A Worthy Week

It was so nice to able to take last week as a vacation week. I headed off on a personal retreat while Karen's sister, Brenda, came out from Virginia to help Karen redo our "library" (the tiny guestroom with all our books in it as opposed to our small guestroom without books in it). The walls were painted in a color very close to Navy blue and had been that way since we moved in 8 1/2 years ago.

Needless to say, with Karen and Brenda on the job, the guestroom turned out GREAT! Thanks, for helping, Brenda! Karen may post some pictures of the room in a future blog but the room's so tiny it's difficult to take pictures in it. Karen's currently in the basement working on some custom curtains to allow the windows to become more of a room feature than they'd been in the past. The fabric is from sheets she bought on clearance sale, the details are from things she has in her craft box, and the curtain "rods" are actually promotional yard sticks from a local company that we regularly patronize. She's amazing. Karen knows how to stretch a Kingdom dollar to make it look like a million bucks!

There's still some small touches to attend to: a reading lamp, two small braided rugs, a small plant stand, and the books need to be reorganized but it already looks like a completely different room and is much more warm looking and inviting to spend time in.

As far as my retreat, I have twenty pages of journal to transcribe and contemplate! I am so thankful to Karen for encouraging me to go. Here are a couple snapshots.

Here I am resting Monday afternoon.

Here's a shot Tuesday morning's sunrise.

Later that day, I made the more-challenging-than-expected hike up to a cross on top of a hill on the retreat center's extensive property.

Finally at the top.

Looking across the valley back at the retreat center.

I had a special time of communion with God on that hilltop, all alone but for the cool breeze and the soaring hawks, reading and reflecting on 1 Kings 19.

The retreat provided time to rest, to think, to read, to pray, to write, and to worship.

Here's another view of Tuesday's sunrise from behind a cross on a low knoll at the retreat center. This shot makes me think of Easter...it was a glorious morning. A fresh beginning for me in many ways.

Thank you for prayers as Karen and I seek to grow in God's will.