Thursday, February 12, 2009

In the bookshop and other thoughts

I've been thinking all day about how it's important to me to stop in here once a day or so, and put something up, even if it's just news headlines that are catching my attention and stirring my heart to pray.

Truth is, I don't have a lot of collected and coherent thoughts today.

There are some deep thoughts and writing bits brewing, but other than those, for the first time in a couple weeks, my heart feels kind of quiet.

A dream I had earlier this week is still with me. But I feel like that's getting closer to being processed, or at least to the point where it is not fully present and affecting my days.

I'm thinking about the delightful conversation I had with the little older lady working in the Catholic book shop last night. She was so excited by the title I was looking for, delighted that someone as "young as me" would be interested in reading a work by a mystic from another continent and several centuries past. (I didn't have the heart to tell her that I'm not quite so young as she seemed to assume, though I am certainly younger than her.) She had read and purchased many of the titles in the shop, and since I was the only one in there, I took advantage of the opportunity to chat, and asked her to point out her recommendations. I walked with her through several aisles, making mental notes for next time, and did end up purchasing about $75 worth of new reading material as well.

Bumping into her was providential. I'm not sure of her name, though I introduced myself to her as I was leaving and another customer came in. I hope I run into her there again. She had a sweet and beautiful spirit about her, a passion for Jesus that my own spirit recognized. I pray that I will be that in love with the Lord, and with the church and with the words of others who love the Lord and the church when I am her age, and that my own spirit will glow the way hers did.

And now, semi-reclined and curled up in bed, lounging against the myriad of pillows I feel are essential for a comfortable space and sleep, I'm going to stop writing here, pick up a journal, and do some writing that needs to be accomplished. And then, then I'm going to spend a bit of time with one of the books I purchased yesterday before I attempt to sleep.

2 comments:

Hope said...

So of course I want to know what books you bought!!
There is no Catholic book store here...closest one is in big city north of you.

Lisa said...

They didn't actually have the book I was looking for... I found the only copy that seems to exist in the city at chapters later. So I actually made 2 book store stops last night...

at the Catholic book shop I bought:
a pamphlet on the way of the cross
A booklet of Lenten Devotions by Martin E. Marty called "Places Along the Way"
A book of reflections on the writing of St. Francis of Assisi called "Finding Perfect Joy" by Kerry Walters
A biography of St. Rose of Lima
A church encyclical that the lady in the shop recommended on Christian Love
A church encyclical on "Christian Hope" simply because the word hope in the title caught my eye.

Then I went to Chapters and bought the book I was looking for, "The Interior Castle" by Teresa of Avila

a collection of excerpts from the writings of Francis and Clare of Assisi.

and a sale copy of "Plan B: Further Thoughts on Faith" by Anne Lamott.

I didn't know until recently that we had a Catholic book store either, but I've made some fabulous discoveries in there ever since discovering it, and am back there often.