Lose weight? It doesn't seem possible in Italy, where I have yet to have a poor meal, but there are not many fat people here, so it must be. I will take it under consideration.
Write an eMo every day? That would be such a good thing to do. I don't know why I can't seem to do it, and I will try. So far, I'm batting a thousand.
Read copiously? Are you allowed to make a New Year's resolution of something you love to do anyway? I am not sure. But reading is very good for one. Maybe the resolution should be not feeling guilty about it. Yes, probably.
Re-invigorate my practice of the Daily Office? Oh, yes. It has gotten spotty, even with Mission St. Clare right here at my fingertips to help me along. At St. Luke's we said it every day in community, and that made it easy to be faithful. It's harder on my own. But I have fallen down before and found my way back. Maybe there are those who would like to do it here at St. James. There is always a way.
Interesting: all of these things are resolutions to do things that will be wonderful and life-giving. None of them are unpleasant or boring. I love them all. There is absolutely no reason to groan at the word "resolution.' It is an honorable and exciting word.
One thing I must remember: I do not carry the burden of my resolutions alone. A power greater than myself stands ready to help me bear them. Longs to help me, simply because of the love in which I have been created and sustained all my life. Maybe I can't do all these things -- I have demonstrated clearly, in fact, that I cannot.
But we can.
+
Remember www.missionstclare.com, the place you can go to find everything you need for Morning and Evening Prayer. No, it's not a quiet little church at twilight with people you know and love. But it's way better than nothing at all.
+
Barbara Crafton in New York on Wednesday, January 7th at 9.30 am.
Are you in the New York area? Take next Wednesday off and attend a one-day retreat with Barbara Crafton entitled "Forgiveness: What It Is and What It Isn't." The quiet day will take place at the General Theological Seminary, 21st Street between 9th and 10th, and it will be Barbara's only New York appearance until the autumn of 2009. As it is a "lab" for the class she is teaching at GTS on leading retreats, there is no registration fee, although a freewill offering benefitting the seminary's Center for Christian Spirituality will be taken at the end of the day. Call the Center for Christian Spirituality at 212-243-5150.
|
|