I Have a Bag for That (03/02/2026)

To many, I am known as the “hat lady” because they see me wearing a hat at church. What many may not realize is that the more accurate title for me would be “Bag Lady” because over the years, I’ve developed the habit of making bags for special offices, responsibilities, tasks, and miscellaneous. I have a bag for that is one of my mantras.

I have a bag for my Council of Catholic Women duties. I have a bag for my faith formation classes. I have a bag for bible study. I have a bag for the grief group I facilitate. I have a bag for the homeowner’s association for which I am the secretary. I have a bag for Door County vacations. Do you see a trend?

When I was diagnosed with my last cancer, my kids went together, knowing I would need a bag for that, bought me the loveliest plaid bag to carry to and from treatments. They named it my adventure bag. It included a warm Irish wool afghan, wool socks, ginger chews for nausea, caps to adorn my bald head, a puzzle book for the three 8 hour days of chemo in a row every three weeks. It served me well for months. I have repurposed it. It is now just my generic “Adventure Bag” for those days when I’m out and about on adventure.

This lent, I am trying to do some downsizing in our home, going through drawers and closets, sending unused items to St. Vincent’s or to someone who could use them. I am also finding a lot of things that could just be tossed. But when I get to my bag closet, I’m pretty sure I will not be able to downsize there. I just hope to have more adventures and more reasons to be out and about for myself but also for love of Christ.

On our journeys, we will meet many challenges. I tend to carry a bag with anticipated tools for those challenges, but I know down deep inside that the greatest tool I have is the love of Christ and the gift of the Spirit. During this Lenten season, let us remember that Jesus told His disciples as He sent them out to travel light. His point was that they were to rely of Him and the Spirit. May we all remember that in the end, it isn’t what we’re toting that matters but in, with, and through whom we live and move and have our being. In the end, the answer won’t be in my bag but in the LORD’s divine design and loving goodness.

Until tomorrow, let us all love well.