Relationships matter most in my life…I get what I give

This is a winter we will remember for a while. It is 1 p.m., as I type this. With the sun shining on the thermometer, it is “zero.” Actually it is minus 14 and that will be about the high for today. I know of only one school in Minnesota that is open today—Bemidji University. With the sun out, it looks beautify—all that white sparkly snow everywhere! Only the tips of the orange poles to mark the driveway edges are sticking out. Have hope. Spring is only 52 days away…if that means anything.

The Morrison Tree of Lights campaign for Unity Family Hospice raised $9,470 this past December. What a help for those in need of hospice services. They do a wonderful service. My parents and us siblings benefited from that ministry. We are grateful.

The political process for up-coming elections begins with Precinct Caucus meetings on Tuesday February 4th. Here in Little Falls meetings are at the Middle School and start at 7 p.m. If we want change, it starts here locally.

Martin Luther King, Jr Days speaker at the public schools was Marty Martinson. I thought the three keys to happiness were good for everyone. They are: 1) Relationships matter most in my life…I get what I give. 2) You know, in life you got to try a little harder. 3) People need to decide to be happy.

This week is Catholic Schools Week—the 40th one--a week dear to my heart, having worked in Catholic Schools for nearly 50 years. It was always the funnest” week of the year. The theme this year is: Catholic Schools: Communities of Faith, Knowledge and Service. God bless parishes, staff, parents and all associated with Catholic Education. You are in my prayers. You do a great job.

Ground Hogs Day is next Sunday. I don’t need Punxsutawney Phil’s shadow to tell me about six more weeks of winter. We've had winter a long time already. Zion Lutheran Church is having a “Groundhog Feed” to support the Food Shelf on the 2nd, if you are interested.

I go to Lindbergh School about once a week to read to First Graders in Mrs. Hanson’s room. Friday when there, I asked her to take a picture of me with the class…one nice picture and one “goofy” picture. They are a great group of students. Enjoy.

This Thursday evening we are having Employee Recognition meal and awards. We have wonderful employees and some have worked here many years. Thank you for your dedicated services.

Saturday, February 1st is our Soup Supper fundraiser from 4:30 to 7 p.m. They are busy in the kitchen making lots of soups – so far, 30 gallons of two kinds of soups. I pray for favorable weather and a good crowd, or we will be eating lots of soup for a long time!

The Super Bowl weekend is the biggest time for sex-trafficking. Please pray for victims and perpetrators of this crime.

Stay safe and warm.

Peace and blessings,
Sister Mary Lou

We are growing some pretty big snow piles

January 21, 2014

We’re in the deep freeze again today. At 6 a.m. today, it was minus 23. It will warm us slightly today and then we will get a couple inches of new snow. We have a small three-foot evergreen tree planted on the north side of Clare Residence. With all the snow just the top two inches are above the snow. One more snowfall and the little tree will disappear until springtime! We are growing some pretty big snow piles at the ends of parking lots. At our cemetery all the grave markers are totally covered with snow.

Retreat last week with Father John Quigley, OFM, was great. Each of the twice-a-day conferences gave us plenty to reflect upon. I need to go back and re-listen to the disc of a couple taped conferences.

Then what does one say about the two women whose funerals we had on Saturday and Monday…each one a holy woman who served and ministered to God’s people in tremendous ways…Sister Lydia in her gentle works of teaching, music and hospitality at St. Francis Center, etc. And Sister Elizabeth (Kizzie) in her teaching, missionary and Humane Borders ministry by bring water to immigrants crossing the desert. Each Sister had many family and friends here to celebrate their gift of life. I learned so much about each one in the stories that were told about each. God bless you Sisters and intercede for us in our needs. Below are some pictures from Sr. Lydia’s display.

And here are some pictures from Sr. Kizzie’s display.

From what it looks like, to me, the rest of the week will be kind of quiet…and that is just fine with all of us.

Tomorrow, Wednesday, we have a Bilingual Liturgy at 11 a.m.

On Saturday, February 1st, we have our Soup Supper. Three kinds of soups will be served. They are: Chicken Wild Rice, Beef Barley and Beans and Ham. Other menu items are: Fresh homemade cracked wheat or white bread, bars and beverages. Nothing can beat hot soup on a cold night (when you don’t have to cook or wash dishes!) So, plan on joining us between 4:30 and 7 p.m. at St. Francis Convent.

Keep warm and safe. Peace and blessings,
Sister Mary Lou

My Life, My Family, God's Way

With the Church Feast of the Baptism of the Lord yesterday, the Christmas season is officially over. I put my Christmas decorations away Saturday. It always happens that after I carefully check to see that I have everything in the box and put the box in the closet, there appear at least two items that managed to escape my eye and now I need to pull a box out and add these errant items. Ever happen to you?

What a change in weather from last week when we had a minus 23 temp (minus 40 wind chill) last Monday and a plus 42 yesterday afternoon. Last night the trucks were out scraping ice off the bumpy roads around the buildings. Moving around is easier today.

We had two Sisters die over the weekend. Sister Lydia Langer died Saturday at 6:22 p.m. Sister Elizabeth (Kizzie) Omann died Sunday at 4:10 a.m. Sr. Lydia’s Funeral is Saturday, January 18th and Sr. Elizabeth’s Funeral is Monday, January 20th. Family members and Sisters have been sitting with each one for a couple days. Eternal Life give to them, O Lord. And let Perpetual Light shine on each.

We had the Blood Mobile here three days last week. Though we did not meet our goal of 265 Units, we did collect 225 Units and that is a lot of blood. God bless all who braved the very cold weather and came. You are life-savers in the true sense of the word. Thank you.

Last weekend 12 Stephen Ministers of Anoka came for a weekend retreat. This group began coming here in October, 1986, so it will be 28 years in October. Sr. Rita Barthel was on the staff at St. Stephen’s and coordinated their group to come here. Sr. Johnelle Becker followed Sr. Rita in her position. Sr. Roberta Zimmer was Hospitality Manager at that time. The Stephen Ministers joined us for Saturday Evening Prayer, Meals and Mass on Sunday. Thank you for coming and do come again.

Retreat with Father John Quigley, OFM starts tonight. Title of the retreat is “Our evolving Images of God; Oh how we’ve/they’ve changed. There are 35 of us signed up for the retreat—mostly Sisters, bur a couple Associates.

Other than the retreat and preparing for the funerals, it should be kind of a quiet week here. I will keep you, my readers, in my prayers. Please do the same for me.

Peace and blessings,

Sister Mary Lou

It's cold outside!

We are into January and a cold one it is.  Local radio says it was minus 23 this morning with a wind chill of minus 43 degrees…that’s cold if you have to be in it for any length of time.  My plans are to stay inside as much as possible.  They say the high today will be about minus 15.  Even with the severe cold we are still fortunate because we have electricity and do not have ice coated power lines, trees and roads.

After two weeks with a “Sunday” in the middle of the week, and a “Monday” after Wednesday, it is good to be back to a week where Monday follows Sunday and the days go along as expected.  We don’t have to say, “Today is Monday.”  The past two weeks the day after Wednesday felt like a Monday.

We’ve had Christmas and New Year’s and Epiphany.  Next Sunday is the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord and the end of the Christmas Season according to the Church calendar.  It seems to me that it all went by pretty fast.  On Saturday we Sisters had our Christmas celebration.  After the special meal, we sing Christmas carols for half an hour or so.  We do like to sing.

The Blood Mobile will be here Wednesday, Thursday (1 to 7 p.m.) and Friday (8 a.m. to 2 p.m.)   I hope the cold does not scare off donors.

Friday, Saturday and Sunday, the Stephen Ministers from Anoka will be having meetings here.

One day last week I got a picture of Sr. Julien and Geri frosting cookies.

This morning I went looking for door decorations.  Have a little look.

Next week there will be a retreat going on from Monday to Sunday.

Peace and blessings, 
Stay warm and safe.  Snow-birds we envy you.
Sister Mary Lou