If we fail to establish regular practices of stillness and rest, our creativity will either be exhausted or shallow. Our countenance, instead of reflecting a vitality of fresh creative energy that is sustained by the restorative depths of stillness, will be listless or frenetic. Creativity without rest and productivity without renewal leads to exhaustion of our inner resources.
The Book of Creation, J. Phillip Newell
Rest is essential for the spiritual life but also for the creative life and intellectual life, for life itself.
Observing Sabbath was one of the Ten Commandments. God himself rested after the creation of the earth. Have you ever noticed how often Jesus mentions rest? He takes it as he slips away early in the morning to pray. He gives it, “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)
Rest is not simply doing nothing, but ceasing our normal work, stepping outside of normal pressures. It is in these times that we get perspective, not by continuously rehashing our situation, but by allowing the mind and heart time to quietly make connections.
Remember in the midst of summer activity and work to take time to look up at the clouds, sit by a pool, stroll through a park or pray in quiet corner of the house.
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Is this really what the Lord is asking of us? Sometimes we need to go apart to pray as Jesus did so we can set a new pace. I find for myself that often I don’t stop until I have a migraine. For others it may take a fall, an accident, the flu, getting fired, or what have you. Wouldn’t it be better if we could hear God’s voice calling us to rest and pray before we have gone over our physical, emotional, and spiritual limits?
Patroness of the 
As we watched the United States play Belgium, I could feel the excitement build. As we watched the goalie from the US play his best in blocking shots, the enthusiastic crowd seemed to get louder and louder. Although he did his best, the US lost their chances to win the championship. After the game, although disappointed because of the loss, the fans cheered their team and praised the goalie who played an outstanding game.
This week I had the privilege of visiting the office and staff of 
Recently I reread The Little Prince by Saint-Exupéry. This is on my list of favorite books and is one of those fairy tales for adults. In this story the fox tells the little prince that he must be “tamed” and that will make all the difference. Now all these months later Gracie and I have tamed each other, so to speak.
Now that we are celebrating Pentecost I am reminded of the disciples hastening out of their hideout to spread the good news.
If you did not know that he was proclaimed a saint in April, well let’s just say, we could not miss the news in Krakow. It was so emotionally exciting to walk the same grounds that he did as a child, as a youth, as a priest and then as bishop. My heart was full of joy to be this close to his history, to learn more about this person and to witness what he did and said throughout his lifetime.
There has always been something sad about Jesus ascending to heaven. There the disciples were looking up. Even though the angels told them it was a good thing that Jesus ascended, they still were still confused by the sense of emptiness.
My husband and I were biking recently. I enjoy biking but don’t do it often enough to be steady so it doesn’t take much for me to fall.
Parts of this great country are already deep into summer but here in Vermont spring always takes it’s time.
On a recent trip to Naples, Florida I had the opportunity to concelebrate the Liturgy of the Eucharist with His Eminence, Francis Cardinal Arinze of Nigeria. A very friendly follower of the Lord, the Cardinal was very cordial and recalled giving his testimony about the holiness and practice of the virtues of 
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