Retreat of a Lifetime

Well, it has been two weeks since I last checked in. I didn't have too much to say last week, so I thought I would keep it all for this week. And what a week it has been. I just returned to Jackson House from the volunteer retreat held next door at Camp AJ. Wow was it wonderful!!!!!

First I was honored to be asked to help with the music. There are musicians on the east side that lead us in song, and myself and three of my housemates were also asked to help out. We were challenged to do some Taize music for the group. First of all I had no idea what that was so we checked on youtube and there it was. It is a type of chant that is used in worship and I think it was started in France. Anyway, we found two songs to use and it was beautiful! God used our voices and it really was a wonderful experience.

The highlight was the main speaker. He was amazing. His name is Todd Butler and he is a professor at Brescia University in Owensboro, KY. His main thought throughout the retreat was transformation and transition. Many of us are coming to the end of our year long commitments and it has been very difficult in some cases to say good-bye. Say good-bye to people that you have grown to love and also to say hello to the new volunteers coming in to take their places. It is a truly bittersweet time. Change is constant and sometimes it is difficult to keep up with it all.

Todd had us taking a look at the community (family of origin) that we grew up with and how that compares to the community that we have been living in currently. How do they differ and what similarities do we see. It was quite interesting to diagram the table where I shared a meal as a child and what the table looks like today that I share nightly with my community here. It is difficult to put into words all that he walked us through. I just know that I want to keep this with me for as long as I can.

There is a stray dog that has been wandering around Camp AJ for a few weeks. Yesterday morning a little girl was trying to use bacon held out in her hand to help lead this dog to a pile of food that had been laid out for the dog. This stray is very skittish and would not come to the little girl or follow her to the feast that had been prepared. We talked about this situation and compared it to this. What is God holding out to us that we are too afraid to take from His hand? What is He attempting to lead us to that we just cannot see? It may sound funny to compare this small child and a stray dog to our relationship with God. But to me, it touched something inside that I think will stay with me for a long time.

I pray all is well with you and yours. God keep you safe til we meet again.
Jane