Tomorrow I will fly off to distant landscapes to begin my time of pilgrimage and be attentive to the summons between heartbeats.  I will carry with me my camera, my journal and pen, and most important, an open heart ready to receive whatever gifts are offered. My blog and the Abbey Shop will be on sabbatical for most of October (although I may pop back in with a link or two).  I carry you with me as well, dear readers, because you are a part of the community which I am called to serve.  When I return I will share some of what I discover. What

  Instructions Give up the world; give up self; finally, give up God. Find god in rhododendrons and rocks, passers-by, your cat. Pare your beliefs, your absolutes. Make it simple; make it clean. No carry-on luggage allowed. Examine all you have with a loving and critical eye, then throw away some more. Repeat. Repeat. Keep this and only this:    what your heart beats loudly for    what feels heavy and full in your gut. There will only be one or two things you will keep, and they will fit lightly in your pocket. -Sheri Hostetler, A Cappella: Mennonite Voices

I am home once again from my month of travels, glad to be back among familiar things, my own bed, and most of all with my sweet Tune.  It was an amazing trip through Austria, Latvia, Germany, and Belgium. I have much to unpack, both literally and metaphorically. My heart is very full, there is so much stirring within me. Plus over 5000 photos to sort through! The jet lag has hit me hard and so this weekend I will be resting and recuperating, trying to reconnect with this space and time back home. But I am eager to return here