Boxes are stacking up here at the convent as we get ready for a weekend pack-a-thon. Even Chloe is getting boxes ready! Early next week, we move the convent and the A Nun’s Life studio from Chicago to Toledo, Ohio.

In general, moving isn’t one of my favorite things to do. But what I like about moving is that it offers a metaphor for other aspects of life. For example, right now I’m sorting through things like books, files on my computer, photographs, etc., trying to decide what to take and what to give away or dispose of.

I try to be very thorough because the less I have, the less I’ll have to carry during the move. Plus, we have a steep set of stairs, so that’s an extra incentive. My goal is to bring along more of the things I really want and need, and fewer of the things I don’t.

The act of sorting out material items makes me think of non-material things that I value and want to have plenty of space for – things like compassion, a sense of humor, patience. This means sorting out things that take up too much space, like some of the impatience I feel when technology fails to cooperate. Or some of the frustration when things go awry despite careful planning. I’m sorry to say the list could go on, but you get the picture. As I sort material items, I imagine putting the unwanted non-material things in a composter, so they can be transformed. Yep, I feel lighter already!

Over these next few days, I invite you to join me in the sorting process. I have some extra boxes, so think about what you’d like to keep and what you’d like to send to the composter! It’s gonna be a great move!

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Join A Nun’s Life Community for prayer and chat tonight at 6 p.m. CT at aNunsLife.org/live.

Also a reminder — “Ask Sister” has moved to Wednesday evenings at 6 p.m. Central Time. “Ask Sister” is a live broadcast where we talk with listeners about faith, community, ministry, prayer, and many other topics!

Our last move fit in a 17' truck. Might be time for an upgrade!

We have always know the Holy Spirit was in the lead of A Nun’s Life Ministry. Our role has been to keep up with where the Spirit is taking us. When the Spirit pointed us in the direction of Toledo, Ohio, we were a little surprised!

Sure we knew that the ministry was expanding like loaves and fishes but we only had one basket! It’s difficult to fit an 8-channel mixer, a 5-drawer steel file cabinet, and 3 desks in a single basket!

So when we started looking for a new space, we went out with an open mind, took in all the possibilities, and found ourselves in Toledo, Ohio!

So really, why Toledo?

• We can say “Holy Toledo” all the time.
• We’ll be at the edge of the Great Black Swamp, a glacially-caused wetland in northwest Ohio.
• An homage to Teresa of Avila who journeyed from her home in Avila to set up a new monastery in Toledo, Spain.
• Because we can go to Tony Packo’s, famous hotdogs made even more famous by Jamie Farr, a.k.a., Corporal Max Klinger on M*A*S*H*.

Oh, yeah, and a divine office that is the answer to our prayers!

Since our move will take place the second and third week of April, you can expect to see lots of moving footage as well as a couple paint-splattered nuns. We also plan to do a “moving edition” of Ask Sister to capture all the joys and tribulations of moving. If you are on Facebook, be sure to “Like” us at Facebook.com/aNunsLife where you’ll find regular real-time updates. The ministry will continue even through the move with regular blog posts, forum conversations, chat, and Praying with the Sisters.

Please keep us in your prayers as we sort, pack, and move!

I have often heard Catholic sisters and nuns say, “Join the convent, see the world” because many of us do travel quite a bit for ministry and mission. Along with that comes the always pleasant task of actually moving. You know what I mean — boxes, tape, clutter, dust, lifting, moving, renting, changing, bubble wrap, exhaustion!

Moving also gives one the opportunity for self-reflection, to think about what one is attached to, how simply one lives, what facilitates community and mission, etc.

As you might suspect, I am in the process of moving — like right at this moment. My computer is the last to go. In an hour I will be picking up our 17′ rental truck (the experience of driving that thing in Chicago will probably make for an interesting blog post!) in order to move out of my current abode and to a new house with another IHM sister where we can live and offer hospitality to our IHM sisters and others.

Chloe the Convent Cat is coming along with us, and as you can see, she’s a bit self-reflective too.

We’ve done a great job at sorting and donating stuff. It’s so easy to accumulate “stuff” so I’m hoping to keep things simple. I feel better when I have less clutter, less stuff to be distracted by. After traveling so much, I realize that most of what I need I can toss in a backpack.

What have been your experiences of “move”? What does living simply mean for you?