Life is Good! God has really blessed me this past month with a wide variety of experiences and travels!
We took a long road trip down to Florida for the National Conference on Catholic Youth Ministry and to stay with our Sisters in Tampa. It was wonderful to see a Salesian elementary school and get to speak with many of the students about what we're doing and how we're studying to be Sisters. They were precious and had some really great questions and enthusiastic comments! It made me miss teaching, but also look forward to implementing St. John Bosco's education system of Reason, Religion and Loving Kindness, into a future classroom. My favorite parts were playing four square in the mornings before school (yes in December, loved that warm, Florida weather!), and Sister Principal dedicating "My God" from Sister Act over the intercom to us while we danced down the hallways! Always an adventure with this crowd! We did some traveling back and forth to Orlando for the Conference where we had a booth explaining our mission with the young and were able to make connections with many youth ministers. It was a great networking opportunity and chance to catch up with some old friends. We also made visits to one of our Co-ed high schools and a Salesian parish. It's great to see the charism lived out in each of these different environments. One of our days included morning prayer on the beach, followed by an afternoon in DISNEY WORLD! It was the best day ever! I had several new experiences, though riding a rollercoaster in a dress was definitely one of the strangest! As I strapped myself in with my Aspirant Sisters on both sides I thought to myself, "I wouldn't rather be anywhere else, with anyone else." What a beautiful grace and affirmation!
After a wonderful time getting to know the four Sisters there and see how a smaller community lives, we loaded up for another Road Trip to Champaign, Illinois. The Sisters there live and work in the University of Illinois. It was incredible to see a huge Catholic dorm and church in the middle of a State University. They have a beautiful ministry working with the college students and helping with many activities, mission trips and retreats the young people are participating in. The rapport established by the Sisters really made it easy for us to interact with and relate to the students. We took a tour of the campus, sang Christmas carols, hung out in the cafeteria, went to Mass and even got to be on the college schedule. And of course I enjoyed being back in the Midwest! There's something freeing about the open highway with fields on both sides and people waving as you pass by.
Our trip was full of quality time together in the van, watching youtube videos, singing loudly to the radio, listening to dramatic readings of the life of St. John Bosco (our homework), praying, bonding and eating a lot of icecream! Since returning we are definitely getting in the Christmas spirit with a sugar cookie decorating contest, caroling, Christmas concerts, decorating the house, looking at Christmas lights, and a trip to NYC to see the lights, displays and big tree! Amidst all the busyness, I hope that you are preparing your heart in a special way this Advent season for the true meaning of Christmas! May we make this a true time of hope and humbleness looking for ways to offer ourselves and our treasure to those most in need.This delightful time of year, we realize the greatest gift we have to celebrate is the birth of Jesus our Savior!
