Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Spring Madness

Oh my!  I have been so unfaithful to this blog, and I am truly sorry.  I do want to share all of our challenges, successes, and what not.  It just seems that life gets away from me and I do not take the appropriate time to write it all down.  Well, so much has happened since January.  LOL!!  First bit of most exciting news is that we have been officially welcomed and announced as new members and Roy as the new Associate Priest of St. Mary's Episcopal Church of Bonita Springs.  Roy will begin his first day on June 5th.  We are actively searching online for rental property in the Naples area and are busily purging and sorting what we are taking and what bits we never unpacked and don't need.  What a frantic Spring Madness we'll call it.  On a calmer note, I do continue with my devotional time in prayer in Icon Writing.  I recently completed by first commissioned icon for St. Mary's Chapel called Our Lady of Walsingham.  See photo...
Speaking of icons, I have also taken on my first student, or shall I say students.  Earlier in the year, I taught a class of elementary aged children a simple form of icon writing in watercolor medium.  Two of those students have progressed to a more complicated form of icon study and are currently working with me on Sunday afternoons in separate forms.  Timmy Tucker is 9 years old and is working on the icon Christ the Teacher in the traditional egg tempra medium.  Brenna Delaney is 12 and she is doing The Transfiguration in a water based medium called Gouache.  I am thrilled to pass this historic tradition of devotion on to a new generation.  I pray they will continue their spiritual journey and be able to increase their prayer life with in this technique.


Graduation is just around the corner May 24th, and though most of our family will be unable to travel to Wisconsin to be here, we look forward to a joyous reunion back to Florida in the very near future.  It has been a long time apart, but overall the journey has flown by.  I am trying to get my last minute "bucket list" of Wisconsin things to do complete.  Roy's ordination to the Priesthood has not been announced yet, but we are looking at June 16th as a possible date.  There are so many people to say good-bye to an yet, many more to say hello to in the continuation of this journey.

My job is still going well.  I plan to continue to work for CareCentrix via remote access for as long as they'll have me.  I like my work, but my passion will forever be ministry with my husband.  We are looking forward to another Mission Trip this summer to Honduras.  This time Roy, Heather and I will go together as a family for the first time.  I pray that one day Stephanie will be able to join us in mission and it will be a complete family experience.  If you would like to know more about how to get involved in Mission Honduras please email me or post a comment with your questions. 

Heather is working through the difficult time of yet another transition.  Saying good-bye to people in Oconomowoc as well as people she has come to love on campus will be tough.  This year with the flexibility of home school, she was able to work a part-time job in the refrectory prior to and during lunch.  Many in the kitchen have grown very close to her fresh outlook and smile at work. 

Finally, the last recent event to report was the WoNH Lenten Retreat.  What a blessing it was for us this year to experience Inner Healing with Pastor Sharon Lewis and prayer warrior Debra Reed.  They are friends from the Diocese of SWFL that came to Nashotah House and led a spiritual healing service on campus, led the WoNH Weekend Retreat, then completed the weekend with Pastor Sharon giving the sermon and assisting Fr. Michael with celebrating the Eucharist at Zion Episcopal Church in Oconomowoc on that following Sunday before her departure.  It was a wonderful experience that has really enhanced the break through of healing that we have seen happen at The House in the time that we have been here.  Prayer has been incorporated in to daily living at The House in many outwardly visible signs such as Healing Services, Small Group Healing Prayer meetings on Tuesday nights, 1:1 prayer with fellow students in need during trauma, before sermons, and other needs.  Not to forget the powerful OSL and DOK orders on campus. 




 In close, I am looking at Spring in new eyes this year.  Enjoying the final buds, and pop of foliage for the last time.  I am living each day with a new awareness of readiness and anticipation of the next step of the journey. 

See all my Florida followers soon!  Love and {{HUGS}} - Marcia