For All My Life...Pale Ale

This past Monday was the Final Profession for the Dominican Sisters of Saint Cecilia in Nashville, and one of my dear friends professed her final vows! Amazing! I've known her for over four years now, and I'd gotten to spend many moments with her during the past six months in particular, leading up to this beautiful day. It has been a grace to get to witness those final months before she professed her vows to the Lord "for all my life." I sadly was not able to be there in Nashville to witness it in person, but very dearly held to my heart the words of Saint John Vianney, that "Miles melt before the tabernacle!"

I don't think I've blogged about it before, but upon returning home from my deployment, I got into homebrewing. That's right, brewing my own beer! It's a perfect combination of my love for cooking, for science, and for delicious craft beer! :-) I thought there would be no way more appropriate to celebrate and commemorate my dear friend making her final vows than to brew a commemorative beer in honor of her and her Sisters on this special occasion. The recipe I used is a clone of my favorite craft beer, Magic Hat #9, a pale ale with a hint of apricot. If I could only drink one beer for the rest of my life, it would be that one. So in light of that fact, and in honor of those words that my friend and her Sisters professed on Monday, I've named the brew "For-All-My-Life Pale Ale." It will be ready in four weeks--I'll let you know how it turns out!

I enjoyed a Magic Hat #9 while brewing...so hopefully it will end up tasting like this! I used a frosty pint glass from Southend Brewery in Charleston, SC--hometown of my dear friend who made her final vows!

Fermentation in progress, with previous homebrews in the background!!

The Next Step

Woe to me if I should prove myself

but a halfhearted soldier

in the service of

my thorn-crowned Captain.

Saint Fidelis of Sigmarigen

Yesterday, I completed my temporary duty assignment and returned back to my ship to start my second tour, my next two years onboard. It was a big step, with much more significance than simply checking back in and getting my orders stamped!

The opportunity God has given me to return to the same ship for my second tour is truly a blessing. It was an offer that I first rejected--and it took a second opportunity and a blatantly clear manifestation of God's will for me to accept; but all in God's planning, I suppose! I am so renewed and refreshed thanks to the time I was able to spend away from the ship, and am ready to return and continue the good work that God has already begun onboard, particularly in the hearts of my shipmates.

I know my excitement and positive attitude is at the risk of being quickly subdued as I report back and am reminded of the rigors of sea duty and shipboard life. But my confidence rests in God alone, and not in myself--for surely nothing would be accomplished if it was only up to me and my weak heart!

I was blessed to receive a text of the quote above this morning from a dear one. It couldn't have come at a better time. This will be the motto I take with me as I embark upon the next two years--may I never be halfhearted! Please pray for me and for my ship, that God may be glorified here.