“What this world needs is a new kind of army — the army of the kind.”

~Cleveland Amory

“Everything in life is most fundamentally a gift.  And you receive it best, and you live it best, by holding it with very open hands.”

— Less O’Donavan

“The great lesson is that the sacred is in the ordinary, that it is to be found in one’s daily life, in one’s neighbors, friends, and family, in one’s backyard.”

— Abraham Maslow

We can come to a sense of belonging, when we quit fighting who we are. We find our peace when we learn to be happy with what we have, and when we become comfortable with who we are.

The dictionary defines peace as being freed from annoyance, distraction, anxiety, an obsession, etc.; a state of tranquility or serenity.

Each of us has our own testament of what that definition means in our life.

A financially struggling parent finds her peace when she lets go of her troubles, maybe for just one day or possibly for the rest of her life, and enjoys the peace she finds in her family. A teenager finds peace when he forgets what his peers are saying about him at school and decides to live his life based on his own beliefs and values. A college student finds peace when she leave the protection and guidance of her parents’ home and develops her own abilities and morals.

No two people ever face the same exact circumstances with the same exact life experience, so each person’s state of peace is unique. Each person has to undergo his or her own changes and realizations to bring about a state of serenity.

Change can bring peace, but finding peace does not always bring change. An uptight businesswoman lets go of her need to control everything around her. She accepts her need for perfection as her own imperfection. The perfectionist comes to terms with her outrageous denial of mistakes. She obtains a state of tranquility because she’s able to accept herself for who she is. It doesn’t necessarily bring about change that everyone can see, but it gives her a happiness that she may not have had before.

Accepting yourself and not fighting who you are is the best way to find peace. Once you find peace, you do not always stay in a state of tranquility. People move in and out of peace, finding it at different times, leaving it at others.

Just as there are different seasons of life, so there are different times of peace.

Sometimes people must leave their state of rest in order to face obstacles or change from outside factors. If they’re lucky, though, they’ll find it again. Peace is not necessarily permanent — but it’s always possible.

— Krystal Spangler is a student at Cloud County Community College.

[[Show as slideshow]]The women are all from College of Saint Mary in Omaha, Neb., and all are here as part of the Sisters of St. Joseph Spring Break Alternative. In the program that began in 2003, the sisters’ volunteer office and vocation director work with the Concordia Community Resource Center to match the needs of local residents with the abilities of the college students who take part.

This year, the students are Patty Saavedra of Lima, Peru, who is a senior at the private Catholic women’s university, and Theresa Likens of Lincoln, Neb., who is a sophomore there. Martha Bonine is Saint Mary’s director of campus ministry.

Together with Sister Beverly Carlin, the congregation’s vocation director who lives in Manhattan, and Sister Julie Christensen of Concordia, they have spent the week doing chores and cleanup for three local residents, who were referred to them by the Resource Center.

For two mornings they also helped out with the Neighbor to Neighbor program that’s being held at the Motherhouse until the new center downtown opens this spring.

While taking part in the program, the women stay at the Nazareth Motherhouse and share meals and prayer with the sisters.

A different recipe of rice and beans along with suggested practices and reflections to foster non-violence is here each week during Lent. Let us keep one another in prayer as we enter into the Season of Lent.

Acts of violence are numerous thoroughout our culture and world. Our reaction at times appears as if violence is the norm and we are unbothered by it. So here’s the deal! We desire peace throughout our world. What ways can you and I make a difference regarding peace? Do our thoughts and actions reflect a way of non-violence with one another that would enhance connecting and caring for others peacefully? As Sisters of St. Joseph, we have committed ourselves to practicing ways of non-violence that Jesus mentors for us in the Gospels. We invite you to join us in living out this Gospel message. A beginning step would be to join us during Lent to the following:

What to do!
• Pray daily for peace.
• Become aware of non-violent actions which each of us can put into practice.
• Reflect upon and discuss thoughts /quotes regarding non-violence.
• Commit yourself to fasting with one meal of rice & beans each week of Lent.
Our fasting links us to those who suffer from injustices and violence. Fasting is to bring about not only awareness yet also change in our behavior. In the Book of Isaiah we read that this is the fast which is pleasing to God: “This, rather, is the fasting that I wish: releasing those bound unjustly, untying the thongs of the yoke; setting free the oppressed, breaking every yoke; sharing your bread with the hungry, sheltering the oppressed and the homeless; clothing the naked when you see them, and not turning your back on your own” (Isaiah 58:6-7).

CLICK HERE FOR THIS WEEK’S FAST FOOD.

“Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement.  Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.”

— Helen Keller

Loretta Jasper, csj

Sisters, Agregees, Associates, Candidates and CSJ Friends,

Come, March 11, I will be completing a 13-week assignment in Junction City (Kan.) High School supporting and assisting the military affiliated kiddos within JCHS. Honestly, I believe that I have the very best ministry on this planet.

I continue to spend time with kiddos as they move into JCHS/Ft. Riley at any point in the school year. I listen and encourage them in the making of new friends, in getting adjusted to a new school environment, in seeking out their interests and hobbies in their new venue. Many kiddos have moved to and are adjusting to being with the other parent and step family. Many are also preparing to relocate due to the soldier’s upcoming assignment. It is not uncommon that my intent with a kiddo is to merely be with the child: to pose options which will boost the adjustment into a new school and locale.  Oftentimes, I offer encouragement which will help the child stay in school vs. drop-out or transfer to the alternative school. Such encouragement includes providing resources: who to ask for help with academics. I call this support with smooth moves.

Of course, there are then the unending issues related to having a parent leave the home to deploy to Iraq or Afghanistan for the first to fifth time; and/or, having the soldier return home with a whole new set of dynamics either within the home, or within the emotional or physical system of the individual soldier. I call these reintegration and deployment issues.

Pre-teens experience and feel the effects of being a part of military moves, adjustments; deployments and re-integrations; but teens seem to be impacted with an increased level of intensity. Teens have more difficulty changing friends and schools and activities.  Teens are often tasked with replacing the absent parent with care of younger siblings and increased responsibilities within the home in the midst of the deployment. Teens are highly attuned to the physical and emotional dangers of war; the experience of the soldier’s trauma upon returning from war, and the effect of the trauma upon the family.  It is not uncommon for a teen to intercept physical aggression between a family member and the soldier during re-integration.  The aggression may be triggered by quick movements; sharp sounds; the re-arrangement of the home during deployment; the family activity within the home, and/or the soldier’s shift of power from being deployed and in charge, to being a partner in a marriage and family.

Yes, for one such as I to support and assist a teen–a military kiddo during war time–is very special for me.  I do not have the much tougher job in the high school of tending to discipline, academics, or accuracy.  I try to support and assist the teachers and the staff in re-directing some of the “stuff” which wrangles the heart of a teen in the midst of the deployments, the relocations, and the new starts.

More often than not, my office is a hallway floor in the school where a kiddo and I sit for a few minutes to build trust and share heart.

• Jon, in time, lets me know that he is feeling more at ease in the new school with new friends and he is trying to stay in school and strengthen his focus on academics.  He was recently taken aback when his soldier-Dad, who literally rescued him over Christmas from the street life in another State, gave him a big hug and kiss in the recent week.  Jon wasn’t sure he could handle such tenderness from his Dad.
• Bree’s mom died unexpectedly over Christmas.  She is the oldest of four children. Soldier-Dad needs her to care for her siblings before and after school, and to tend to transporting them to activities.  Her grief, increased responsibilities in the home, and now being three months pregnant… Bree just wants to transfer to alternative school, graduate, and be done with her education.
• Zack is furious because each time his dad returns from Iraq; Dad is “crazier” than the prior deployment.  He is physically aggressive with his mom and him; he throws and breaks household furnishings; he likes to spend time with the persons with whom he was deployed. Zack’s own anger has resulted in him being transferred for a short time to the alternative school, in-school suspension because of his own acting out in school, and anger management classes.
• Lizzy deplores the emotional trauma her dad has tried to sustain upon his multiple returns from Iraq.  Her brother has recently returned from Iraq.  She has also lost her brother, emotionally, to the effect of war. Both Dad and brother are living at home with Mom and Lizzy.
• I tap on the classroom door of a kiddo, greet the teacher and ask if this is a good time to “say hello” to Mari.  As Mari and I head for my office on the hallway floor one of the students chime: “You’re in trouble.”

“No,” Mari says back. “This is the Brat Chat (in school support group) lady. Persons who meet with her are not in trouble.”

Thanks, Mari!  Well stated!

Loretta Jasper, csj

Basic South American-style White Rice – Arroz Blanco

Prep Time: 25 minutes           Serves 4
Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

2 to 3 cloves garlic
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup rice

Preparation:

1. Peel the garlic cloves, and mash them with a mortal and pestle until it’s well crushed.
2. Run water over the rice, and stir briefly, then drain water off. Repeat several times  until the water runs clear.
3. Heat the oil in a 2 quart saucepan on medium heat. Add the garlic and stir for 2 or 3  minutes, until the garlic turns clear and barely golden in color.
4. Add the water and the salt, and bring the water to a boil.
5. Add the rice to the boiling water and stir briefly. Cover, lower heat to medium-low,  and let cook for 15 minutes.
6. The rice should be fluffy and still appear slightly shiny and wet. If it appears too wet,  cook a few minutes more. If it appears dry, sprinkle couple of tablespoons more water over the rice. Turn off the heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes more.
7. Fluff rice with a fork and serve. Enjoy! Also keeps very well for the next day.

Black Beans (from Cuban cookbook – Cocina Criolla)

1 pound black beans
10 cups water
2 green peppers, de-seeded
2/3 cup olive oil (two-thirds cup)
1 large onion
6-8 cloves of garlic
4 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons dry wine

Soak the beans in water overnight with one of the green peppers.  The following morning, cook the mixture in a large pot at medium-high heat for 45 minutes.  In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and add and sauté the onion, the second green pepper and the garlic, all finely chopped.  Add the contents of skillet to pot of beans.  Add the salt, black pepper, oregano, bay leaves and sugar and cook for another hour at a gentle boil.  Then add the vinegar and wine and simmer for another hour until done. Best served over white rice.

P.S. If you wish for the beans to be less juicy, simmer for a longer period – very tasty. (from a Kansas cook)

Three practices for the fourth week of Lent

• When we work together, we are stronger than when we work alone.  Find a way that you can cooperate and work more effectively with the people in your workplace, family, school or community and do it.
• Dale Carnegie said that the greatest need people have is for love and approval.  Praise, compliment and honor the uniqueness of at least five people today.
• Slow down and notice what is going on in the moment.  Become more conscious of nature, those around you and your own thoughts and feelings.