Matthew 4:1
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
The drive from Gallup, NM to Christ in the Desert was long. We were excited to get on the road because we had some errands in Albuquerque to run before we headed to the Monastery. This would be our third visit to the Monastery. We had very different experiences during our two previous visits; we were excited and curious about what our experience would be this time. As we drove the rutted 13-mile dirt road toward the Monastery, we breathed in the beauty of the canyon near Georgia O’Keefe’s Ghost Ranch. We followed the road and the Chama River on our left towards the Monastery. We made a turn on the road, and we both saw the chapel at the same time and made an audible intake of air signifying we had made it. We prayed a Hail Mary while we continued our last mile. We arrived a little after three pm and saw my godson and his lovely wife, Brandon and Lourdes. For their recent nuptials, Michael and I gave them a retreat at the Monastery. For the next two nights for them and six nights for us, we prayed, worked, and slept in community.
The experience, for me, this time was a hard one. Mostly at night. I have been having some sleepless nights recently. The anxiety of leaving Sebastian behind and the upcoming visa appointment made my mind run crazy when I turned out the lights. I have never had much trouble sleeping, but a few nights in the desert I was entertained by several Deamons. Luckily God and Michael were close by to help me conquer evil. My work this time was a little more varied. Usually, I spent most of my time working in the gift shop with Brother Isadore. This time, however, I worked out in cloister while Michael helped in the gift shop. I enjoyed being outside in the late October air. My job was to thin out a patch of iris flowers and replant the flowers in a garden under the Guest Master’s window. He wanted them in a semicircle. I then prepared a patch of land to have wildflowers including black-eyed Susans. This visit was later in the year, so Michael and I were able to walk in the afternoon after lunch. During this time, we discussed Bible passages and practiced Lectio Divina.
During our six days at the Monastery we saw the fall colors go from brilliant to dull. My favorite cactus is Choya. If you want to know why, ask my sister Lisa and say, “Tell me about your trip with Suzanne and Leto to Joshua Tree.” We just missed their brilliant yellow flower bloom, but we were able to see the fall growth and change. The Monastery gave away their horses but we were still able to see many animals wandering around. Of course, the chickens but to our delight Maggie (not Molly) and a flock of sheep. Maggie was so smart she was able to unlatch the door and walk out of her enclosure. She typically brough with her one ram and sometimes a few ewes. After prayer one day, we found Maggie hanging out in front of our door. On the last day, we saw free-range cows that realized the Chama River was no longer difficult to cross.
At the end of our stay, we packed up and headed to Albuquerque for two lovely days with my sister-in-law and brother-in-law, DeeDee and Randy. We had a lovely time hanging out in their beautiful house, chatting, walking, watching sports, watching tv, and relaxing. They live in a smaller Del Webb community much like my mom. The first evening we had a lovely roast for dinner with some yummy side dishes. We had a ton of leftovers, so I said I wanted our typical left-over vehicle: PIZZA! Michael helped the Myers outfit their kitchen with the “right stuff” and worked with DeeDee, preparing the pizza inside, and with Randy, grilling the pizza outside. They took us around Albuquerque to see the old town (quickly driving by since it was packed in celebration of the Day of the Dead.) We went to DeeDee’s old stomping ground, University of New Mexico, which gave us a beautiful view of the city, the surrounding mesas, and remnants of volcanoes. One of the parts of this trip is getting to have relaxing times with friends and family, quality time! DeeDee and Randy are a few months ahead of us in retirement and I think they have a nice routine that I am starting to long for. I am keeping my eye on the ball – Javea. I am looking forward to getting into my routine there.
