Prayer and work

Lynne Smith, OSBCare for the Earth, Living in Community 2 Comments

It was 73 degrees in Middleton on Monday, April 8, 2019. Since Monday is a day of leisure for the sisters, I spent a large part of the day outside. I raked up the sticks dropped by the oaks during the winter in the front yard at Bingen House and listened to the birds. This will be the last week of free meals for the birds. The squirrels have learned how to climb down onto the feeder from the roof of the house, hang from the upper perches by their back feet and eat their fill from the lower seed …

Living in Community – A Sister's Time Away for Education

Lynne Smith, OSBLiving in Community, Notes on a Sister's Time Away for Education Leave a Comment

This week we sent Sister Lynne Smith off to school for the academic year at Catholic Theological Union. She went with the blessings and prayers of the community and a survival gift basket from coworkers…complete with plenty of pencils, a package of Ramen noodles and some healthy snacks! The presentation, pictured here, was made at our annual staff picnic by Jill Carlson (left), director of guest services, to Sister Lynne Smith (right). Beginning today Sister Lynne will share occasional insights into her experience in a new blog series, Living in Community – Notes on a Sister’s Time Away for Education: …

"Learn everyday of your life"

Lynne Smith, OSBLiving in Community 2 Comments

This week my attention has been focused on how on-going growth and integration is basic to the monastic life. Benedictine life asks that we “learn everyday of our lives” and that learning is not just about intellectual knowledge. In her book, Seeking Life, Esther de Waal notes that Benedict is always addressing the whole self – body, mind and spirit. Benedict tells us in the Prologue that we must “prepare our hearts and bodies.” So as we seek to open ourselves more deeply to God during Lent, we might attend to each aspect of our person as de Waal suggests. …