Miscellaneous Monday

Well, we're back. The Far Above Rubies retreat our women's group returned from Saturday was wonderful. I've lost track of how many years I've gone now. While it's great to "get away with the girls", it's even better to be refreshed and challenged spiritually. This year's theme and agenda had to be one of the best, but I was very disappointed there was no altar call at the closing session.

I spent yesterday chilling with my family. Becky had spent a couple of days visiting a Christian college in the area and rode back with us Saturday. It was good to catch up.

So I'm back at the office today. My neighbor (at work), Liz, has been by several times. She's a botanical genius and a neat lady. And she loves my bees. Actually, I think my bees love her. She keeps several bird baths with water for them and they've been known to head butt her when the water got low. Once she refills them they're all as happy as can be. Liz and Ken are the ones who rescued the rat snake that got in the office last spring. As far as I know "Ralphette" is still thriving on the mice in my barn where we turned her loose.

For my own benefit I want to jot down some highlights from our trip.

First, an ongoing issue/topic of discussion with a friend took an unexpected turn when I found myself in a workshop face to face with someone who represented our conversations. God used this person to bless and challenge me, and also to remind me that my citizenship as a believer is in heaven, where we're all blood bought sinners regardless of differences imposed upon us in this world. It's all level ground at the foot of the cross!

I didn't flub the monologue Renee asked me to do. (Thank you Lord!)

It was neat to play harmonica with TC again. Talk about a gifted musician! This is the second year we've done the campfire music with her leading on guitar.

This year's theme was Traveling Light. A lot of things in our sessions hit home. Our speaker ran with the theme and spoke on checking baggage ahead (good works we lay up in heaven), things that weigh us down to leave behind (bitterness, anger, etc) and carry on luggage (the rest of the Lord). It was pretty neat. For what it's worth I had already been working on simplifying life. I seem to have accumulated a lot of clutter, both literally and figuratively. Time to clean house!

Today's been pretty neat. I like government holidays that aren't holidays for the rest of us. It's a little less stressful and easier to catch up on paperwork. So what am I doing but sitting here blogging instead of working! Shame on me!