The Blessing

I've attended daily Mass almost every day since the beginning of January. I hope to get to Mass every week while I'm on the Appalachian Trail so I have the names, addresses, and phone numbers of churches fairly close to the trail (10 miles or so ) written into my AWOL A.T. Guide but only time will tell whether I will find a way. In the pictures below I am wearing the hiking skirt that will be my apparel for Mass.  Oh, that it would look and smell this clean every Sunday ....

After Mass this morning, our Pastor, Fr. John Koziol, prayed a blessing over me. After Ash Wednesday Mass, we'll head to the North Georgia Mountains and I'll sign in as a 2013 thru-hiker at Amicalola Falls State Park; I think I will be given a number (wonder how many have started ahead of  me?).

Sprinkling of Holy Water

The Scriptures at Mass this week have come from Genesis and focus on God creating everything and it was all good. One of the songs we sang this week was How Great Thou Art -- I found myself unable to sing the words from the second verse :

When through the woods and forest glades I wander
and hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees;
when I look down from lofty mountain grandeur,
and hear the brook, and feel the gentle breeze;

 I felt God's hand on me, assuring me He goes with me and I was overwhelmed with joy and you know what comes with joy (for me anyway - tears). 

All the way up front on the right, I'm asking our Blessed Mother to pray for me and to wrap her mantle of protection around me. (The red on my backpack is the Homes For Our Troops bandana). Donate to Homes For Our Troops

More blessings came my way after mass ... Carol Ferguson gave me some Shaklee products to take with me.  They are high in fiber, protein, fruits and veggies (hard to take while hiking). They are super small and lightweight which is important when space is limited in a backpack.  I will order some to be mailed to me along the trail. Tried the Sea Salt Snack Crisps with my cottage cheese for lunch. Loved them plus they have 6 grams of protein in one serving. Saving the bars for this week on the trail.

My pack is fully loaded and weighs 32 lbs. -- about 7 more lbs. than I wanted to carry -- but the forecast for Saturday is a high of 32 degrees dropping to low of 17 degrees, rain/sleet/snow. So I have some extra clothes to sleep in.







After mass we took a little walk (4 miles) to check out how 32 lbs. felt. As we head down Jeff Davis, Nick turns into the gas station for a bathroom break and I continue walking on the sidewalk.  Sue Crawford Donnay, new bride, who recently moved to Florida, pulls into the gas station drive as I approach and says to me "pull over."  I was surprised to see her because I thought she was in Florida. She gets out of the car and hands me a beautiful heart engraved with my name. It has a little red light in the side which can be turned on. She said she had intended to give it to me on Saturday at mass but when she saw me she pulled into the gas station. I will be on a mountain in a shelter on Saturday night. For sure, this was not  a coincidence but a  'God incidence'. 

Beautiful hiker 'bling' which I put on my waist belt pouch.  

Yesterday, after Mass, I took communion to my dear friend, Nona, who lives in the nursing home now about 25 miles away from me. She gave me some chocolate candy, socks, stretchy gloves, and $20 to get a good hamburger when I'm off the trail in town one night. We used to go out for a good hamburger from time to time; she really likes them too. She'll pray every day for me. We hugged and kissed; it was a tear-filled goodbye.

The next post will come from the Appalachian Trail !!!!! Be sure to check the Trail Journals tab on the front page of this blog. I'm not sure yet which will be easier to keep current from the trail. The Trail Journals site will include my mileage for the day.