Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow!

On the 9^th day of Christmas break, my trip to Pennsylvania gave to me…

a productive day of working on a tentative draft of my Final Portfolio Defense powerpoint and making IRB revisions for my upcoming dissertation due to being snowbound.  It snowed most of today so it was nice being indoors here in my parents’ cozy warm living room.  As I write this blog posting the fire is ablaze and the Christmas lights are a twinklin’.

As I worked throughout the day, I enjoyed text conversations with several friends.  As my friends’ messages kept my phone and fingers busy, it was fun hearing what the weather was like in various areas of the state as I chatted with folks in Harrisburg, Hanover, Lancaster, and elsewhere.  It seems that once again, Schuylkill County won for highest amount of snow.  WNEP TV 16 just reported that we have 3 to 6 inches of snow, sleet, and freezing rain.  I hope that this does not affect the rescheduled plans from last week that are to take place in Reading and Frackville tomorrow!

Some of the conversations my friends and I had today revolved around how our Christmases were, debates on unrequited love, living a life of misery, the love of significant others, and making plans for tomorrow.  Some memorable words (paraphrased) from today’s texts/phone calls/emails include:

“Look up Jeremiah 19:7.  Sear it into your heart everyday like I do.”

“Sounds like you’re his meantime girl.”

“I wish Jeremy had a brother who was single because girl, I would be playing matchmaker!”

“The kids are looking forward to you and Dusty returning to NC.  They are going to eat Dusty and make dog nuggets”.   !!!!

“You knooooow I love bookstores!”

“We can grab a beer or two from Troegs.”

“He is saying, ‘Let me in Meg!’”

Thank you dear friends/family for the laughs & thought provoking comments in our conversations today.  Gotta love technology and how we can feel each other’s companionship across the snowy state!

I also marveled at these words that I saw in my Mom’s bathroom.  I don’t know if it’s intentional that she stuck a reference to St. Francis of Assisi behind a picture of me (considering he’s one of my favorite saints) or if it was a coincidence.  I'm so thankful that I was born to be Catholic and have been raised by my parents and others in this way.  However, regardless of whether or not you're Catholic, as we prepare for 2013, wouldn’t we all do well to follow these words?

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love.

Where there is injury, pardon.

Where there is doubt, faith.

Where there is despair, hope.

Where there is darkness, light.

Where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,

grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console;

to be understood, as to understand;

to be loved, as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive.

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.

Amen.