Wilderness Retreat

Well, not quite. But my friend Darlene and I DID camp in a rustic spot, with no running water, no electricity, and only an outhouse rather than a proper bathroom.

We took off to the Auburn Riverside Retreat on Monday, and spent the better part of three days reading, laughing, praying, talking, planning and eating. We slept a little, but mostly we enjoyed a quiet, refreshing time together.

We've been doing this for years. Normally, we take lots of school work with us, so we can plan out the following school year (both of us are homeschooling moms). However, this time, we found it more profitable to read (a D.A. Carson book for me; a Randy Alcorn book for Darlene) and relax.

Both of us are moms to a bunch of kids, some of whom are married; hence, we have grandkids, too. Our responsibilities are heavy at times, and there aren't very many days in the year that we can just sit and think...or even just sit. So, a couple of nights away in the wilderness is very relaxing and refreshing.

The site we were on was far removed from the rest of the campground, and there were no other campers in the vicinity. The only thing that interrupted our reading was the occasional rustle of a squirrel in the leaves, or the chirping of birds in the trees.

Unfortunately, the flies were horrendous...it was like a scene from a Hitchcock movie. Thankfully we were able to purchase a small (8 x 8) dining tent. We set up a table and our two chairs inside the little tent, and we sat there like queens of our small domain.

Last night, Adeena came over to join us for supper, bearing gifts of brownies and cookies. She was most welcome, and we sat around the fire eating our yummy barbecued steak and chatting about everything from baseball to child-rearing. I LIKE having a friend who has hung in there with me for nearly thirty years. It's comfortable. We know each other very well - both the good and the bad - and we love each other as much as sisters do (or maybe more!). It's very cool that Darlene is now a friend to my oldest daughter.

We got home this afternoon, and reality hit. There were phone calls to make, appointments to keep, and emails to send. Children needed attention. Supper had to be cooked. Grandbabies needed to be cuddled, and my dear husband wanted me to sit with him. Ahh, reality...it's a lot of responsibility. But with great responsibility comes great privilege, and greater joy.

It's good to be home.