Andrea was waiting for me outside in baggage claim at Laguardia Airport in Queens. We headed out and hopped a bus bound for Manhattan where we would transfer to a subway taking us to her place in the Bronx. New York City is unlike anything I have ever experienced! The bus ride gave me my first experience of NYC driving in all its glory...let's just say it would take me awhile to be brave enough to dare to bring a car out here. Drivers weave in and out of lanes and around stopped cars barely slowing down, and I don't know how they squeeze through those tight spaces!
The Bronx is an interesting place too. People are everywhere, walking in the streets, lots of hustle and bustle. The streets are lined with tall, old brick buildings whose bottom floors are full of shops and boutiques. My sister lives along a main road with boutiques, drugstores, and mom and pop grocery stores competing for space to entice you with their wares. Every race and nationality seems represented and as you walk down the street you can hear the Spanish and English and Asian languages weaving through the conversations. It is as far removed from Seattle as I could possibly imagine and in many ways reminds more of Mexico than anything else.
The rest of my Wednesday was pretty low-key. I spent most of the day finishing my take-home final for my Neuro class, then joined my sister and her roommates for dinner. They had a group of students from Merrimack College visiting them for a Spring Break service trip and I also got a chance to hear how two Dominican Sisters started a couple of the groups that the Augustinian Volunteers, the group my sister is here with, give their time and service to. Sister Jean runs the St. Rita's Center, offering assistence to immigrants and refugees, and Sister C helps at Siena House, a group dedicated to helping homeless women and children.
After a long day of travelling I was pretty tired, so all the tourist fun would have to wait until the next day. Look for more to come (plus pictures!) in the next post...
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Baby, it's COLD outside!
According to the thermometer outside my back door it's a nice toasty 28 degrees here, which is quite warm compared to the 15 degrees in Seattle, or maybe the sunlight is throwing it off because it definitely doesn't feel like 28! The picture is taken from my living room window, and while many of the main arterials have been sanded and de-iced, our neighborhood streets are still a skating rink.
This is without a doubt the longest cold and snow snap I remember in all my time growing up in Seattle. The snow started late last Saturday and has continued on and off throughout the week. We are expecting another big storm tonight into tomorrow (Sunday) with wind gusts way up above 60 or 70 mph. While I have had to cancel a couple of events for the sake of safety, I am one to look for a silver lining which has been that I've been on break for all of this, so no trekking it to the U district, and I have been drinking a lot of tea, which is never a bad thing. Of course in typical Seattle style, temperatures are expected to warm up early next week which will melt the snow and we'll once again miss a White Christmas by that much!
So I'll be hunkering down for the next couple of days, listening to the sound of wind, trying to stay warm, with one brief outing to rescue my sister from the airport tomorrow. Let's hope the power doesn't go out for too long.
Monday, December 8, 2008
Finals are here..eep!
I have three this week, one today, one tomorrow and one Wednesday. Today and tomorrow (especially tomorrow) are biggies so any prayers are more than welcome. I'll report back once I can think of things other than neurological treatment and the cervical and thoracic spine... :)
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