Home

In the house where I had my novitiate training, we had in the kitchen a picture very similar to this.

Those words,  home is where the heart is, keep coming back to me. Currently, I'm visiting my Ursuline Sisters and friends in Malone, NY.  I spent four wonderful years in this town living with other Ursuline Sisters, teaching at the local public school and made many dear friends.  So many say Welcome Home to me when they see me up here and I have to admit I do feel at home-part of my heart is here.

However, parts of my heart can also be found in Soho, NYC, the Bronx, New Rochelle and other places that I have lived in and places where I have worked-SPN, Cooke Center, St. Ignatius. 

I guess that part of loving is sharing your heart and you always leave a piece behind. But I'm very fortunate I still get to touch into those home places through visits, memories and contacts with people via phone, Skype, or Facebook.

Thank you God for giving me so many homes and for allowing my heart to get touched!!

Sr. Jeannie Humphries, osu

Be Happy

Recently I relocated to a different apartment.

While I was going through my belongings, I came across the following mini poster:

The place to be happy is here; the time to be happy is now.

How true and I need to remember that. I can't keep thinking I'll be happy somewhere else or at another time.  Live in the present-find the enjoyable times now.

Sr. Jeannie Humphries, osu

Small Changes = Big Results

Yesterday, I received a Weight Watchers magazine in the mail.  My weight is a constant struggle for me.  I think this magazine came free to me because I just recently bought clothes in a "big women" store.

On the cover, there is an advertisement for an article that gives you advice on how you can make small changes in your lifestyle with regards to eating and exercising and this can lead to big results if you keep those small changes consistent.

I thought today about those words: Small Changes = Big Results. and how they apply to many areas of my life.

Small changes of going to bed earlier each night will help me get more sleep.
Small changes of adding a few minutes to my prayer time will hopefully allow me to spend more time on my relationship with Jesus.
Small changes of turning off computer earlier in night will allow me to get other tasks accomplished.
Small changes of taking time to notice the good around will erase some of my negative thoughts at times.

All these small changes will lead hopefully to big results of a better rested, prayerful, well-rounded and grounded woman.

I'm going to give this small changes a try and let you know about the big results later.

How about you?

Sr. Jeannie Humphries, ous

Jubilee Celebration and a First Communion.

This weekend, I had the pleasure of spending both days at celebrations.

On Saturday, my Ursuline Sisters has our annual Jubilee Mass and luncheon.  This means we celebrated and honored sisters who professed their vows 50, 60 and 70 years ago.  In total , we were acknowledging 490 years of service to God, our church, our world, the people of God and the Ursuline Sisters.  These 8 sisters had been involved in ministries of education, pastoral care, missionary work, spiritual direction, social service and retreat work.  It was a beautiful day.  It was nice to be with my Ursuline Sisters and share in Mass and a meal together.

Then yesterday, Sunday, I attended a high school friend's son's First Communion Party,  That was another great day.  We were able to be outside enjoying the nice weather together.  Also they were probably close to 40 little children under the age of 8 running around on the big field at the place of the party.  It was nice to see their enthusiasm and energy.

In a sense over the weekend, I was involved with both ends of life-one day celebrating lives of sisters over 70 years of age and then celebrating a milestone of an 8 year old boy.  I feel very fortunate to have both sets of people in my life. Thank you God for all your goodness to me.

Prayers and blessings of love, joy and peace to all.

Sr. Jeannie Humphries, osu