Join Katy as she shares her story, experiences, musings, discernment, and life as a religious sister.
Sunday, July 29, 2007
COUTDOWN COMMENCES
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
I LOVE BEING A PRINCIPAL
I had an incredible meeting with my middle school faculty about changes in their teaching loads. They were so open, flexible, and cooperative...music to any administrator's ears! It was truly a blessing. I am thrilled to work with them.
I love how welcoming everyone has been. I love meeting new people, prospective families...etc.
Tonight...I figured out something I DON'T LOVE...SCHEDULING...OY! I am forever indebted to Sr. Phyllis, former principal extraordinaire...patient as ever. She helped me figure out the schedule. We have some crazy factors to deal with too, namely our Wednesday school schedule is early release every Wednesday...so that was a challenge. Part-time specialties, making sure everyone meets their minutes...prep periods...YUCK. It was so challenging! I'm glad it's finished. I really worked hard on it and I'm proud that I could maintain my "keeping my heart in the classroom" philosophy through this process. I asked myself for every "weird" scheduling conundrum..."Would I be ok with this as a teacher?" So I hope my faculty understands some of the changes and EMBRACES THEM! We'll see....
Back to loving being a principal...yes...I'm loving it. It's busy and exciting. I'm nervous...but I think I've found a good place for me to minister and to set me off on this next adventure!
I'm SAVORING my HP (yeah right...I'm so freaking tired by the time I go to bed...I can't even READ!) Saturday...my goal is to sit in my backyard and read. Gotta have goals.
Peace out!
Monday, July 23, 2007
M.I.A.--oops!
Here's the low down on my life the past weeks since retreat...on your mark...get set...GO!
RETREAT!
Retreat was wonderful. I had the most perfect weather, a great director, and I worked HARD! Dawn was fantastic as ever...she's so good at reading people, perceptions, and gives good (challenging, but good) homework. I spent the week reading some poetry and two "folk tales" of sorts that she gave me which really profoundly related to some of the things we were discussing.
I spent time with the folk tale, "The Snake Who Lost His Hiss"...moral being: "Don't hurt anyone...but sometimes you have to hiss". Hmmmm.....I'm still having reflection on that story. Dawn's that good...let me tell you!
The memorable poetry lines that are still vividly with me were:
From Mary Oliver's When I am Among the Trees
I spent most of my days outside walking, walking, and more walking by Lake Michigan. I loved this image of walking slowly and bowing often (um..yeah..two of my retreat themes was "Slow down" and "be good to yourself") and I love the image of being filled with light and to shine!
The other poem that I loved was also a Mary Oliver entitled: Messenger; here are a few of my favorite lines:
Saturday, July 7, 2007
07-07-07
UPDATES!! UPDATES!! UPDATES!!
First of all...if you go back and reread Giving Voice Day 3...you will notice that I edited that post with photos and further reflections...I thought that would be easier than writing a new entry.
Well...this week back from Boston was BUSY.
I began officially at Holy Trinity as PRINCIPAL! WOO HOO! It was a full week; meeting people, getting my bearings, paperwork, etc. Sr. Toni came on Thursday to help me set up my office. I can't tell you what a gift that was! I got a big kick out of this...when I was a kid, I'd come to help Sr. Toni in her office and now she was helping me! Neato. Overall...it was a good week. I am just so happy and excited to be ministering with this community as their principal. It is indeed my next ministerial adventure...I'm up for the challenge...and uber excited for this upcoming year.
Check out the Boston Globe link: http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/07/07/sisters_savor_a_shared_religious_life?p1=email_to_a_friend
They did a great story on our conference in Boston. You may even recognize one of the interviewees!
I also have another rockin' site for ya'll to visit:
http://www.pray-as-you-go.org/index.htm
It's called "Pray As You Go". You can download, onto your Mp3 or computer the daily readings and a reflection. It IS SO COOL. Here's what the website says about the format:
A new prayer session is produced every day. It is not a 'Thought for the Day', a sermon or a bible-study, but rather a framework for your own prayer. Lasting between ten and thirteen minutes, it combines music, scripture and some questions for reflection.
The aim is to help you to:
- become more aware of God's presence in your life
- listen to and reflect on God's word
- grow in your relationship with God.
It is produced by Jesuit Media Initiatives, with material written by a number of British Jesuits and other experts in the spirituality of St Ignatius of Loyola.Although the content is different every day, it keeps to the same basic format.
I leave for retreat tomorrow (AHHHHHHH--interpret that how you may) and I downloaded next weeks. I also downloaded the breathing (because some people indicate that sometimes I need to breathe more? I dunno) and the end of the day reflection. They are ok...not as good as the daily readings.
I admit, while listening to the end of the day reflection...I burst out laughing in the first minute. If you download it, listen to it, and know me a little..you should be able to guess what made me spit my water out of my mouth!
In all sincerity...I think this is the coolest thing I've found online in a long time. I like the STRUCTURE, the music, and the questions to ponder. I'll let ya'll know how they are on retreat. If any of you try it...I'd love to know your thoughts too! Leave me a comment!
YES...I leave for retreat...FOR A WHOLE WEEK. I'm going to the same place with the same Sister I did that mini-retreat with in March. So...it's 7 days with me, Dawn, God and the Spirit. Wowie...I hope it's a good retreat. I have had a bit going on...I'm "Transition Katy" right now...which isn't my best space to be in, but I'm hoping that the spirit works and I can LET GO and LET that spirit do her movin'. I won't be updating until I return...so leave me lots of comments! :-)
Peace until next week.........