Eastertide

 

He is Risen! Hallelujah! He is Risen Indeed!

    The last two months have been a "good Lent". On January 6th I applied for a different position in the school system. It took the institution nearly 2 months and three interviews to let me know that I would not be getting one of the 12 positions. The first of March I threw myself into working an additional 3 hours a day in the after-school program. My assigned group are 21 students in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades. I am often tired by 4 p.m., but it has been a great change in my routine.

   The week before Lent began, one of our perishers gave me a book entitled: Holy Island (A Lenten Pilgrimage to Lindisfarne.)

Through the weeks of Lent the author gives a tour of the Holy Island and ties the history of St. Cuthbert from the 600's AD. with the pilgrimage of modern day.  I spent the last two hours each day visiting Lindisfarne in my mind.

  Another book I was gifted this year is A Catholic Women's Book of Days. 

     This sweet little book gives me a starting point for my daily devotion. Being Anglo-Catholic I still enjoy celebrating the Holy Days of Obligation even if I am unable to attend a mass on those days. I plan to continue using the daily guide in future years and will place the Holy Island text on my shelf to visit again next Lent. 

    The Abide Bible that I was gifted at my Setting Apart has a "365- Bible Reading Plan" which I have been keeping up with since October 30, 2022. With this reading plan I am reading an Old Testament and New Testament passage each day. Along with study notes The Abide Bible has classic art and discussion in how the art relates to the scripture. As an artist I often ponder what an artist was thinking or what his priest was teaching at the time the artwork was created.

    Along with the morning and evening Office from the 1928 Book of Common Prayer using the website Cradle of Prayer, I find relaxation and balance in meditating the 5 decade for each day of the Rosary using the little Pray the Rosary booklet. My favorite Evening Offices are Sunday and Wednesday when I am able to join other perishers in our Diocese in prayer via Zoom.

Preparing for Synod 2023

     With less than 2 weeks before I will be at Synod, the past few weeks I have spent a lot of time in thought and prayer. This will be the first time for most of the people to meet  me, Deaconess Deena. My prayer is that they will see that I may dress differently than anyone else at Synod; however, I hope that they see I am a normal sinner like the rest of them who believes that through the blood of Jesus and belief on His name I am saved. Each night as I declare the Apostles' Creed, I am reminded of whose family I belong.

     "I BELIEVE in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth: And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord: Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, Born of the Virgin Mary: Suffered under Pontius Pilate, Was crucified, dead, and buried: He descended into hell; The third day he rose again from the dead: He ascended into heaven, And sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty: From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.  I believe in the Holy Ghost: The holy Catholic Church; The Communion of Saints: The Forgiveness of sins: The Resurrection of the body: And the Life everlasting. Amen (Cradle of Prayer)"

My sweet friend, Donna made me this tote to go with my habit. It will be great at Synod to carry my Bible and all the odds and ends I always have with me.  At my confirmation I was given my Bible which includes the 1928 Book of Common Prayer and the Apocrypha.

My prayer is that you had a blessed Easter and I hope to see or hear from you soon.

With Love and Prayers,

Deaconess Deena