5-Minute Craft

Here is another simple craft I discovered. You need a one sided coloring sheet meaning that there is only a picture on one side, Wax paper or paper towel, markers or crayons, vegetable oil or cooking spray and a paint brush.
1. Color the picture with markers or crayons. Press firmly.
2. Place the picture on a piece of wax paper or a paper towel. Cover the picture with vegetable oil or cooking spray. I like spray because it is easier.
3. Use the paintbrush to evenly distribute the oil.
5. Let dry. My picture took 5 hours. The result will be a stained glass picture. I hung mine in the kitchen window.
You probably are beginning to figure out that I really like stained glass art! I find the best place to go to find one sided coloring pages is the Internet. You can google in stained glass coloring on google images and get loads of good stuff.

I'm Back!

Hey! I'm back and I'm freezing. Even my dad who wears shorts in 60 degree weather says that he doesn't know how long he is going to be able to hold off turning on the heat. Right now I'm down in the basement typing with a turtleneck sweater, a heavy hoodie, gloves, running pants and a scarf on. Yea, I'm cold. I'm on my third cup of tea and am getting sick of the watery stuff. Why am I complaining so much though. Yesterday was an absolutely beautiful day. We went to a park after Mass. Everyone biked and I ran since I just couldn't resist(it was such a perfect day for jogging!). We came home and had some of dad's homemade chicken soup, the perfect thing to have on a chilly day. After all the exercise we where all famished! After Sunday excursions like that one everybody usually shares what their favorite part of the day was. The little girls liked the park we stopped at best. Patty said he liked being able to play with the older guys. At home they are always busy with other things like school and their forum. I really enjoyed running in a new place. It gets really monotonous jogging thru the same neighborhoods everyday. I was also excited about the swans we saw. I know I sound like a 3 year old but they were huge! I never realized how tall they get when full grown. We also saw a flock of Turkey Vultures which was pretty neat too. Last week was pretty hectic so I was very grateful to be able to enjoy such a pleasant day with my family. In some ways it makes me grateful for the busy insaneness that happens during the rest of the week because if things were always wonderful I wouldn't appreciate them like I do now. It's the craziness that makes the peace so nice, the storm that makes the calm. ~ Ardhoniel

Sister's Journal Day 1

Ah! Free time at last. From the time we rise at 5 a.m until our 1:00 free hour us sisters our on our toes. This morning at breakfast I found my self thinking "Oh its only 8 and already I want to go back to bed"! You see I have a very strange habit of rising a half hour earlier than everyone else and jogging in place in my cell. Very unusual I know for a nun but I have been doing it ever since I entered. At first many of the sisters wondered at the noises coming from my corner of the hall so early in the morning so I had to explain. I was afraid that I would be forbidden from doing it anymore but Mother Superior only laughed and asked that perhaps I make my runs a little softer of step.
This morning at study period I was reading up on the history of our order. Mother knows I am a history buff and has been very kind in allowing me to pursue my interest during study. Today I was just going over the first foundations starting with Holy Father St. Francis himself. He left his earthly father's house in 1209 to live by the providence of His Heavenly Father alone. His first follower was Bernardo di Quintavalle a prominent member of the town. By the end of that year he had 11 followers. They lived not in Assisi itself but the hillsides of Umbria. Francis's rule was approved by the pope but he himself rewrote it in 1223. The original rule was not so much that as a collection of scripture passages that they were to model their lives after.
The Poor Clares (my order!) were founded in 1212 but it wasn't until 1253 the day before our Holy Mother's death that the rule was approved by Pope Innocent IV. The Third order was instituted in 1221.
Even in their lifetimes Francis and Clare were faced with disputes over the rule. After Francis passed away Clare worked to the last to keep his original rule in tact. Despite their valiant efforts the 1st order would eventually be divided into three fractions the Order of Friars Minor(brown Franciscans),the O.F.M Conventuals(black), and the Capuchins(gray). The Poor Clares would also experience similar fractions.
Unfortunately I must go now. Free time is almost up and still have some reading I'd like to do. Perhaps I shall have a few moments to spare this evening. God be with you.~Sr. M. Colette~