Mom

I’ve gotten way behind on my gratitude posts this Lent, not because I haven’t had things to be grateful for, but because I’ve been pretty busy and haven’t taken the time to post about them. I apologize for that, and I hope to do better in these last 3 weeks of Lent.

Today I am thankful for my mother-in-law. It was five years ago today that she left us. I miss her so much. Sometimes I think of something I’d like to tell her or talk to her about, and then I remember that she’s not here anymore.

I lost my own mother when I was 22, so Mom was the only mother I had for many years, and she was the only grandmother my kids ever knew. She was a very loving and generous person, and I couldn’t have asked for a better mother-in-law.

I miss our visits with her and our family gatherings, when all or most of the family got together. Some of my fondest memories are of those times.

Happy heavenly birthday, Mom!

Cedarbrake

Today I'm thankful for Cedarbrake, a retreat center near me which is located on over 60 acres of beautiful, wooded land. Yesterday I was able to attend Mass in the Cedarbrake chapel (above). After Mass I walked around the outdoor Stations of the Cross near the chapel. It was a beautiful, sunny day, and the serene surroundings were very conducive to prayer and meditation.

After I did the Stations of the Cross, I went in search of the "Trails of the Good Shepherd," which were marked on a map of the facility. Before long I came across the entrance to the 3 trails.

"Which trail should I choose?" I wondered. Beside this sign was a box on a pole. A sign on the box said, "Trail Maps." That sounded helpful, so I pulled out one of the "maps" from the box:

Hmm...Interesting "map," but at least it helped me choose which trail to explore. When I was at Cedarbrake last week for the Ash Wednesday retreat, I had sensed the words, "It is good, Lord, to be here." When I saw almost the exact words in the description of the Mt. Tabor trail, I knew that was where I was meant to go.

The "map" did not exaggerate when it described the "beautiful view" on the Mt. Tabor trail. The path ran along a steep cliff. At the bottom of the cliff was Miller Springs Creek. Although I couldn't see all the way down to the creek, I could hear it bubbling along as I walked. The picture below doesn't give it justice, but at least it will give you an idea of the view from the trail:

After I made it back to the entrance of the Mt. Tabor trail, I decided to check out one of the other trails. This time I chose the Psalm XXIII trail:

This trail was shorter and more open. The words of Psalm 23 are on signs along the trail, one verse for each sign.

One of my resolutions for Lent is to get more regular exercise, so I hope to make it back to Cedarbrake at least once a week. The next time I go, I hope to check out the Santa Cruz trail.

Texas Stars

Today I'm thankful for my Toastmasters Club, the Texas Stars. I'm blessed to be part of such a wonderful group of people. They encourage and inspire me to do my best, and we all support and learn from each other. I believe I'm a better speaker today because of them.

We meet every Wednesday night, 6-7, at Natural Grocers in Temple, and the meetings are always one of the highlights of my week. Tonight there were only 6 of us in attendance, but we still had a great meeting. As always, everyone pitched in to fill the roles, with several people filling multiple roles.

"Be the Difference"

Today I'm thankful for Mental Health First Aid, "an 8-hour course that teaches you how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders." Like first aid for medical emergencies, this course teaches you how to administer first aid to someone in a mental health crisis until professional help arrives.

As many of you know, I'm passionate about educating people about mental illness and about working to reduce suicide. This course does both.

I took the adult version of this course back in 2015, just a few months after I moved to Texas. This past Saturday I had the opportunity to take the Mental Health First Aid for Youth course down in Salado. The facilitator was excellent, and the course was fun and informative. I was especially blessed that four other members from my church attended, including our youth director and our elementary faith formation director.

If you have the chance, I highly recommend that you take this course. Equip yourself, and "be the difference" in someone's life. You can search for courses and instructors near you on the Mental Health First Aid website:

https://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/take-a-course/find-a-course/

From Ashes to Easter

It's that time of year again; the time I used to dread, but now almost look forward to; a time to "reboot" and take a closer look at my life. On this first Sunday of Lent, I am thankful for this season. I'm thankful for the time to look at myself and recognize what needs to change.

I think this time of prayer and penance is not just about looking at all my faults, though. I think it's also a time to take a closer look at the blessings in my life. For that reason, I'm starting a series of gratitude posts. I hope to make this a daily habit, at least during Lent.

Today I'm thankful that I was able to begin this season with a retreat at Cedarbrake Retreat Center on Ash Wednesday. What better way to start Lent than with an extended time of prayer amidst the natural beauty of Cedarbrake's grounds.