A good friend is one who gives ya a firm kick in the pants when he knows you ought to go to Confession, and that's just what Shawn did for me. We had run into our friend Andy after Mass, and Shawn deftly manipulated the situation so that they disappeared and I was just left with father. It's funny how--through other people--God can show you that you're ready for something even when you think you're not. Shawn is like a guardian angel to me.
From there, the three of us did a Rosary Walk, a prayerful hike through the forest (hence the gorgeous picture above) with beads in hand. Halfway through our journey, we encountered the beautiful Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes, as you'll see in the picture below. The sun was shining and the temperature was just so perfect!
On the walk back to the church and school, we spotted this precious little bunny hole (as you'll see in the picture below). So cute!! After that, we visited with Andy's mother who was preparing her pre-kindergarten classroom for the upcoming school year. She was a delightful woman with a beautiful smile, and I was glad to finally meet her.
After completing our spiritual exercises, it was time for Shawn and I to do a little cardiovascular. But our brisk run only lasted 5 minutes, for we were instantly drawn to a yard sale where Shawn bought a kitchen table for $10 and I bought a car window sun shield for 75 cents.
I said good-bye to Shawn and then met Father Paul for lunch at Panera Bread. It has become a weekly routine for he and I to gather there to catch up and then go to Barnes & Nobel for a few hours in the afternoon to edit his book. In editing his book, I learn so much about my own faith!
My friend John came on the scene at 4:30, and he kindly took me out to dinner at the Iron Hill Brewery as a little thank-you for me making dinner for him a few weeks ago when he was newly recovering from his motorcycle accident. It was so generous of him.
From there, John and I went to a Bible study at St. Mary's. Shawn was leading it and our friend Dwight (a seminarian) was there, too. We spent 2 hours talking about our rich faith. It was fantastic.
From there, I was invited to go meet up with some colleagues from work who were meeting at a local tavern at 10:15 PM, but all I wanted to do was go home and process this most beautiful day. So that's just what I did. :-)
