Daily Posts...
Monday, March 06, 2006
Drawing closer and growing together...The retreat at Jackson's Point has come and gone, but not without leaving it's mark on each and every one of us. So let's look at the weekend from the beginning. At 2:30 Saturday morning Shauna-Lee, Sharlene, and I arrived on the camp grounds after a tiring drive that seemed to last for eternity. If you are wondering why on earth we were driving at that hour at night, there is a sane explanation. Friday night we were attending a Fundraiser Dinner for the Routes Centre in Dundas and we ended up leaving there at around 11:30. Therefore, we had two options. Either get ready and drive to Jackson's point or get up extremely early Saturday morning and drive up. So with the assistance of a Large Double-Double we started on our way.
Nobody knew that we would be arriving so late, for we had told them that we would be arriving Saturday morning for breakfast. Therefore, we had to find out which cabins we would be staying in. So off Sharlene goes walking into each cabin to see if anyone was in them, what a brave soul! But we were tired and didn't really care, we just needed some sleeeeeeeeeeep. She walked into the first cabin, seen a pair of mens shoes, and came back out with the report. So I had found where I had to stay, but who was in there? Well, we found that out fast when we seen the curtains open and a hand waving from the bedroom window. Who was this mysterious welcomer? It was Nathan, waving at 2:30 AM....so funny! I quickly found my bed and went to sleep...
......and up again at 8:00 getting ready for the days activities. I was a little tired..but that was okay. It was well worth it. The weekend turned out to be an amazing weekend of fellowship and building community. A time of getting to know one another, drawing closer to one another, as well as drawing closer to God. Although I had been attending the Freeway for some time now, it was not until this weekend that I actually had the chance to just get away and hang out with everyone, and this weekend provided an amazing atmosphere to do just that. We have talked about Valuing the Journey, and from what I have seen from this past weekend, the people at the Freeway truly do value one another.
We spent time together worshiping God through music as we all sat around the fireplace, what a beautiful time. We spent time sharing with one another our thoughts and feelings pertaining to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. So often we can continue in our Christian Faith without ever really contemplating on what each person of the Trinity entails for our own lives, or to reflect on how wach person of the Trinity has become manifest in our own journey. The dicussions were powerful, and the times of reflection were transforming. I am sure that we have all come out of this with a greater understanding of the "Godhead, three in one. Father, Spirit, Son" and a greater appreciation and knowledge that compells us to sing "How Great is Our God."
We ate together, played fun games together, prayed together, and simply spent time with one another. Yet, one moment that I will never forget from this past weekend was when we sat in a circle and offered words of encouragement to one another. I have never felt such a deep sense of community like that before. It is amazing how much power is contained in words of encouragement. Just to show gratitude for one another, love, appreciation, encouragement, inspiration......I have seen and felt something this weekend that I have never felt before.....genuine love expressed in a deep sense of community. We often wonder what it looks like to be part of a faith community, a community that is built upon the life of Christ, the type of community that God intended for his childen to be a part of. Well, this retreat has given me a taste of what that looks like and I am so excited to be able to be a part of it. I look forward to continuing to draw closer and go deeper with each member of this amazing community.
So often at weekend retreats I leave with a sense enthusiasm that ends up dying by mid-week. But, this time it is not so, for I know that what I experienced this weekend at Jackson's Point goes beyond a simple get away weekend. It is happening each and every day as we continue to live our lives as followers of Christ, as the body of Christ. Something has been stirred within me that is changing who I am, and who I will become. As I look back upon my own journey and ponder what the rest of the journey will look like I realize that the Freeway has become a major milestone. I entered and now I'll never be the same again. That is the power of living like Christ and expressing the love of Christ through community. Draw closer, and grow together!
You are all such awesome people!!! Thanks for just being you and showing me what it means to be "me".
