Never Forget...

25 years ago today...

I was a senior in high school.

It was ISTEP testing week, so we had one of our classes in the auditorium.

When I got back to a regular classroom, the TV was on a news station, and I asked out loud, "What's happening in our fine world today?" having no idea that America was under attack.

For days, it was all we could think about or talk about. Watching hours of news footage. Reading of the wide scope but also individual stories of lives forever altered.

Wondering...

Will we go to war?

Will my brothers be drafted?

Will anything ever be the same?

Patriotism was at an all-time high. Our school even played the song over the loudspeaker: "I'm proud to be an American, where at least I know I'm free..."

I'm a lifetime away from that high school senior

and yet that high school senior is still inside of me.

I often spend the 9/11 anniversary reading memoirs or historical fiction related to that day. One of my all-time favorite audiobooks The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11 by Garrett M. Graff. Fascinating and gut-wrenching to hear so many personal accounts from so many different angles.

This year, the day has come and gone with hardly a thought of 9/11 aside from reading some Facebook posts and reflections

But I'm proud of the way I spent my day...

I spent it in the Word and in prayer when my day first started

I spent it at Friendship International with over a hundred women from around the world who have found themselves in Lexington, Kentucky for this season of life

I spent it with four Japanese women around my table sharing lunch and playing a board game

I spent it talking with my husband

I spent it preparing food for a guest to come over for dinner

I spent it in reflecting on countless good memories from the past few years on trips taken as a family

Reflecting

Building bridges

Preparing a table

Thanking God for all the good

In math language, subtraction is what makes a difference

but I've found that these small kindnesses add up to make a difference

Bible in 50 Words

I didn't write this poem, but I sure like it! We memorized it years when we were first starting homeschooling. It's a great overview of the Biblical narrative.

God creates -

Adam ate - 

Noah floats -

Abraham's oath -

Jacob schemes - 

Joseph dreams -

Bush lit - 

Sea split -

Law spoken - 

Tablets broken - 

Judges appointed -

Kings anointed -

God forgotten -

Rulers rotten -

Kingdom broke -

Prophets hope - 

Mary favored - 

Baby Savior -

Crucified -

Jesus died -

Third morn - 

World reborn -

Spirit glows - 

Love grows -

Earth awaits -

God creates - 

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Past Cedars retreats (journals)

Each cabin in Cedars of Peace has a shared journal. Here are some of my reflections that I wrote in the journals at the end of my solitude retreats:

Cedars of Peace - Nerinx, KY

Ahh, my happy place! I first found out about this blessed place while on a solitude retreat back in 2005 at Knobs Haven, on the grounds of the Loretto Motherhouse. Knobs Haven is more of a group retreat house although when I went, I had the big house to myself. Cedars of Peace, however, is a cluster of quaint cabins in the woods. The website describes them as "hermitages located in a wooded area of the property about 1/2-mile from the main Motherhouse buildings. Eight cabins are available for individuals seeking a place of silence and solitude. The length of stay varies from two nights to several months."  

My first retreat at Cedars was in 2007, and I've gone eight times since then. Each cabin has a different name and personality. I've most often stay in "Joy" and "Wonder" but my longest retreat was 5 nights in "Grace." The price has understandably increased over the years. When I first started going, it was only $25/night. Now I think it's up to $60. Because of this, I haven't been since 2022 and have more recently been doing my solitude retreats at the Abbey of Gethsemani. I've been to Cedars in all seasons, but still, whenever it's fall, I feel deep in my soul..."Cedars is calling..."

Really, there's nothing magical about the place. But it is special to me because of how I've met with Jesus so deeply here in so many varied seasons of my life. He has directed me, challenge me, loved me, restored me...

This is "Joy", the only two-story cabin. It's also the only one available for two people to share. Lucas and I spent our anniversary here while I was pregnant with Calvin

Simple furnishings and a big picture window

Ah...Grace

You bring your own food, so the first thing I do is unpack and make myself at home

A desk and bookshelf (I always bring a variety of journals, notebooks, and books. Occasionally, the only book I bring is the Bible)

A labyrinth to walk/pray

This is the view of the sitting area from the kitchen of Joy

Here's the bed of Grace

I love spending time on this sycamore swing next to Mary Lake :-)

Each cabin has a set of journals from past retreatants. I always take time to read the reflections from fellow sojourners and then I add my own thoughts. Since I've ended up in the same cabin multiple times, it's always interesting to read what a past version of myself had written

48 hours outside - January 2023

JANUARY IN REVIEW - 48 hours outside (36.5 hours at home, 11.5 hours out and about)

1/1 - 1 hour yard, 2 hours Dogwood Trace

1/2 - 4 hours yard, forest

1/3 - 0

1/4 - 1 hour yard, 2 hours Veterans Park

1/5 - 3 hours yard

1/6 - 1 hour Jacobson

1/7 - 1 hour yard

1/8 - 0

1/9 - 3 hours yard

1/10 - 3 hours yard

1/11 - 1 hour Centennial

1/12 - 0 (storms)

1/13 - 0

1/14 - 1 hour yard

1/15 - 2 hours yard

1/16 - 1.5 hours yard, 1.5 hour MLK march

1/17 - 4.5 hours yard, dinner on new table

1/18 - 1.5 hours yard, forest (Megan, Rosalie)

1/19 - 1.5 hours yard

1/20 - 0

1/21 - 1 hour walk to Montessori school

1/22 - 0

1/23 - 2 hours yard, fire, 1 hour Orange Leaf, Shillito

1/24 - 1 hour yard, 1 hour Wilmore walk

1/25 - 1 hour yard

1/26 - 1 hour yard

1/27 - 2 hours forest (Faith)

1/28 - 2 hours Raven Run

1/29 - 0

1/30 - 0

1/31 - 0.5 hours yard (icy)