Monday, June 1, 2009

Tuesday, 6/2/09 - "SPIRITUAL RETREAT - PART 1"

(A bridge over tranquil waters)

(Peaceful beauty)

(God is here)

"SPIRITUAL RETREAT - PART 1"

These are just a few of the pictures of the retreat center where I spent this past weekend. The participants were members of Alcoholics Anonymous and Al-Anon.

We arrived about 5 p.m. on Friday. God's first surprise happened moments after I walked into the registration area. All of a sudden, I heard a voice calling my name in an excited manner. I turned to discover that it was a girl I sponsored almost 10 years ago. I was her first sponsor and we have a very special bond. She moved away from my home city years ago. She had health problems when I met her and they have worsened over the years. She is now on oxygen, but has a wonderful spirit, just carries oxygen with her, and stays active. She had moved to Arizona and then to New England, finally moving back to Florida further up the West Coast of Florida from where I live. We have seen each other only once in the many years since she left, about a year and a half ago. She came back to town to visit her old friends and we saw each other at that time. And now here she was.

They fed us well and maybe too much over the weekend, but I love good food so I ate my fill.

Sister Kay was our retreat leader. I knew her from the women's 11th step spiritual retreat last year in May. She is a terrific guide and God shined and spoke through her. She started off the weekend by asking two questions that might guide our thinking and meditation as we proceeded. The two questions were:

1. What are you seeking?
2. What are you resisting?

For me, I realized that the thing I was seeking was the same thing I was resisting.

I had an opportunity to meet with Sister Kay for a short time on Saturday. She had 15 minute segments set aside to meet with anyone who wished to speak with her individually. I always take the opportunity to do so. I believe in taking every advantage available to me. I told her I wondered if everyone was discovering that what they seek is also what they resist? Food for thought......

That's all for now. I'll write more about the retreat in the future.

Prayer Girl

10 comments:

steveroni said...

So this is how I'm to learn what happened at the retreat. You told me, be patient and read your blog. OK. It is a good one. Thank you.

Kay said...

You are always off on these wonderful adventures; with great support and love and surroundings... I think I envy you??? :)

Shadow said...

a setting like that would be retreat enough... you got a bonus!

Just Be Real said...

Totally awesome PG. I could get lost in those pictures. What beauty to sit back and reflect in. Thank you dear one for sharing!

Gin said...

Beautiful pictures. Great questions too. I need to ponder that for a while.

Syd said...

Great place for a spiritual retreat. The questions are interesting. I think that I seek serenity and peace. But I don't think that I resist those. I am on a journey and sometimes take side routes that are deadends.

Wait. What? said...

beautiful place to have a retreat and a get together with friends and strangers that become friends too!

Joanne@ Blessed... said...

My first time here. What a great visit I had. I will be back!

clean and crazy said...

awesome i got serenity just out of your beautiful pictures, i thought that was the post at first. this is truly a blessing to read.

A. Miles said...

One blog post you talked about the A-HA moment. Then I read this one and Oh My,A-HA, A-HA, uh huh.

I'm do resist something that I'm seeking. Thanks for sharing your experience with me and setting off the spark for me to also grow.

Thanks.