My awkward 15 minutes of fame

J.M.J.A.T.K.G

Well this is awkward - yet - very awesome. Over 1,000 of you have discovered this blog through a story I was interviewed for by the Associated Press. What I thought would be a little story on nuns using the internet has been picked up by such news sources as Huffington Post and ABC news.
It's been a humbling two days to say the least. I hope some of you stick around to see where this adventure called discerning Religious Life will take me. (Trust me, you'll REALLY want to stay around - I might have an announcement to make in a few months...)
Also, I hope that you check out my article buddies website as well and show them some love.
Thank you all for checking out this blog. I am truly humbled.

I'll write more later...got to go pay the bills! 

Nunnabe Dairies: A tiny step forward on Mount Everest

J.M.J.A.T.K.G 

About a month ago, I was with my nuns at their Motherhouse or Mothership as we like to call it. I have visited the motherhouse five times before; each time meeting and sometimes remeeting the nuns. Often times I was lead around by either the vocation director or another nun since the motherhouse was so big. Since I was fairly new I would be introduced to every nun that came our way. This meant that I would meet up to fifty nuns during a visit. It was very overwhelming to say the least. (I’m an introvert by nature.)

However this time was different.

When we arrived, the two nuns I rode with had to go to a meeting so that left me to walk to lunch by myself. I’ll never forget how freeing it felt to walk to point A to point B by myself and actually know where I was going. On the way there I came across three nuns who actually knew who I was. (I couldn’t remember their names- they didn’t seem to care)

This happened again and again over the next five days. The anxiety of being in a new place was slowly dissipating. To my surprise, the motherhouse was starting to feel like home. 

I thought I wouldn't miss being lead around the motherhouse or meeting so many nuns, but I did. I was saying good-bye to one phase of discernment that I will never have back - at least with this community. Meeting all of those nuns was overwhelming and exhausting but I can now step back and appreciate it. It obliviously had to be done. Or course, there are many sisters who live far away that I haven't met yet. However, they'll probably know me by seeing my face in several of the order's newsletters and such.

Even though this is only a few small steps on the Mount Everest that is discernment; it's still taking me to new heights. (Very sorry for the cliche but it stays)

Will every step I take be just as bittersweet or more so?

In any case, this whole discernment thing is full of twists and turns that I never expected. I keep thinking that this is so much bigger than I am - it's completely in God's hands. 

This whole discernment thing just got a whole lot more real... and awkward.  

 

New Running Shoes

J.M.J.A.T.K.G

To continue on the theme of running (because not everyone knows how great of a runner I have become*) here is another post on running.

A few weeks ago at work a coworker pulled out a brand new pair of running shoes from our lost and found. (We have a policy that if you leave something for 30 days - we give it to a thrift store.) She said this was the first time since we opened six months ago that someone left a pair of shoes.
I wanted to try them on but I thought there was no way they would fit. I would have to bite the bullet and buy a brand new pair. At that point I hadn't been able to run because my old pair was just too warn out. It was frustrating because I was really starting to get into the groove.
The next day when I came into work they were sitting in the same spot - a rarity. Usually the pile is immediately washed and taken to the thrift store. When the shoes were finally taken away to be washed, I mentioned to my coworker that I might want the shoes. As soon as I told her, she was bound and determined to get me those shoes. After some tough and confusing negotiations with the maintenance staff (the folks that handle the lost and found stuff) I was told to wait until the shoes had dried. Then I was to take them to my boss to decide on the price. But I was warned that my boss never gives a fair price.
After that I was useless at work. Those shoes were all I could think about. I was so giddy and couldn't stop smiling - this was just too prefect. I needed a new pair of shoes but really didn't want to spend the $80 on a new pair. I seriously thought I would have to give up my new found love. Plus, running had become a great way to pray and learn all sorts of life lessons.
So. After I clocked out I went to try on the shoes (I still didn't know if they would even fit). I slipped on the still wet shoes - it was a prefect fit. I grabbed the shoes and took them to my boss hoping he would give me a fair price.

Four dollars he said. Fair enough.

I gave him 5 because I was such a pain in the butt about the shoes.

God truly answered my prayers. I think this is the first time God came through in such an obvious way. Although I was praying for much bigger things God specially answered a resounding "YES" to this one. I don't know why God answered this prayer so quickly and taking Her sweet time on the bigger prayers. However, I'm not complaining.

*Not exactly true on being a great runner. I'm getting there though.