Though I often crave caffeine, I can only tolerate it until noon, when I must stop drinking it or risk lying awake until two in the morning. Fortunately, I glanced at the clock on the stove: just after 10:00 a.m. I had time.

I spooned some caffeinated black tea into a paper loose tea filter, lowered it into the deep pottery mug, poured steaming water from the electric tea kettle over it and let it steep while I answered a few e-mails. A few minutes later, I returned to the kitchen and drizzled some honey into the mug and stirred. Breathing in the aroma, I knew this would keep me going for a few hours.

Both physical and virtual paperwork awaited, as well as phone calls and e-mails. Later in the day, an errand or two. The to-do’s of the day were flowing like the steady stream of a kitchen faucet—not as forceful as a fire hydrant nor as annoying as a drip, but I had to pay attention or the sink would fill and overflow, figuratively speaking.

So I kept at it, task after task, decision after decision, e-mail after e-mail, errand after errand. These things weren’t overwhelming; just steady. Somewhere in the afternoon, though, I needed a pause.

My cup, as it were, was empty.

I’d drained my literal cup of tea, and I had drained my figurative cup, my very self, of rest.

Life needs pauses.

I’d scheduled tire rotation and a medical test for my daughter, shopped for groceries and filled the gas tank; I printed off papers for my daughters’ schoolwork and agreed to bake brownies for a church function.

But…a pause. I needed a pause.

Late in the afternoon I returned to the kitchen and opened the cabinet to stare at my boxes of tea. I saw some chai tea. Decaf. By then it was past 3:00 p.m., so I could only handle decaf.

Filled the tea kettle.

Instead of racing around the corner to my desk, I leaned against the counter while the water boiled.

I waited.

Paused.

How easy it would be to check my phone for e-mail while the water boiled.

But, no. I paused.

And when the electric kettle bell dinged, I lifted the plastic kettle from its base and poured hot water over the tea bag, watching the bag rise with the waterline, all the way to the top, before it was soggy enough to sink. I took hold of the tag and dipped it down and up several times then let it settle at the bottom.

I briefly considered carrying my drink to the desk, but changed my mind. Instead, I walked to the table and sat for a moment, both hands hugging the mug to warm my palms.

Tea, I decided, is necessary.

Tea, I realized, is a slow-down solution.

Tendrils of steam drifted up from the glimmering dark surface of the tea and dissipated.

I lifted the mug and blew across the top, making ripples.

Then I tilted the mug and the tea touched my lips.

Slowly, I sipped.

_______________________________

Is every hour rush hour at your house?

Explore the jarring effects of our overcommitted culture and find refreshing alternatives for a more meaningful family and spiritual life.

Find a pace that frees your family to flourish.

“Not So Fast is a gift to every reader who takes the time to slow down and breathe in its pages.”

—Lee Strobel, best-selling author of The Case for Christ

:::

For the Food on Fridays carnival, any post remotely related to food is welcome—though we love to try new dishes, your post doesn’t have to be a recipe. We’re pretty relaxed over here, and stories and photos are as welcome as menus and recipes.

The post Food on Fridays: Tea Is Necessary appeared first on Ann Kroeker, Writing Coach.

Each Wednesday I’m recording a Curiosity Journal, a recap of the past week. Tag words are: reading, playing, learning, reacting and writing.

:::

Some of you have mentioned that you may begin posting a Curiosity Journal, as well. Leave your link in the comments so that we can visit and enjoy your weekly review.

Reading

I finished The Day I Became an Autodidact: and the advice, adventures, and acrimonies that befell me thereafter, by Kendall Hailey. With satisfaction (it was a good read) and melancholy (but now it’s over), I’m moving on to The Happiness Project.I confess I’m not finding The Happiness Project as irresistible as The Day I Became an Autodidact. Kendall spoiled me. Though her book was simple by design (it’s basically a compilation of diary entries), she churned out some good stuff.What was Kendall’s secret to such captivating writing, especially at such a young age? Was it her literary heritage as the daughter of playwright/screenwriter Oliver Hailey and novelist/screenwriter Elizabeth Forsythe Hailey? Or was it her steady diet of Great Books? As an autodidact, Kendall was continually reading classics, and writers are inevitably influenced by what they are exposed to, so maybe her natural talents were strengthened by close study of the stylistic pace and profound themes of the greats? She was also asked to serve her parents as an amanuensis (new word via Tuesday’s Merriam-Webster Word-of-the-Day subscription), which means she typed her parents’ manuscripts. She surely gained insight into constructing powerful stories while tapping out each word of those projects.Oh, look. It happened again. I got distracted by Kendall and the autodidact book.Though those last few paragraphs were analyzing how young Kendall Hailey could write so well, I really meant to say that I found a great William Butler Yeats quote in The Happiness Project: “Happiness is neither virtue nor pleasure nor this thing nor that, but simply growth. We are happy when we are growing” (Rubin 66).I can personally attest to the correlation between happiness and growth. Most growth in my life—spiritual, intellectual, creative—is deeply satisfying (exception: growth around the midriff).

Playing

During my junior year at college, on a warm spring day, I plopped onto the couch and watched a movie. In the middle of the afternoon!I felt downright irresponsible as I neglected my studies for two hours and and instead vegged out in the living room of the house I shared with six other girls. But afterwards, as I rewound the tape and stretched my legs, I felt refreshed and ready to study for a test or tackle a literature paper.This past week, a couple of decades following that crazy stunt, I did it again. I watched “My Man Godfrey” (a Kendall Hailey favorite) in the middle of the afternoon! The windows were wide open as the movie played and I could hear our neighbors bustling around, attending to outside chores. I was so uncomfortably aware of their comings and goings that I considered closing the windows to muffle evidence of my sloth. What would they think of me squandering my time like that?In spite of my haunting sense of guilt, the movie was a delight. After laughing at a classic screwball comedy, I felt refreshed and relaxed.

Learning

Over the weekend, I attended my cousin’s wedding, which was held in a Greek Orthodox church.I learned quite a bit about the Greek Orthodox wedding ceremony. It included several meaningful elements, such as the crowning of the couple. I found a website that explained:

This is the focal point of the marriage ceremony. The crowns are signs of the glory and honor with which God crowns them during the sacrament. The wedding crowns (stefana) are joined by a ribbon which again symbolizes the unity of the couple and the presence of Christ who blesses and joins the couple and establishes them as the King and Queen of their home, which they will rule with wisdom, justice and integrity. The priest takes the two crowns and blesses The Bride and The Groom, in the name of the Father, and the Son, and of the Holy Spirit and then places the crowns on them. The Koumbaro then steps behind The Bride and The Groom and interchanges the crowns three times as a witness to the sealing of the union.Some interpret the crowns used in the Orthodox wedding ceremony to refer to the crowns of Martyrdom since every true marriage involves immeasurable self sacrifice on both sides.

Another lovely moment was the Ceremonial Walk or “Dance of Isaiah,” when the couple circled the table three times (for the Trinity). They were led by the priest, who held up a fancy Bible, while their “sponsor” (koumbara), a friend who will walk with them through all the joys and sorrows of life, followed close behind. During this walk, or dance, the couple took their first steps as husband and wife following the Scripture, a symbol of their commitment and need to always follow the Gospel of Jesus.After the ceremony, a more typical practice: guests blew bubbles as the couple exited the church.Perhaps I should have included this shot under the “playing” category?

Reacting

Last week, when I provided an overview of Stefan Sagmeister’s happiness presentation, I referenced his resolution to do more of the things that he likes to do and fewer of the things that he doesn’t. After pondering his statement for a week or so, I’ve decided to list some of my own “happys.” By design, these are not big happys, like a wedding day, birth of a child or Hawaiian vacation (though I’m almost certain a Hawaiian vacation would make me very happy). These are little moments, happy opportunities that can potentially be enjoyed with greater frequency.Little Happys (not an exhaustive list and in no particular order):

• A good book (and time to read it)
• Learning something new
• The moment I realize I took a nice photo
• Having cleaned (but not cleaning)
• Having jogged (but not jogging)
• Weed-free flower beds (but not weeding)
• Solving a problem
• Helping someone else solve a problem
• Summer
• Hugs from my kids
• Hugs from my spouse
• Laughter (both hearing and producing it along with others)
• Walking along white-sand beaches of the Gulf of Mexico (sitting is fine, too)
• Walking along the tan-sand beaches of the Atlantic Ocean (again, sitting is fine)
• Slices of fresh-picked, vine-ripened, juicy red tomatoes (certain yellow varieties and Mr. Stripey are good, too)
• Time to write without having to block out continuous commotion
• The satisfaction of completing a quality writing project
• A clear desk
• Swaying in a hammock
• PG Tips black tea with honey
• Goat cheese on crackers or French bread
• Bonne Maman Four Fruit Preserves
• Feta
• Nutella
• Avocados
• Guacamole
• Homemade brownies (actually, any brownies)
• Clean, clear kitchen counter tops
• Morning birdsong
• Long conversations with friends
• Quiche

Writing

The curriculum for my fall writing class needs attention. Heaven knows I might already be done if I weren’t such a lazy bum, wasting all that time watching screwball comedies during work hours…

Work Cited:Rubin, Gretchen. The Happiness Project. New York: HarperCollins, 2009. Print.

Image Credits:“Question Proposed” photo by Ethan Lofton. Used under a Creative Commons license via Flickr.com. Wedding photo by Ann Kroeker; Ann blowing bubbles by P. Kroeker.

The post Curiosity Journal: June 29, 2011 appeared first on Ann Kroeker, Writing Coach.

Here at the Food on Fridays carnival, any post remotely related to food is welcome—though we love to try new dishes, your post doesn’t have to be a recipe.If you want, you could tell us your Thanksgiving plans. Where will you be? What will you eat?My point is that we’re pretty relaxed over here, and posts like that are as welcome as menus and recipes.When your Food on Fridays contribution is ready, just grab the broccoli button (the big one above or smaller option at the bottom) to paste at the top of your post. It ties us together visually.Then plug your name and link into Linky Tools.

Food on Fridays with Ann

Some readers may already be familiar with my love of PG Tips. It’s almost as intense as my love of Nutella.Well, PG Tips noticed how much I rave about them and sent me some samples. First they sent me boxes of my beloved black tea. Then, not too terribly long ago, they sent me samples of their green tea.I’m not a big green tea drinker, but I decided it was time to give it a try.So I pulled out a Japanese mug that my mother-in-law gave me. It belonged to my husband’s grandmother, who was a missionary to Japan.I brewed some of the tea.It’s supposed to be really good for you. I know that because I had the stomach flu a couple of weeks ago and while lying in bed feeling miserable, I watched some daytime television shows like Dr. Oz, and he said to drink green tea because it’s got polyphenols that have antioxidant properties.So, anyway, I decided to try the green tea from PG Tips.I sipped.I wasn’t sure about it. I’ve had green tea in the past, but it’s been a long time.And of course those of you who drink tea know that green tea doesn’t taste at all like black tea.But I kept thinking about Dr. Oz and the polyphenols and thought, well, I guess I should go ahead and drink the entire cup.So I did.I’m grateful for the sample. I’ll drink it from time to time. I’ll offer it to my guests.But nothing can replace regular PG Tips black tea.Note: I was not paid to write about PG Tips nor did they ask me to write a review in exchange for free tea. They simply spotted me as a fan and sent me a trial box of green tea without any strings attached. And I like tea so much—black tea, that is—that I naturally wrote about it.On another note, if you need some Thanksgiving ideas in preparation for next week, I offer Three Thanksgiving Tips at this archived post.

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Here at the Food on Fridays carnival, any post remotely related to food is welcome—it doesn’t have to be a recipe. If you just want to make up a recipe for dog food (I did that when I was about six years old), that’ll do just fine. When your Food on Fridays contribution is ready, just grab the broccoli button (the big one above or smaller option at the bottom) to paste at the top of your post and join us through Mr. Linky.Here’s a Mr. Linky tutorial:

Write up a post, publish, then return here and click on Mr. Linky below. A screen will pop up where you can type in your blog name and paste in the url to your own Food on Fridays post (give us the exact link to your Food on Fridays page, not just the link to your blog).You can also visit other people’s posts by clicking on Mr. Linky and then clicking participants’ names–you should be taken straight to their posts.Please note: I’ll do my best to update this post by hand. In the meantime, please click on the Mister Linky logo to view the complete list.

Food on Fridays Participants

Food on Fridays with Ann

To ensure that I get a Mother’s Day brunch, I decided to go ahead and make a Mother’s Day brunch.

The main dish: Breakfast Sausage Casserole.

Yes, that’s right. Sausage. I’m writing about sausage. Even though L.L. Barkat warned me, I’m all about about sausage today. (I’ll keep an eye on my stats to monitor the sausage effect, L.L.)

Ann’s Mother’s Day Breakfast Sausage Casserole.

This recipe even comes with a complimentary (and complementary) sausage photo:

The recipe is easy, but I didn’t trust my kids to pull it off. Instead, I put it together myself and froze it. Surely they can take it out in time to thaw and bake it?

Here’s the recipe:

Breakfast Casserole

• 1 lb sausage, fried & drained (extra mild or turkey sausage)
• 8 eggs, beaten
• 2 C milk
• 3-4 pieces of bread, torn to bits
• 2 1/2 C grated cheddar cheese
• 1 t salt
• 1 t dry mustard

Mix all ingredients and pour into greased 9×13 glass baking dish. Refrigerate overnight (or not, if in a hurry), so it will congeal and become more firm. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes. Let set a few minutes before serving. Can be made ahead, baked, frozen and reheated.It’s an easy recipe. I even doubled it to share one with a friend.Please note that the cheese is supposed to be mixed together with the other ingredients. I forgot the cheese (who moved my cheese?), so I added it after everything else was in the pan and stirred it in as best I could. It’s a casserole; it’ll blend just fine, right?The kids might have done better after all.Along with the casserole, I’m thinking about coffee cake. Over the years, I’ve collected several recipes, including one for a blueberry coffee cake that I posted last August. I’m not making that ahead of time—hopefully it’ll be easy for the kids to prepare.They can oversee the casserole, mix up the coffee cake, cut up some fruit, make a pot of tea, and we’ll be good to go.For those of you who will be celebrating a mom in your life, I recommend the easy sausage casserole. I’m telling you, nothing says I love you like sausage … unless, of course, your mom’s a vegetarian.As an alternative to coffee cake, I could make a big stack of crepes Saturday evening that can be reheated Sunday morning. Yes, I like crepes. Everyone likes crepes.Mother’s Day is sounding better and better.Nutella, anyone?

It’s easy to subscribe to annkroeker.com updates via email or RSS feed.Visit NotSoFastBook.com to learn more about Ann’s book.

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We’ve lived in a fairly major city (St. Louis) for almost 5 years now and there is still so much to do here that I’ve never done because I know I can always do it later. Before I know it, later is going to have come and gone and I’m going to wish we’d done all those things. So, I’m going to become a tourist in my own town. Every week I’ll come back and post one cool thing about this great area in which we live. Let’s help each other explore the whole world through each other’s eyes! If you post something on your blog, let me know and I’ll make a list with your links.

Tea Wallet photos by Ann Kroeker (colors are not true)

It’s easy to subscribe to annkroeker.com updates via email or RSS feed.Visit NotSoFastBook.com to learn more about Ann’s new book.

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(smaller button below)

Here at the Food on Fridays carnival, any post remotely related to food is welcome—to illustrate, you can cite your favorite tea (or coffee, if you must) or link to a YouTube video of your son singing “I Like Apples and Bananas.”My point is that the Food on Fridays parameters are not at all narrow. Think of it as a virtual pitch-in where you can sample what everyone brings and have a great time.When your Food on Fridays contribution is ready, just grab the broccoli button (the big one above or the new smaller option at the bottom) to paste at the top of your post and join us through Mr. Linky.Here’s a Mr. Linky tutorial:

Write up a post, publish, then return here and click on Mr. Linky below. A screen will pop up where you can type in your blog name and paste in the url to your own Food on Fridays post (give us the exact link to your Food on Fridays page, not just the link to your blog).You can also visit other people’s posts by clicking on Mr. Linky and then clicking participants’ names–you should be taken straight to their posts.Please note: I return when possible during the day and update this post by hand to include a list of the links provided via Mr. Linky. If I can’t get to the computer to do so, you may access them all by clicking on the Mister Linky logo.

Food on Fridays Participants

Food on Fridays with Ann

For Christmas, my son bought me a Vincent Van Gogh crock from Goodwill. I decided to store my all-time favorite tea in it—PG Tips.

I drink several cups of PG Tips each morning, so the crock sits next to the electric tea kettle alongside a vintage blue-green teapot (a Christmas gift from my mom) and the coincidentally matching sugar & creamer set (a Christmas gift from one of my daughters).

My tea station is an effective set-up for this bleary-eyed mom who stumbles around in the kitchen each morning, attempting, slowly, to wake up.

All photos © 2009 Ann Kroeker. All rights reserved.

Mega Memory Month January 2010 is under way!

It’s easy to subscribe to annkroeker.com updates via email or RSS feed.Visit NotSoFastBook.com to learn more about Ann’s new book.

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In 1982 Larry Dossey, an American physician, coined the term “time-sickness” to describe the obsessive belief that “time is getting away, that there isn’t enough of it, and that you must pedal faster and faster to keep up”.Guy Claxton, a British psychologist, thinks acceleration is now second nature to us: “We have developed an inner psychology of speed, of saving time and maximising efficiency, which is getting stronger by the day”.These comments and quotes motivated our group to base our final Unit 1 project on the new trend of ‘slow’ living; to ask ourselves whether conducting one’s day to day actions slowly genuinely promotes quality of life, and whether this quality can generate happiness and wellbeing.

It’s a simple concept; no surprises. But I went ahead and took the time (2 minutes, 15 seconds) to watch it again all the way through, and the light, peaceful music gave me a few minutes to ponder the “not so fast” life.[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imohMCjNSA8]I’m actually speaking Saturday morning at the Gaither Family Resources annual English Tea. I can’t think of a more perfect setting to encourage people to examine their fast-paced worlds.They’ll be enjoying some slower moments simply by setting apart that time and sipping tea with friends.

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I’d love to sit and have tea with you so we could explore these six questions. They’re not only great questions to ask yourself, but also to ask one another.

First, the tea.

Now, the questions. They’re written first person, but to launch a discussion, just rewrite them to “you.”

1. If I could ask Jesus anything and know I’d get an answer, what would I ask Him?

I got this question from Garry Poole’s book Seeker Small Groups. It’s one of the first things he asks his small groups, because no matter what their background is, everyone’s got unanswered questions. He writes down what people say, and then builds the next few weeks of discussion around those very questions. I’d like to propose that every one of us would benefit from spending a few minutes with a journal and pen and an open heart toward the Lord. Honestly, what would you ask Him if you knew He heard you, and you knew He’d give you an answer? That’s a list worth making. It’s a list worth talking with Him about. It’s worth exploring the answers later, too, with friends or on your own.

2. How have I changed?

The answers to this question could be encouraging if I see ways I’ve changed for the better—how I’ve softened or strengthened, for example, or how I’ve taken risks or served in love. It might be discouraging, however, to realize how little I’ve changed in other ways—though motivating (see the following question).

3. How do I need to change?

Introspective and humbling, this question may draw up some important answers. Approach it open and prayerfully, asking God to reveal what needs to change—what He wants to change in you. A few times, I have humbly asked my family to answer this for me. How do they think I need to change? For them to answer freely and honestly, I had to assure them that they were safe; that I wouldn’t get defensive or hold their answers against them later.

4. What are my values? Or, What do I value?

If I figure this out, I can start to see how my life is aligning with those values—or not. My hope is that my values are grounded in Scripture and that my daily choices flow from them. To actually list out my values makes me put them into words, and then I can compare them against biblical principles.

5. What do I want?

This related question focuses on desire. Consumption. Hopes. Dreams. What do we honestly desire? What do we want? Or what do we want to want? For example, if I honestly want something completely trite and meaningless, but I want to want the will of God in my life, that’s an honest realization. Taking my list to the Lord, I can ask Him about each thing I wrote down. And I can ask if my answers align with His desires…and ask Him to give me His desires if they don’t.

6. What’s next?

This question is deceptively simple, because the answer(s) may change my next few minutes, my plans for the day, or the entire course of my life’s path.

How to Use These Questions

• Use them as journal prompts.
• Use them as essay prompts.
• Write your own answers and publish on your blog.
• Launch a fascinating conversation with your significant other.
• Utilize them in a small group setting.
• Use one to start a thoughtful conversation on Facebook.

Let me know what questions you’d add to the list, and if you have any responses you’re willing to share, let me know in the comments.

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Monday FunDay

What? You didn’t know about Monday FunDay? Why, it’s a carnival dedicated to swapping simple, amusing–maybe even silly–everyday ways you enjoy good, clean fun.Just post a story, idea, or explanation at your blog of how you and/or your family has livened up Mondays (or any day).Then link up via Mr. Linky below (if you don’t have a blog, simply explain your idea in the comments) and we’ll collect all the ideas in one place. Again, please remember: ideas must be squeaky-clean, family-friendly fun.Today’s Monday Fun at the Kroekers’:The weekend of slowing down, relaxing, and retreating included lots of tea. All that sipping and chatting felt like an extended tea party.My Monday FunDay suggestion is just that:Host a tea party!With friends…or family…or both!A few months ago, I posted about slowing down my fast-paced world, including a YouTube video.Then, clever Jenni of One Thing, took off on that idea and threw together a spontaneous tea party–she cut flowers from her garden, baked some goodies, pulled out the good china, spread a lovely tablecloth on the dining room table, and her kids and she had a great time laughing and nibbling and telling stories. Scroll down that post of hers to see their pictures. Clearly, they were having some great fun.Be sure to visit Monday FunDay participant Toni at This Simple Life, as well, to see the Happy Un-Birthday party her kids threw together all on their own. Inspired by that scene from the Disney version of “Alice in Wonderland,” they set aside muffins for the event, made paper hats, played games, and sang “Have a Very Merry Un-Birthday” with gusto.Tea–with or without the Mad Hatter–sounds like a perfect Monday FunDay activity for us this afternoon, so that’s my plan:  A tea party in the dining room.My party preparations will be pretty humble.  I’ll have to use a fake flower arrangement, but I’ve got plenty of real teacups (coincidentally, I own the exact same “April” teacup that Jenni photographed–it’s the last one with all the used teabags piled up on the saucer). And I’ll probably just pull out Girl Scout cookies. Homemade options are great, and if I have time, I might throw together some muffins. And anything with Nutella slathered all over it will taste like a party–perhaps we’ll slice a banana and use some toothpicks with those colorful party fluffs on the end to spear them and dip them in a bowl of that yummy hazelnut-chocolate spread.(pause with me if you will for a Nutella moment)At any rate, the fun is not only in the tea and snacks and Nutella, but also in the conversation as we laugh, practice decent table manners and “catch” each other when we’re a little less civilized.We might even read about the Mad Tea party in Alice in Wonderland and try a riddle or two.What will you do for fun today?

Instructions for the WordPress Mr. Linky (which is different than the ones you’ll see on WFMW and other Typepad or Blogspot blogs):1. Write your post. Type up your Monday FunDay edition and post it at your blog.2. Come back to this post and click on Mr. Linky. A window will pop up.3. Type in your name (or blog name) and if you like, you can include a short “teaser” for your idea in parenthesis. Something like this:

Ann K (Tea Party)

3. Paste in your url. Below the spot for your name, there’s another for the url of your own post. Copy the url for your own Monday FunDay and paste it in (including the http:// part of it).4. Press Enter. That’s it! It should be saved by Mr. Linky.To see what others have posted, click on Mr. Linky and pay a visit to the fun bloggers who have joined in!It’s fun to have fun, but you have to knowCheck out previous Monday FunDay posts and be sure to click on Mr. Linky and visit other people’s blogs to read their own fun ideas (last week, everybody was having fun with the Ultimate Blog Party, so there are no offerings, but be sure to check out previous weeks).

** UPDATED: I’m off a week–it’s actually week 8. **

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The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.  He makes me lie down in green pastures,  he leads me beside quiet waters,  he restores my soul.

I wasn’t expecting to experience that so literally.I’d love to share pictures of some of the ladies I got to know, but I forgot to ask their permission.Two nights was perfect. We were all so relaxed. One woman said that she did a lot of sighing over the weekend. She wasn’t bored; she was letting all of her stress melt away.Sighing…relaxing…releasing.She let the Shepherd lead her and restore her soul.Well, we all did. We asked Him to speak, for His servants are listening.

The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!”  Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” (1 Samuel 3:10)

And then we listened for the voice of our Shepherd.

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me (John 10:27)

After sharing a powerful time of worship and prayer, after relaxing with games, after partaking of several delicious meals that none of us had to prepare, we’re now in re-entry mode; down from the mountaintop, back to our everyday lives and challenges.And that is, I suppose, what retreats are for–to replenish us, give us perspective, help us pull away to a quiet, solitary place in order to connect deeply with the Lord so that we are reminded how vital it is to connect deeply with Him every day.My weekend retreat is over, but heading into Holy Week almost extends it.Still, I must do the laundry.

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