Day Retreat At The Benedictine Monastery

Saturday morning the family and I went to a day Lenten retreat at the Benedictine Monastery of Hawaii.  I loved the drive up.  When the road forks just after passing Schofield Barracks, you fork to the left.  I'd never been down that road, so it was new and exciting for me.  The monastery is tucked up in the hills and has breathtaking views of North Shore.  I will share pictures in my 19/52 post on Friday (week in photos), courtesy of Teenie.  There are two male and five female peacocks and dogs roaming the property.  Sr. Mary Jo invited us to come back and explore the trails (there are two; one leads to a grotto, the other is a  hike up the hill to a cross, which promises more spectacular picture taking opportunities; let's hope not lung popping opportunities).  My friend, Teresa (who made the knotted rosary in my previous post) was there and I asked her if I could have a rosary to give away on my blog - she gave me a beautiful cobalt blue one - even the cross is made of knots; no Damien medal, but if it's important to the winner of the give away to have a Damien medal on it, I will try and get one from the Cathedral store and add it on myself).  So, if you would like a shot at winning a knotted rosary, please leave a comment saying so!  I will announce the winner this coming Friday.

We sang some songs.  There were three talks.  There was time to sit and walk the property to reflect.  Lunch was Subway (brought in).  It was quiet, but also chatty with other parishioners who came (so wonderful!), but restorative.  You see, God speaks our language.  He speaks to you and you will hear Him, but you have to be receptive and ready and listening.  Active listening! 

There was a ceremony where we prayed to God, placing our hands in a bowl of water, saying we were dying to our old self.  When we gave Him whatever idol(s) we had in our old self/life, we would remove our hands, cross ourselves, and say that we were born to new life in Him.  The person before us would dry our hands, then we would dry the hands of the person behind us.  While I will not share the old self with you, I will share this:  I know God heard me, but He also spoke to me.  We were each handed a sheet of some writing . . . as I read it, I felt something familiar in the words . . . then the words reminded me of Romans 8:38-39, my Confirmation scripture quote (nothing separates us from the love of God) and at the end, I learned this writing was St. Louis deMontfort!  Of course, I cried.  Who wouldn't? 

Today, at Mass,  Father said (paraphrasing here), "I don't always know what God's Will is for me in this life, but I know that I must live out His Will."  Yes, Father, that is so true for all of us.  If we only trusted that more.  Amen.


I would like one of these:

Mother's Day is coming up . . . after all.  However, I decided to lower my expectations and whisper into my kids' ears:  I need more Girogio perfume and I spotted several bottles at the NEX.  Please, please, please, get me that for Mum's Day.  There's time, after all, to get dosh out of their father's hands to get me some.  I think I may ask for the Kindle for my birthday or Christmas.  That will only work if I stop spending on myself now and keep to it . . . so far, this Lenten journey I've been relatively good.  Really.  I certainly have bought two books (gasp!) but that's not terribly bad when you consider how many I've not bought when in their company!