Catherine's Cafe Vocation Blog

Did you ever have “one of those days”?  When you think “ if one more thing goes wrong I’m going to…” Fill in the blank!  Recently I found myself stressing out about all the interruptions at work, growling at a driver so slow and overly cautious he/she braked driving UPHILL, and trying to smile at someone who walked in with “You’re not doing anything right now, are you?”  When this happens I remember the words of one of our wise women, who, when I was complaining years ago, said to me, “The interruptions ARE your work, often more so than what you think you are about.” Thank God, with those words, grace steps in.  Writer Ann Lamott  quotes a friend of hers:  “Grace is WD40 for the soul.”  When soul/spirit gets stuck, gets painfully locked in a negative place, grace appears and offers a way up and out.  It is stronger than any problem, more present than any deadline, more soothing than zooming along at top speed.  How do I know it is grace? N...

This summer I had the opportunity to take a month off.  I traveled north by car.  This gave me the opportunity to pack some items for delivery to Sinsinawa and plan for several events and visits.  For the drive, I had intended to listen to lectures on spirituality and scripture but the changing scenery really captured my heart.  I drove in silence except with the GPS voice reminded me of my next route change or a car on the side of the road or even that police were spotted ahead. Driving through Kentucky there was a sign that caught my attention.  You know the digital signs set up to given instructions of a lane closure or other related notices.  What was recorded made me laugh (and to be cautious of other drivers):  “This Ain’t A Nascar Raceway!” I wanted to move that sign to Florida and plant it many places on I-95. The sign also made me think of the ways we sometimes go through life events at racing speeds and don’t take time to savor the...