Christmas

 Happy second day of Christmas!  I hope everyone had an amazing Christmas and was able to celebrate the birth of our Savior.  I hope you were also able to enjoy time with those you love and had some yummy holiday food.

Both Scott and I had to work on Christmas Eve.  We were able to attend Christmas Eve Mass a St. Anne Catholic Church (bonus, my niece sang in the children's choir) with my family then spend time with my extended family at my parents' house where there was gumbo and finger foods.  Christmas Day, we were up super early due to the thunderstorm, so we got up around 630 am, made coffee, and traded gifts.  Made it over to my parents' house for breakfast and more presents and lunch over at my Nana's house with the extended family.  We were able to come home for a little down time before heading to Scott's parents' house for a couple of hours.  Needless to say, we were exhausted and turned early last night.  I did have to work today, but it was low key since I work from home, and it wasn't super busy at work.

I sometimes struggle with the post-Christmas blues.  I think a lot of it is that I struggle with the craziness of the season leading up to Christmas and feel such a low point on December 26th.  Like all of a sudden, it's just all over.  There is such a hurriedness to get all the festive mood then it just stops as if nothing happened.  Decorations are taken down as soon as we wake up on December 26th, holiday music on the radio and in stores go back to regular music, and life goes back to normal.  As Catholics, the 12 days of Christmas starts on December 25th and ends on January 6th.  We shouldn't just celebrate the birth of our Savior on one day.  It should be a big deal for a couple of days.  

I'm going to end this short blog with Linus' speech from Charlie Brown Christmas.  I feel like this is a good thing to think about during this Christmas season.

Retrieved from A Charlie Brown Christmas:

"I guess you were right, Linus. I shouldn't have picked this 
little tree," said Charlie Brown. "Everything I do turns into 
a disaster. I guess I don't really know what Christmas is 
all about. Isn't there anyone who knows what Christmas 
is all about?"

"Sure, Charlie Brown, I can tell you what Christmas is all about," 
said Linus. [Linus walks to center stage.] 

"Lights, please."

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding 
in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them,
and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: 
and they were sore afraid.

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, 
I bring you good tidings of great joy, 
which shall be to all people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour,
which is Christ the Lord.



And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe
wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the
heavenly host praising God, and saying,

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, 
good will toward men.

                 --Book 42, Luke (002:08-14)
                   The Bible, King James Version

[Linus picks up his blanket and shuffles off-stage.]

 Well, it has been a hot minute since I last posted.  So much has happened since my last post.  The last time we saw each other, I was living and serving in Phoenix, AZ in 2012.  What has been happening since then?  Well, grab your favorite hot beverage, find a nice warm spot with a cozy blanket and let's go on an adventure.

In August 2012 I coordinated my last Mighty Bean Burrito soupline at Andre' House and moved back home to Beaumont, TX.  Honestly, it was a hard adjustment.  I thought I was being called to stay in Phoenix, but God had better plans in store for me.  I lived with my parents while I looked for work and did a few temporary jobs here and there.  I was struggling mentally because I suddenly felt I had no purpose, and my family and friends did not understand and didn't know how to help.    In February 2013 I began working at the Diocese of Beaumont in the Evangelization and Catechesis department.  This helped with finding a purpose.  I was able to save some money and move out on my own not far from my parents.  I began a weight loss journey that fall in hopes to get down to a healthy weight.  In the Fall of 2014, my friend, Karen, invited me to run a 10k with her at a local race.  Well, this was the beginning of a very beautiful crazy journey I didn't know I needed.  I survived my first real race and started running half marathons that spring.  Fun times.

In 2016 I found a Christian singles group and began hanging out with some really great people.  We did bible studies, went to the movies, did dinner, skating, and other fun things.  I met lots of great people and it was nice having people walking in their single life just like I was.  One of those new friends, was Scott.  Over the next 2 years, we developed a great friendship.  In 2018 we began dating.  At this time I was changing jobs and began working at Spindletop MHMR in the Primary Care Clinic and moved in with my friend, Melinda, in Nederland (20 minutes from Beaumont).  Lots of changes in a short time.  Scott has been a blessing and is just a great guy.  We both enjoy reading and going on walks so the year of dating was great.  We got engaged December 2019 and got married in July 2019.  

In October 2019, another job change.  I loved what I did at Spindletop, unfortunately, the stress due to bad management had me crying every day.  It was time for a change.  I quit working at Spindletop and found a job at H E B grocery store.  I was making $2 more an hour as a checker and less stress.  This career move turned into a huge blessing.  In March 2020 the world shut down due to COVID.  I transitioned to the sanitation team at work which allowed me to gain more hours, and we received $2 extra an hour.  Since Scott works for the county and I worked for a grocery store, we were both considered essential.  My paycheck was going into our savings account since we were living in a one-bedroom apartment and living well within our means.  We began looking for a house and finally found the perfect one for us here in Beaumont. It was move in ready, but there were projects we could work on to make our perfect house even more perfect.

In the fall of 2020, I was offered a position with a long-term pharmacy in the billing department.  It has been stable hours and a boost in pay.  Lots of learning, but great work.  In May of 2024 we found out that the company was selling one of the pharmacies.  We were told that in June 90% of the billing staff was being let go.  However, all of us that were being let go got hired with the new company the Monday after our last day.  As much as I hated to move companies, the old company did well by us and the new company welcomed us with open arms.  I now work from home, and we were able to get me a she shed (office) in the back so I could have space to work and for my rosary making.

On September 30, 2024, I opened Lauren's Knotted Rosaries in Etsy.  The last couple of months has been a little slow on the site, but I have been able to reach a nonprofit and a church for a couple of bulk sales.  I will keep making rosaries in my spare time and keep marketing my shop but also reaching out to churches and retreat teams to help them with handmade knotted twine rosaries.

On Christmas day 2023, Samwise Gamgee, joined our little family.  He is a black and white (tuxedo) half golden doodle and half great paraeneses fluffy puppy we got from our friends.  He has been a great addition to our home.  

My goals for 2025, is to read 100 books, write blog posts, maybe start a YouTube channel, and keep working on Lauren's Knotted Rosaries.  I will still continue to work my normal 9-5 job and be present with my husband and best good pup, but I am hoping to add a few creative outlets.

Here are a few sites for you to browse:

Here is the link to my Etsy shop
https://laurensknotrosaries.etsy.com

I do run on coffee.  If you are feeling like donating to my caffeine addition, please use this link

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/Laurenrleblanc

A Journey Home

After two wonderful years in Phoenix, AZ serving at Andre House, I returned home to Beaumont, TX in August.  I came home kicking and screaming.  A year ago after much discernment and prayer, I planned on staying in Phoenix after my time at Andre House came to an end on August 10^th.  I began searching for employment and apartments during my down time and slowly began getting frustrated as nothing seemed to be working out like I wanted.  About the second week of July (after many tears and several hard talks with community members) I came to the conclusion that I would have to return home to Texas.  More tears were shed as I called home to tell my parents.  I felt disappointed in myself.   I felt angry and confused.  How could this have happened?  What was wrong with me that I couldn't get a job?  I had finally began to find light after a very long, very dark and lonely depression only to be plunged back into it with a vengeance.  When I returned home I began to only feel worse.  I had spent two years constantly being around groups people for 90% of my day every day to being around just my parents.  I went from working between 65 and 70 hours a week to being unemployed with nothing to keep me busy.  I had been on a schedule for so long that suddenly not being on one left me feeling lost.  I didn't know what to do.  How do you cope with life when suddenly you have no purpose?  Friends and family tried their best to help me through it, but I was surrounded by darkness and needed to figure my way out on my own.  After several weeks of moping and crying I slowly began looking for work.  I went to a temp agency that placed me with a company mid-October.  Even while working there, I knew my time was only limited so I kept applying for other jobs.  I interviewed with the Diocese of Beaumont mid-December, but did not get the job.  I also interviewed for a county job, but again did not get the job.  Christmas came and went.  Adjusting to being home for holidays was tough.  It sounds odd, however while serving at Andre House we couldn't go home for holidays because we still had to have the building open to serve our guests who don’t have the option of not being homeless on holidays.  Being home during this time was an adjustment.  The week after New Year’s I received a phone call from the Diocese of Beaumont saying that they had a position that was becoming available and thought I would make a great fit.  I didn’t even apply for the job.  Apparently I had left enough of an impression on the HR Director when I interviewed for the job several weeks before that she called me back to see if I would like to interview for a different position.  Would I?  Heck yeah I want to come back to interview!  Well, I got a call a few days later from our wonderful HR Director who extended an invitation for employment and of course I accepted.  As of February 12, 2013 I am the Secretary for the Office of Lifelong Formation/Education (if you can say my entire title 5 times fast you I’ll give you 25 cents)!!!  I was lucky in that when I started I had two full weeks with the wonderful lady who I was replacing.  After many years in this position, Shirley was retiring.  I will have been here two months on Friday and it has been awesome.  Mid-January I also started my academic career again as well.  I am taking two night classes (history and philosophy) which still allow me to work full time during the day.  In a couple of years I will have my bachelor’s degree in accounting.  Monday and Tuesday are both very long days.  I work 8am – 5pm then I have class from 530pm – 830pm.  I am thankful that I am able to go back to school and work full time.  I am starting to look for apartments and hopefully will be in a place of my own within the next couple of weeks.  Well, this is my story so far and I’m going to stick with it for a little while longer.  I hope to blog more often as life keeps unfolding, God willing.  Peace, y’all!!!

Resurrection in the Midst of Brokenness

At Andre' House we see and experience a lot of brokenness.  We see it daily in our guests as they come to take refuge at our building.  We see the pain in their eyes and hear the hopelessness in their voices as they carry the burden of drugs, alcohol, violence, mental illness, underemployment, no employment, loneliness, rejection and much more.  Today we celebrate Good Friday...the day Jesus died on the Cross.  As I reflect on His Passion, I also reflect on the many Crosses our guests face each day.  This year for Lent I didn't give anything up or add anything special to my Lenten journey.  As Lent began, I began to truly see the brokenness of the world around me as well as my own brokenness.  I have been serving at Andre' House for more than a year and a half and the struggles of our guests are nothing new to me.  However, the last several weeks it has seemed more raw.  Many of our current guests are new...coming in for help for the first time within the last couple of weeks.  They bring in new struggles as they try to find where they fit in their new environment.  Many of our regular guests try to either help them out or try to assert how the pecking order works.  Its hard to live and serve sometimes in the midst of 'the zone'.  As we see the brokenness, the hopelessness, and the pain that walk through our doors everyday, how do we not fall into darkness that seems to surround us.  We keep going by the light of Christ.  We celebrate the death of Christ so we may also celebrate in His Resurrection.  For me, Lent this year has brought much sadness, but it has also brought much joy.  One way I found hope at Andre' House during Lent happened on Holy Thursday.  Every Holy Thursday our guests have the opportunity to have their feet washed by staff and volunteers as they come into the building for dinner.  We wash their feet with warm water and body wash; they also have the option to get foot powder for their shoes and lotion put on their feet before we put a clean pair of socks on their clean feet.  It is truly beautiful.  I coordinate Thursday soup line so most of the time I was running around trying to make sure dinner is going well.  At the end of soup line. I saw one of our regulars, Carlos, sitting in the main dinning room by himself.  Carlos is from Mexico, speaks very little English, and is an amazing artist.  He has drawn us several pictures while hanging out in the office with us, so we put them on a bulletin board in the family dining room.  I walked over to him last night to tell him that we had hung up his pictures and he said something I couldn't understand, so I had him repeat it.  He asked me if I knew what humility meant.  I said yes and, realizing he had tears in his eyes, I sat down next to him.  He said 'Tonight I washed someones feet and I have humility in my heart'.  He took my hand and held it for a few minutes in silence while tears rolled down his face.  I know he was saying a prayer.  He had washed another staff member's feet before he came in to eat instead of having his own feet washed and was deeply moved.  Afterwards, he patted my hand and said 'Thank you, Lauren.'  I was moved by my encounter with Carlos.  As we move towards Easter Sunday, my encounter with Carlos gives me a new way of reflecting on the Resurrection.  Just like Jesus came to earth, not to be served, but to serve those around Him, we should do the same.  And as Carlos found Christ's humility in his heart as he washed someone's feet, we should also find Christ's humility as we wash the feet of those we serve.

We are called to say YES

     In the last little over 15 months that I have been here at Andre' House the most frequent questions I get asked is 'Why in the world did you move from the other side of Texas to Phoenix, AZ of all places?'  My answer is always 'Andre' House of course'.  I sometimes have to remind myself that even though I think the answer to this silly question is completely obvious, maybe people don't understand that making the 1200 mile move just to serve bean burritos every Thursday night was saying 'yes' to God's call for me.  Today we heard Mary saying YES!!! to God's call to bear the Savior of the world, so I thought that this blog post would be a good time to talk about being called into service.

   I can remember growing up I always enjoyed helping others.  If there was something that needed to be done, I would be more than happy to carry a bag, open a door, run an errand, or babysit at the last minute.   As I became involved at my home parish, it wasn't uncommon for me to head over to St. Anne's after work and spend the next 5 going from meeting to meeting, office to office.  Sometimes always wanting to help out became over whelming.  I sometimes felt I never had time to do everything.  However, I wasn't truly happy unless is was serving those around me.  I told several people that my job kept interfearing with   About a year and a half ago, I was meeting with my spiritual director and talking about my frustrations of trying to find a full time job.  Fr. Andy and I have known each other for 10 years and he knows of my desire to serve others.  He asked if I had ever considered taking a year off from 'normal' to go somewhere and serve in ministry full time.  Honestly, I didn't think that was an option.  After searching the Internet I found a couple of places and began to email different organizations to get information.  I think I probably sent out 10 or so emails and received only one back with a warm welcome and the information I had requested.  As you probably have guessed, it was from the Andre' House.  After much discernment, emails, phone calls, and an interview week, I received a phone call from our director, Fr. Eric, to invite me to join the staff at the Andre' House.  Was I ready to pack up, move 1200 miles away from everything I knew, and to actually live a life of full time ministry?  Well, this was my chance to give God a big YES!!!  Like Mary, I was afraid and in some ways I still am.  Like Mary, my life is a daily yes.  I wake up every day with God whispering in my ear saying 'Are you ready to serve Me?'  Sometimes on Thursdays it is tough to roll out of my nice warm bed at 7am to get ready to go to food bank.   I have to remember that our guests don't want to get up only to be staring homelessness in the face every morning.  They don't want to have to get up to go stand in line for food, blankets, clothing, showers, or appointments when they are unsure if they can even make it through to get any of these services.  Who am I to tell God no?  Mary was only 13 or 14 when she gave birth to Jesus.  At 13 or 14 I was in the 8th grade and the most important thing on my mind was probably boys.  Saying a daily yes to God has been a great joy.  It has had many challenges, but even in the midst of those challenges there always has been a sense of peace.  Saying yes doesn't always need to be big.  We don't always need to move 1200 miles away from home to say yes.  Many times our yes to God is in the simple things.  How do we say yes to God with our everyday actions?  How are you called to say yes?

Oh! the Anticipation

     Happy Advent!!!  Thanksgiving has come and gone and Christmas is soon around the corner.  Growing up for me this time of year was a time of excitement and joy.  However, over the last 10 years, the Advent season has become more than a rush of stuff and craziness.  This time of Advent has become more of a season anticipation.  Just like during Lent we await for Christ to rise on Easter Sunday, during the Advent Season we should be preparing and eager anticipation for our Lord and Savior to be born among us.
     Last year was the first time in my life I was away from home during the holiday season.  It was hard.  I have no doubt that this year will be any different.  I was able to Skype my family early Christmas morning and I will do it again this year.  However, seeing your family over a web cam isn't the same.  I wasn't able to hug them, although I know that it made my Nana's day to at least see my face and talk to me for a few minutes.  During this time I also spent some time reflecting on what it must be like for our guests here at the Andre' House.  To be without...without a warm place to sleep, without food, with very little belongings, but most importantly they are without friends or family to celebrate Christmas.  At Andre' House we don't open the building until 3pm on Christmas day and even then only the bathrooms are open and dinner at 530pm.  I had many guests ask me to use the phone to call their family, however with the staff spread then there was no way we could open the office for phone calls.  This broke my heart.  What would it be like to not be able to call home?  To be completely alone on the streets of Phoenix, AZ and not be able to tell mom and dad that I was ok and wish them a Merry Christmas?  I imagine this is how Mary and Joseph felt as they traveled to Bethlehem.  To be told that there wasn't any room after a long journey far from home.  To give birth to a baby boy in a manger with only barn animals looking on.  This is what kept me here at Andre' House.  To be able to welcome those who have no place to go.  To give them clothing, a hot shower, wash their clothing, let them call home, to give them a hot meal, and to let them rest.  Unless the person is disrespectful towards others, we don't turn them away.  We try to welcome those who are beaten, broken, and down on their luck and treat them with the dignity of Christ.

 "I was hungry, and you gave me food. I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger, and you welcomed me. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you took care of me. I was in prison, and you visited me." (Matthew 25:35-36)

   During this Advent season let us remember to slow ourselves and to await the birth of Christ with great anticipation.  Let us also remember those who are homeless or living in poverty who have no one to remember them not only during this holiday season, but year round.

Fighting the Cold

I have been trying to find a subject to blog about for about a week and a half.  Nothing out of the ordinary has happened so I have been at a loss of what to write.  Last night as I was locking up the exit gate after we finished serving dinner here at Andre' House, I was hit by a sudden chill from outside.  Over the summer we faced 118 degree heat for several months, so when it suddenly hit the low 50's this week I was more than just shocked.  Stepping outside, an encounter with a guest from about 2 months ago came to mind.  On Monday nights I usually do what we call 'back gate' during the hour we serve the evening meal.  I thank the guests for coming, wish them a good evening, answer questions, and make sure they throw away their cups before exiting the building.  About 2 months ago there was a fight in the dining room during dinner.  Fights don't happen very often here at Andre' House, but they do happen.  I got the attention of the 2 guys fighting and had them leave the property.  After everything had calmed down, I began to make sure the other guests were OK and started to clean up the spilled water and trayes that had been over turned.  One of the guests that was sitting not to far from the fight seemed really upset by the event that had unfolded and called me over.  He began to tell me (very upset) that I would never know what it would be like to be homeless and to have to deal with having to wait in line for hours for everything (meals, showers, clothing), have to deal with grown men fighting while I'm trying to eat, then have to go and sleep outside in the cold or heat and sometimes rain or dust storms.  I stood there listening to him speak his mind and not really sure how I should react.  Last night as I hurried to get back into the building to get out of the cold, I thought of this gentleman and realized how right he was.  We gave out at least 50 blankets between 10am and 3pm yesterday through our office here at Andre' House and at least 25 at our transitional house between 430pm and 10pm last night.  How often do we hurry from our warm cars into our warm house with our nice warm jackets when it is cold?  With those who are homeless, warm houses are not an option.  Blankets and coats are rare.  Even when the homeless do find a way to get warm clothing or a blanket, many times they get jumped and everything they own is stolen from them...including there warm clothes and blankets.  Sometimes it rains and our guests have no where dry to run to and everything that they own gets soaked.  Where do they go from there?  I find one of the hardest things for me to do here at the Andre' House is to tell our guests no.  How can I tell a fellow human that it hasn't been 2 weeks and that I can't give them a blanket to keep warm with while they sleep on a cold sidewalk with nothing blocking the freezing wind or rain then go to my nice warm home and sleep in my nice warm bed?  I know that I have taken for granted that I have things available to me...no questions asked.  I in many ways am my father's child.  I love electronics and books...which I sometimes feel I can't have too many of either.  On the other hand, how much is too much?  I don't think we need to pack up everything we own and give it away.  However, how much stuff do we own and how much of it do we 'need'.  So many go without the basic things (food, clothing, shelter, health insurance) that are needed to survive and there are people who have things in excess who for some reason can't live without any of it.  I know that here at Andre' House we are running VERY  LOW on blankets and we have several more cold months ahead of us (yes, it does get cold in Phoenix).  I encourage those who can to contact a place near you that helps those in need and find out what you can donate or how you can help.  You can find out more information about Andre' House at www.andrehouse.org.  Today, let's pray for those who have little or nothing who are having to face the cold weather that they may find peace and warmth inside and out.