The retreat

So, here is the story about the retreat I've been going on about for two weeks. I was quite excited about it, as you might have been able to tell. And then, some of my classmates asked me if I was going on the retreat, who were not going themselves. I said yes, and then started to think about how well I usually do in social situations among people my own age. How well I fit in with first year university students and their ilk. That was when I realized that I did not want to go. I would rather have gone to the dentist. I would rather have flown Air Canada. I would rather have been stuck in an airport for the weekend.

But I still went. Why? I'm stubborn, mainly. Also I heard my Dad's voice in the back of my head, saying that I needed to get out and talk to people. No cloistering!

So I was walking down the street thinking that I was going to be stomach sick. About the walking... It's two miles to the church, and I was carrying what I was going to live in for the next three days. As I have no upper body strength to speak of, I explored new boundaries of packing light.

Thankfully, upon my arrival, I did meet some first year university students, but there were also some very interesting people. I met a girl who's taking an agriculture program, specifically horses, one who works for the army in communications, another who is in the army in communications, a statistician, and another girl who is her last year of teacher's college. And that was in the first 30 minutes! [this bodes well]

We were staying at a Tim Horton's camp in Quebec. It was very nice. I have stayed in hotels that are significantly less nice. The food was very good as well. Free coffee, soda, hot chocolate, tea, and French Vanilla. *dreamy smile*

As is usual, we were divided in teams, (all named after fairy tale characters. ) I was on Sleeping Beauty. We played games for points all weekend. Also usual. I tried to stop people twice my weight in British Bulldog and knocked us both flying. All per normal.

However, there was a nice spread of games and other point earning activities. There were indeed sports, which I do not excel at, let's just say. However, there were also fairy tale trivia quizzes. At the end of the weekend I was being called my team's secret weapon, and had been asked twice if I was an English Lit. major. "we all have our strengths..."

So, the games were good, I met interesting people, the food was good, and the facilities were good. Is there anything else at a church retreat? Ah, yes. The speaker. He was good but not as good as the professors at Augustine. It's a little funny, because I overheard quite a few people talking animatedly about how good he was, nd Paster Jeff said that his class was the best in his four years of bible college! Just goes to show the class of teaching that goes on here...

Overall, it was very good that I went. On Saturday night, I was able to think over some things that I've been worried about. All right, that is not very informative... I've been terrified about the future whenever I think about it, what with Gid, and my lack of career direction, and food. So I've responded by not thinking about it. I had intellectual reasons for not being worried, but they had NOT trickled down to an emotional response. Outside of the context of school, I was able to think them through, and do a lot of praying. And God gave me emotional peace for the future. It's funny, I knew even then that I would not always be unworried, but it was such a relief to not worry for even a small time. I was remembering something Dr. Patrick said; that you will have times when you do not feel good, and then you remember the good times. Not try to recreate them, but remember them. For that time, I could not find something in my life that caused me sorrow. I was able to trust God entirely for the future.

I wept with joy. And I don't normally cry for anything.

So, I know that part of that's the "retreat effect", but I think I remembered some very important things about trusting God, and learned some others.

Yes, you were all right. It was a good idea that I should go on the retreat, and I would have a good time. (bah humbug : )