Calling All Saints

Calling All Saints

I was a Girl Scout as a child, and later a Girl Scout leader for well over a decade as an adult.

Being a leader was not a goal that I ever aspired to or contemplated, but like many others whose paths unexpectedly detour, I was called due to an insufficient number of leaders and my young daughter’s desire to enroll in this girl-fest organization.

Before I knew it, I was assigned many training classes that would entail months of study and on-site practicalities at the Girl Scout headquarters in Garden City.

Inundated with loads of information spanning safety, trip planning, protocols, badgework, and more, stirred excitement and nervousness for this novel journey.

It was a huge commitment with pressing requirements, but I would later discover, well worth the effort.

Even though Camp Tekakwitha in the Hampton Bays on the Great Peconic Bay is no longer owned by the Girls Scouts of Nassau County, some of my fondest memories lie within its stunning expansive landscapes, natural tranquility, and foraging wild deer and turkeys.

Camp Tekakwitha (Camp Tek for short) is named in honor of Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, who was a Native American living her life exactly as her ancestors had for centuries.

She was unexpectantly pulled in a different direction by the teachings of Jesuit missionaries, which touched her Soul and left her rejected by her family and tribe.

Despite these many formidable life altering ramifications, she wholeheartedly answered the call and persevered.

While I did not intend to be a mentor, many benefitted by innumerable measure from my thirteen years of service – yearly camping (twice one year), learning valuable skills, bolstering confidence, earning Bronze, Silver, and Gold Awards, and a harvest of fun filled cherished memories.

Did I plan it?

No, but I was beckoned, and am amazed at the irrefutable difference it made in so many lives, enabling experiences and opportunities that might not have occurred otherwise.

It is unmistakable when Christ calls; everything changes.

Perceptions and priorities are instantly transformed, and new layers of consciousness are introduced with magnificent revelations and nuanced possibilities to coach and serve others.

Walking with Christ is an honor available to each of us. Saints walk with assiduity and devoted diligence not because they were forced, but because Christ’s invitation granted an imperial view liberated from societal norms and perturbation.

July 14th is St. Kateri’s feast day, where she is credited with the distinction of the patroness of ecology.

St. Kateri received sainthood.

I was granted many blessings also – skills, knowledge, and an exceptional chance to carve an alternative trail and provide unique and extraordinary opportunities for girls.

I was even awarded the prestigious Outstanding Volunteer Award. It may not be sainthood, but it’s a step in the right direction.

~”To all who are beloved of God in Rome, called as saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,” Romans 1:7 ~

HEaling Link® will meet Tuesday, July 19, 2022 @ 7:30pm via Zoom. For more information, please contact Jackie: HEalingLink03@gmail.com Isn’t it time to get Linked?