It's Gonna Be Great

I mentioned to a friend at breakfast the other morning that I was on the lookout for another company tagline to lay the framework for a new blog.  She quickly suggested using, “It’s Gonna Be Great.” adding the comment, “I don’t think it’s a tagline.” I reached into the basket of my walker for my iPhone and googled, “It’s Gonna Be Great!” I soon discovered "It's Gonna Be Great" is a fast-paced song by Bud Luckey and Jim Cummings, sung by Tigger and Eeyore in the Disney film, Winnie the Pooh.

Tigger: It's gonna be great, it's gonna be great, it's gonna be great! Eeyore: Well, I'm not sure.
Tigger: Oh, stop that gloomy rumination, All you need is a little bit of Tiggerization.
Eeyore: Wait!
Tigger: Why wait? Don't you see it's gonna be great? It's gonna be great, it's gonna be great, it's gonna be great!

Later in the day, I recalled that the prophet Jeremiah, in the biblical Book of Lamentations, offered spiritual seekers similar encouragement and motivation to rise and positively step into each new day.

The Lord's unfailing love and mercy still continue.

Fresh as the morning, as sure as the sunrise.

With my spirits lightened, reassured, and comforted by song lyrics and scriptural wisdom, I ended the day ready for the coming of tomorrow.

Indeed, amid world events and tensions we frequently find ourselves in need of the antidote for gloomy rumination and more than a little bit of Tiggerization and scriptural comfort.

Let us remain hopeful as we do our part to contribute in making it’s gonna to be great a reality.

-Sister Nancy Wales

image: Lucian @luciandachman | Unsplash

Pilgrims of Hope

Have you heard the song, “Pilgrims of Hope”?

It is something I am certainly going to add to our community’s hymn repertoire!

Composed to celebrate the Jubilee Year 2025, it is filled with a heart-felt longing for hope as we continue to move through the challenges of the previous years of pandemic, economic strife, mistreatment of migrant people, racism and hatred. Hope is the desire of and the call on the lips of many who are striving to make a difference in society.

Starting in Rome, the Jubilee year begins on Christmas Eve 2024 and then resonates throughout the Christian world as of December 29, 2024.

The composer of “Pilgrims of Hope”, Francesco Meneghello crafts the opening notes of the refrain melody with a beautiful leap into hope. Pierangelo Sequeri words are strikingly heart-felt: “Like a flame my hope is burning”. And then the second phrase leaps higher as we sing: “may my song arise to you”. Melody and text are creatively wed together.

I hope you will listen to this beautiful hymn and make it your own – a prayer to gather the scattered into God’s tender and patient care. Filled with a sense of trust, the Jubilee theme calls us to recover a universal care for one another, refusing to turn a blind eye to the tragedy of rampant poverty. As pilgrims on this earth may we contemplate the beauty of creation and care for our common home. May this year be celebrated with deep faith, lively hope and active charity.

-Sister Loretta Manzara, csj

The song and many other resources may be found here.

Listen to the song here:

images: Brett Wharton @brettwharton | Unsplash

Whimsical Wisdom

Every once in a while you unexpectedly come across a book that is a catalyst for great reflection.

Finding the thoughtful little book, Chasing Dreams, written by Kobi Yamada, is one such book. The author offers wisdom as the subtitle suggests on “how to add more daring to your doing.”

The illustrations by Charles Santoso enhance Kobi Yamada’s words of wisdom. His creative visuals add a purposeful addition to this delightful book, through his portrayal of the  whimsical antics of an active, inquisitive, and playful raccoon.

I offer you two wisdom nuggets from Chasing Dreams to whet your appetite for this delightful, yet challenging read.

“Spend your energy wisely,

Fill your time with things that fill your heart.

Breathe deeply into the possibilities of your life.”

“Put work behind your good intentions.

Keep the promises you made to yourself.”

I am quite confident in putting a good word in for this inspirational read. The book jacket aptly states that the book is recommended for anyone ages ninety-nine or younger. Happy Reading!

Sister Nancy Wales, Reading Enthusiast

IMAGE: Sincerely Media @sincerelymedia/Unsplash

Memory Work - First Day of Fall

When I was a child ‘memory work’ was very important in school.  As a child, it was a big effort to learn prayers by rote, to memorize perfectly the answers to the questions in our Catechism, and to memorize certain numbers of lines of poetry.

Then later in life I began to understand all the things I had memorized as a child.  The prayers, Catechism answers and poems, were no longer just words strung together but the words I had memorized found their way to my heart.

Trees by Joyce Kilmer, is one of the poems that touches my heart every year as I ponder their awe-inspiring beauty in the Autumn of their lives.  I’ve even found that my memory works best when I sing the poem. 

May these words reach your heart today.

-Sister Elaine Cole, csj

Trees

I think that I shall never see

A poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest

Against the Earth’s sweet flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day,

And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in summer wear

A nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;

Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,

But only God can make a tree.

Joyce Kilmer, 1886-1918

Images: Ricardo Gomez Angel @rgaleriacom | Aaron Burden @aaronburden Unsplash

Life is a Trip

As a former educator, autumn always brings with it the possibility of new beginnings. For me, in many respects, it conjures up a predisposition  for change-making similar to that which arises within me with the approach of New Years Day. The coming of fall repeatedly offers me an opportunity to examine my priorities going forward and make minor adjustments to my personal goals.

The Best Western Hotels, asserts, “Life is a trip. Make the most of it.” This company slogan gifts me with a bit of easily remembered wisdom for my daily living.  It reminds me that no day is ordinary, indeed every day is unique offering me 84,600 seconds of newness. Back to school days, offer all of us a chance to set our inner GPS for where we wish to travel on our life’s trip and how we might make the most of it.

May you have fulfilling autumn days.

-Sister Nancy Wales, csj

IMAGE: Matt @matty10 | Unsplash