I made it back from Midyear Retreat, safe and sound. As I probably mentioned in a previous post, our volunteer program had our midyear retreat in Pennsylvania. We were there from Wednesday, and got back last night (Sunday). It was sooo nice to see the other volunteers, catch up, hang out, pray, relax and have really awesome conversations with them. There was a lot of down time that we could pretty much do whatever we wanted--take a walk, swim, read, rest, journal, pray, or hang out. There were some talks given, one of my favorites being the one on discernment.
I realized I am going to be needing to make decisions very soon about my future, and what I am going to do with it...at the very least, my next year. I am definitely leaning towards doing another volunteer year (we can do 2 years in this volunteer program). I originally was thinking Cleveland, and I still very much am. I'm a homebody, and hate missing out on things back home. It'd be awesome to be near to family and friends, yet still be volunteering, and potentially making connections with organizations I could even continue to work for, post-volunteering. However, over the retreat, I began to play around with the idea of staying in Immokalee another year....we'll see. I have a lot of discerning to do..Praying, thinking, and listening for God to make it more clear for me. But that's where I'm at with all that right now.
So man, this whole giving up Facebook and Twitter thing for Lent has been ROUGH. And it's only been 6 days...ayiyiyi. Only because it's how I keep in contact with a lot of people. I do appreciate the people who have still been staying in contact though :) It's great too, because it prevents me from being nosy and getting all up in people's business, which social networks provide for so greatly. I don't need that, it's not healthy..
Speaking of health...
Tomorrow starts the 3 week cleanse/detox my roommate and I are doing. She went shopping today for week one, and man do we have a lot of fruit and vegetables in our fridge. It's from a Whole Living magazine, and by the end of the three weeks, our systems will be all cleaned out and ready to start fresh with healthy eating. I'm looking forward to it, because I really want the rest of my time down here to be spent in the most healthy way--physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually--everything. However, the side effects are fatigue, achiness, headaches, etc. which I already have regularly, so...not really looking forward to that. But I will definitely be updating you all on how that is going. :)
With my time off of the social networks, I'm using that time I would be on there at night, to pray/reflect/journal instead. It's really important to me. But I'm reading through this little prayer book called "The Way", and I'm trying to do a topic each night. Tonight's topic was character. I figure I'll share a favorite line from each night, why keep good things to myself, right? :)
"Get rid of those useless thoughts, which are, at best, a waste of time."
One final thing to leave you with...We got this prayer/reflection on retreat. It's a great thing to spend some time reflecting on (and for me, a great thing to reflect on during Lent)~ :) I know I can use fasting in ALL these areas. :)
Fast from judging others, Feast on Christ living in them
Fast from harsh words, Feast on words that build up others
Fast from discontent, Feast on gratitude
Fast from anger, Feast on patience
Fast from pessimism, Feast on optimism
Fast from worry, Feast on God's care
Fast from complaining, Feast on appreciation
Fast from bitterness, Feast on forgiveness
Fast from self-concern, Feast on compassion for others
Fast from discouragement, Feast on hope
Fast from facts that depress, Feast on facts that uplift.
Fast from suspicion, Feast on truth
Fast from thoughts that weaken, Feast on thoughts that strengthen.
Fast from idle gossip, Feast on silence with a purpose.
:)
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