August Thoughts

Four months from now Shirley and I will make covenant with our God in the Sacrament of marriage. And we are glad, and looking forward to the day. We're still working on preparation for the wedding. We have the church and the minister (Bishop/Abbot Jim Beckett). We have our rings, her dress is being altered, and we thnk we have the photographer, flowers, and food lined up........we shall see! I thought we had the special music lined up, but he has a gig that day, and can't play in the wedding. Oh, well. If worse comes to worse, I'll hand the sound guy some discs and a playlist, and say, "Here,......."

I will miss my hermitage. Four years ago, I found a small, 100-year-old efficiency apartment in the Woodland Heights area of Houston. The neighborhood was developed northwest of Downtown just after the turn of the 20th century. The building is a former boarding house, built around the same time. Some time later, it was converted into efficiency apartments.

The place is small (living room and bedroom are the same) and as I've gathered things over the past few years, it has begun to get cluttered. Now, clutter is no good for a monk. To live simply means, among other things, without clutter. So, I'm due for a "clean-up." This year's big "clean-up" will involve packing.

Yeah, the room is small, and just allows for a bed and a little furniture. Truthfully, the a/c (a window unit) doesn't really adequately cool the place in the hottest part of the Summer (as in--right now). So, this big boy sits most of the time where he can get the cold air from the a/c. And since that would be the couch, in the Summer that would be my preferred place to sleep. The place has one bathroom and a small kitchenette, which includes a regular-size (thankfully!) fridge and a small stove, and is just large enough for a small table.

You may ask, "Why live in such a small place?" It's a hermitage, and should be humble. And it is. But I've enjoyed this place more than any other place I've ever lived before. I have grown closer to our Lord Jesus here. I met and became engaged to Shirley while living here. God has been very good to me here.

But now begins the task of collecting and packing small boxes with books. I have learned to not get the big banana boxes from the store and loading them up with lots of books. Why? Because big boxes with lots of books makes for HEAVY boxes! Moving is always hard, but since we're looking forward to this move , maybe it will be less difficult and even fun......! Well, here's to wishful thinking, anyway.

One thing we know for sure: God was with me in other moves, and He will be with us in this move. I've begun to get restless. He always makes me restless when He has something new for me. So I'm excited, and thankful. I'm ready to marry Shirley, finish my studies and be ordained to the presbyterate, and looking forward to to putting a new band together. And looking forward to living in OKC. He is with us. I am thankful for that.


under the mercy,
br. francis