Clean, Cleaning, Unclean

'I do will it. Be made clean.' The Gospel reading on my birthday struck me, not just because of the beautiful miracle and the leper's faith and humility, but also the word 'clean' has been my word for this year of 2026. 

It has cropped up in different ways over these past few months. And this past week alone was a week of cleaning and cleanliness. I had been cleaning a lot, decluttering the typical and usual spaces, but also my room that was desperately in need of organizing and vacuuming. And my humble and useful car for the past 10 years needed some love with washing and vacuuming for my dear sisters to ride in during our special sister weekend without all the messes, crumbs and dirtiness these weeks have brought.

 I realized how long it has been to vacuum these spaces and actually attend to cleaning it and noticing the effects, and especially the aftereffects of feeling relaxed, happy, accomplished and peaceful about it. Clean and unclean I have seen and read a lot in scripture and how it deals with not just physically and health, but also spiritually.

Jesus, help me to be clean from sin. Help me to see the areas where I need to be healed and be made clean. 

Strawberry Year

 I had to take a picture of this dress while I was shopping today. It describes the start to my new year, - my 34th year on this beautiful earth. I somehow in varying ways have depicted this year to be a strawberry year, filled with meaning and symbolism, sweetness, strength and fruits for this wonderful and blessed year ahead. 

When my sweet sister treated me to Starbucks on my birthday morning after going to Mass together, I order my usual drink- Hot Cafe Latte with a pump of Vanilla, and something new- strawberry matcha bread, it was super delicious! 

When my parents, my sweet sister who was visiting and I went out to a lovely brunch in town, the free dessert on your birthday came- it was strawberry cheesecake. Yum!

The birthday cake I chose and wanted for my birthday that was totally different than I've done in other years, was from a cute little French and Korean inspired cafe, and I wanted a strawberry cake. It was so good, delicious and light. 

When we came home from our lovely and very special and fun sister weekend in Davis, I dropped off my sister at her house. Beautiful to see her home, her cute and beautiful kids for a bit. One of her children was eating a little piece of basil and then gave me an eaten strawberry and put it in my hands. It wasn't until later that I realized all these connections to strawberries!

I looked up meanings and symbolisms, especially Christian meanings and I found some profound things. Some of the meanings that stood out to me the most are sweetness of God's love, the fruit of the spirit, the Passion of Christ, and the Virgin Mary and her virtue and humility.