What a difference a day makes!

Yesterday the Little Falls high temperature was a record breaking 52 degrees. Today a high of 34 degrees already was in the early a.m. hours. We’ve had .10 inch of rain and now it is snowing…with expected accumulation about 1 to 2 inches. Wind chill of 4 degrees.

After prayer this morning, Sr. Donna told us that today she would be donating her 81st unit of blood. That is a LOT of blood—10 gallons + 1! Thank you, Donna, for your generous gift of life. The Bloodmobile is here today, Thursday and Friday. These first two days from 1 to 7 p.m. and Friday 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

This week is National Immigration Week. Today is National Human Trafficking Awareness Day. We are remembering St. Josephine Bakhuta (1869-1947.) She was an ex-slave and Sister, who was kidnapped as a 9 year-old. She was beatified by Pope John Paul II on May 17, 1992, and canonized in 2000, the first native of the Sudan to be so recognized. Let us pray for all those who are enslaved for the “profit” of their “masters.”

Tomorrow at 2 p.m., we are recognizing the Finance Department for their many services to the Sisters—and paying our bills. Thank you, for your many services to us. (I am most grateful I don’t have to figure all those things out.)

On Sunday we celebrate Sr. Justina’s 100 birthdays. It will be a Great Day. I’m sure we will have many guests for Mass (11 a.m.) and the open house from 2 –4 p.m. Congratulations, Sr. Justina.

Retreat starts Monday evening at 7 p.m. until noon of Saturday, the 22nd. It is a long list of people who are signed up to make the retreat. I am one of them.

After our meal for the Sisters ‘ Christmas Party on the 7th, we had a sing-a-long. The funniest song we sang was a new version of “Twelve Days of Christmas”. We sang “The 12 Days of Christmas MN Style”… A Bald Eagle in a Fir tree, 2 red-eyed loons, 3 spring chix, 4 snow ties spinning, 5 woolen scarves, 6 bunnies hopping, 7 mice a-squeaking, 8 kittens purring, 9 wolves a-howling, 10 skunks a-spraying, 11 kids coughing, 12 geese a-honking. And, then, too, did the actions. That song was good for a lot of laughs.

Finally, the HARD 1,000-piece peacock puzzle was finished. It took several weeks. I admire those who were so persistent to finish it. Now they are working on a plate of cookies and that is about as hard. It is great to see Sisters and employees working so diligently to put the puzzles together…a wonderful way to relax.

The Christmas decorations are all packed away for another year. All that is left are the many beautiful poinsettias that will last until Eastertime.

Peace and blessings, Sister Mary Lou

The Christmas decorations are disappearing

This must be the “January lull.” The Christmas decorations are disappearing and put away for another year. The weekly calendar is not packed with activities and events. Sister Kizzie made a snowlady—little in size because of the lack of snow. I took a picture yesterday because when our temperatures go to the 40s+ today the snow won’t last long!

The past days we’ve had notices of the deaths of a number of family members of employees and the brother of one of our Sisters. May all the deceased be enjoying Life with the Lord. And we wish peace, strength and courage for the living members of the families.

Last night Channel Kare 11 TV did a 5-or 6-minute segment on our Sister Karen Niedjelski, Kindergarten teacher at St. Andrew’s School in Elk River. The program was very interesting and very well done. I think it would be fun to sit in on her classes. Those are lucky children who are in her class. Click here to view the video clip.

On Saturday, the 7th, we will have our Sisters’ Christmas/Epiphany celebration…always good food and good visiting.

Next week we will have the first of three computer Technology Inservice programs for those of us who need to know about what the machine is capable of doing.

January 8—14 is National Migration Week—a time to remember the giftedness and blessings Migrants are and be welcoming and hospitable to them who find themselves far away from home and in a vulnerable situation.

The Bloodmobile will be here Wednesday and Thursday (11th and 12th) from 1 to 7 p.m. and Friday (13th) from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. If you wish to make an appointment, call Sr. Julien at 632-0663.

And, of course, the big event of January is on Sunday, the 15th: the Celebration of the 100th Birthday of Sr. Justina, with Mass at 11 a.m. and an Open House from 2 – 4 p.m.

The quote from my calendar is: “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not and act but a habit.” -- Aristotle

Peace and God’s protection on each of us. Sister Mary Lou