So - It’s St. Francis Day Once Again!

It’s been a most unusual summer (and year, for that matter).  
 
I find myself, now, trying to settle in to new surroundings and a new routine.
 
I spent the day yesterday unpacking suitcases of items I just brought back from Grand Forks to our provincial house in Hankinson.  
 
I was surprised and almost embarrassed by how much “stuff” I’ve accumulated over my fourteen years there.   
 
I try to live simply, and take my vow of poverty seriously but, somehow, time marches on, and with it comes any number of items.  
 
Some things I had forgotten I even had.  They sat quietly on my bookshelf while the hours, days, weeks, months, and years passed by.
 
The strangest item I found on my shelf was a big saw! Rather than bring it with to Hankinson, I offered it to our maintenance man in Grand Forks.  I had been gifted it several years ago by one of our apartment residents for the purpose of “butchering” pumpkins.  
I have since learned an easier technique of using a hammer to push the back of the knife down into the hard flesh of these orange cucurbits.
 
Anyway, yesterday as I unpacked and put things away, St. Francis’ example of poverty was in the back of my mind.  
 
I tossed some useless items, brought unneeded notebooks down to the common office supplies area, etc.  I’ll have to do more sorting, organizing, and tossing, though, in the days to come.  
 
Satisfied with yesterday’s progress and having other things on my mind, I haven’t done any more of this today.
 
I have been thinking, though, of Sister Rebecca, whose birthday was today, and remembering the chocolate zucchini cakes I used to make for the double celebration of her birth and Order’s founder.  
 
As I write this, I am grateful for the many blessings that surround me, for community, family, friends, faith, and the wondrous fall afternoon outdoors, to name a few.  I’m also very pleased with the new arrangement of the room here, which is so cozy and homey.

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