Laity Lodge Texas

* Retreat *
ORIGIN late Middle English : from Old French retret (noun), retraiter (verb), from Latin retrahere ‘pull back’ (see retract )

•    a quiet or secluded place in which one can rest and relax : their mountain retreat in New Hampshire.
•    a period of seclusion for the purposes of prayer and meditation : the bishop is away on his annual retreat | before his ordination he went on retreat.

Beloved and I flew to San Antonio, Texas in November, far away from everything and everyone familiar for a retreat.  This was a spiritual exercise for us and one we were quite ready for.
The experience was rich and significant in a host of ways and is thus become a serious challenge to my blogging brain.
Six weeks! to assimilate my thoughts and come up with a plan of action (*ish) for the telling of it.
I've decided that you're going to hear and see about it bit by bit -- delivered in at least three separate instalments because it's simply too much for one post and because I want to share the riches of it in as authentic and thorough a way possible.

We were far into the hill country - 70 miles from the nearest store of any kind - unplugged and disconnected from any reliable cellular or internet service for four days.

It has been YEARS since either of us has gone 4 days straight unconnected.

That, all by itself was an experience worth journalling.

But first:

We spent a few days at an old hotel on the famous Riverwalk of SanAntonio -- a two and one half mile stretch of pedestrian walkway along the river that meanders below street level.  

                                                         

An outdoor theatre on the Riverwalk with sod lined stone risers.

Fanfare to attract touristy attention and restaurant business.

It was okay.  What more can I say?  Jostled by tourists eager for a nibble and peek at each and every establishment of an endless smorgasbord of boutiques and eateries?  *sigh*

Of course, only a fool lands in San Antonio and neglects to visit one of its' more famous historical markers:  The Alamo  I'll let this site take you around for the details.  

At least the ancient door was intriguing  :)

Last chance in the next four days to connect with the homefront!

The Riverwalk is even more winsome with the evening lights along the footpath.  

We were just a few weeks too early to enjoy the full blown Christmas displays; 

apparently it is a sight to behold.  

Stay tuned.  We're buckling up for a drive into the vast unknown tomorrow.

The Meaning of Marriage Tim and Kathy Keller

A new book by Timothy and Kathy Keller subtitled:

Facing the Complexities of Commitment with the Wisdom of God

First discovered at our favourite online spot of spiritual encouragement and refreshment: Haven Today with Charles Morris.

Check it out.  You will surely discover with us, a host of topics, speakers, music and resources that truly inspire a resting place (a haven!) in your daily routine.

Conversely, you may watch the Keller's promo video above and get it straight from the authors.

Based on a nine-week series of sermons on marriage and preached to a congregation of thousands, the majority of whom were single!  

It has since been the most listened to set of sermons ever produced by Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan.

We live in a culture which is almost relentless in its attack against marriage and family as divinely instituted.  This shouldn't surprise us but it should make us forge our defense weapons with a bit more resolve and dare I say it, commitment?

The post concert review...

Unredeemed
Places
where grace is
Soon to be so amazing
They may be unfulfilled, they may be unrestored
But when anything that’s shattered is laid before the Lord
Just watch and see
It will not be
Unredeemed




If you were blessed to find yourself one of the Saturday night crowd at Redeemer, you already know the thrill of watching Alan Hall play that grand piano, evoking the holy fervour and sound of an entire orchestra.  A 'pentecostal Methodist' from Tennessee they said.  :)
Oh yeah, and THEN some!
And you'll know beyond all doubt that as suggested, watching Jacob Moon on his guitar is worth the price of a whole row of tickets.
And those voices!?!  Power of titanic proportion.
The song Unredeemed was my favourite of the evening.  I thought her story behind it and the sharing of it on stage was every bit as powerful as the song itself.
I am so thankful for the ministry of good music and excellent musicians who will 'lay it before the Lord' for the benefit and blessing to a broken world.

He's Always Been Faithful

I'm packing a few friends in the car and we're off to see this Sara Groves Girl in concert.

I. Am. So. Stoked.

Baby Kae

This little guy is a heart-throb

Dare I say it?  I absolutely adore him.

He reminds me more and more of his daddy now -- not in appearance as much as manner.

 But did this delightful Déjà vu compel ME to go to the lengths that 

one of his daddy's co-workers did?

 .... Scouring one textile store after another in search of fishing pictures
to adorn a personalized baby quilt??  Did I say that the co-worker was male?

 ....or that it was a mission lovingly & joyfully embraced with and by his girlfriend
whom we don't even really know??

The gift is a sort of precious humbling thing that brings tears to the eye.

Some New Grand at Chesley

First of all, I forgot to mention how our Coffeehouse culminated, and it needs noting.

Nieces Heather and Emily had worked feverishly on knitting an afghan for Grandma in the hopes of presenting it to her with time enough to enjoy it.

That timely moment as you know, never materialized.

So instead...

It was their decision to present the blanket to her dearest friends in her memory.

The way this knitting parallel keeps springing up unexpectedly in the fabric of our lives leaves me with a great sense of wonder and gratitude.   

Like being wrapped up in a comfortable sense of the mysterious :)

Uncle Bert and Aunt Arien?  We love you too...

Two days later, as if by way of divine confirmation that ALL of life at every stage, is safely in His hands, Pauline (& Gerry) became the fourth of Mom's children to be rewarded with the crown of grandparenthood!  

Little Gideon Alexander arrived a month early and becomes the twelve great-grandchild in a growing family clan that continues to taste much undeserved goodness from a Faithful Father God.

Lindsay and Brad are the proud parents and are doing well.

The grand-parents are simply out of their minds with delight.  

Yep.

We TOTALLY get it.  

Is this little 6 pounder not the sweetest most alert preemie EVER???

The Gospel Coalition (TGC) Live!

Or put another way, TGC from someone who is living the experience 

for the first time and is VERY thankful for it.

 There are approximately 7000 people registered and roaming at TGC here at the super conference aka Chicago's famous McCormick Place - a facility that makes the Metro in Toronto look like an exceedingly small fry with no biggy size option.  Indeed, the spaciousness and beauty of this place make it rather difficult to believe we are in the company of so great a crowd.  There are vendors and exhibitors abounding and a bookstore to rival Books a Million...

and with 35% off most titles? 

I am utterly undone.  

No. 

I am tortured in the extreme.

      Today's line-up of blockbuster experiences?

• Roundtable Q&A What I've Learned from Years of Preaching Christ in the Old Testament featuring Phil Ryken, Alistair Begg and Mark Dever
• Introduction to Conference by Don Carson 
• Corporate Worship with The Getty's 
• Studying the Scriptures and Finding Jesus  John 5:31-47 by R.Albert Mohler Jr.
• Getting Out (Crossing Over) Exodus 14 by Tim Keller
• From Foreigner to King Jesus Ruth by Alistair Begg
• Panel Discussion Preaching from the OT                                                                                    featuring Tim Keller, Lignon Duncan, Crawford Loritts, Don Carson, Bryan Chapell
• Concert Sing Them Again:  An evening of Old and New Hymns

The WOW factor antennae have not stopped vibrating all day long and my cup runneth over - is in fact, spilling all over the place!
Thanks to a dear friend back home, you are hereby supplied a link to a live coverage stream online: http://thegospelcoalition.org/conferences/2011-media

(Thanks Lilly)
Now those who truly desire to tap into this enriching spiritual feast can follow what's happening here without my having to sort through a pathetic convolution of notes.  

As my hubby calmly suggested after witnessing my desperate hair-on-fire attempt today..

"we'll buy the CD"   

There is also an Art Exhibit in the Grand Lobby entitled Resonant Vision featuring the work of nine Christians who make contemporary art. They were each asked the question, "How does your Christian faith inform your work?"
This is none too familiar territory for many of us and makes me eager to snoop around
and explore this exhibition;
particularly because it is a world that our 3rd year theatre/arts double major baby girl is pursuing with great gusto at Redeemer and one in which we need to gain a deeper understanding.

Dearest choir peeps, Voila!  The uilleann pipes we spoke of once before while listening to the Getty's recording of By Faith --- played before our very eyes!

Part of the apparatus of simulcast wonderment was parked right beside our row in the Main Stage which by some feat of the miraculous, seated all 7000 of us comfortably and effortlessly.

 A steady stream of Coach buses delivered and retrieved conferee's every half hour throughout day one;

a day that ran so smooth from an organizational standpoint - the team behind the scenes get a five star rating from the two of us and everyone else whose company and conversation was our pleasure today.

Tomorrow's schedule begins at 7am and culminates with a Getty Concert of Praise at 9pm.

This girl needs to go to bed 

-- like right now  :)

Toodles and sleep sweet, a directive I will surely follow if I can shut my mind off.

Not A Fairy Tale

Encouragement from our friend Holley

(Inspired for release by yesterday's viewing of Tangled....

....Disney's fairly fun & decent recounting of Rapunzel)

I remember staying up late with friends to watch movies  that always seemed to close with the same line... And they lived happily ever after-- THE END But real life often doesn't work that way.

We hope and dream  but things don't always turn out like we plan.  We face trials, hard times, and we ask, "God, where are you in this story?" He gave you manna to eat in the desert, something your fathers had never known,  to humble and to test you so that in THE END it might go well with you. Deuteronomy 8:16 God's path to "happily ever after"--to all going well with us--

looks different than ours.  But in all of it we can trust that He has our good in mind, that He knows where the story is going,  that He will love us and keep us every step of the way. Easy?  Nope.  I've got a hunch many of your stories make Cinderella look like a sissy. Something we do with a smile on our face the entire time?  Not unless you're as unconscious as Sleeping Beauty. Worth it?

Oh, yes, because one day our Prince will come. Listen, sweet friend, as I take your heart by the hand and whisper these words... Your story has a good ending. And it's not over yet.