Silent Retreat *updated with corrected email!

Yup...this "loves to talk" lady is heading on a silent retreat this Thursday evening until Sunday!

And I'm SO excited!!

I've been twice before-once when I was in HS and once as a sophomore in college.

It's been too long!

My Gm called me this morning, and since she helps set up registration for the retreat, said she talked to the other coordinators and since there was space, wanted me and my SIL (the one I spoke about last post)-and my heart leaped for excitement because this retreat is such an amazing time to step away from the busy, loud life we live in at times.

And to go at the beginning of this Lent season?! Amazing way to start it off.

Honestly, growing up, when I was in Jr.high and high school, I went on plenty of retreats with the youth-guitar playing, small group sharing, retreats.

Then my senior year when my Gm asked me to the silent retreat I'd seen her (and my Gp-different times, for a men's and women's retreat) go on for as far back as I could remember...I was excited!

However it was unlike any retreat I'd ever attended and it was even better than any retreat I'd ever attended.

The idea is that things are scheduled-morning mass, morning prayer, the rosary, confession, short talks, etc,... But you choose what you want to do. Well, besides the talks-those you want to go to because their pretty awesome.

The best parts in my opinion:
-the talks are short (but powerful) so as to give you time to go off and reflect silently on your own.
-it's out by a lake where the sunsets/sun rises are gorgeous.
-there's a healing mass and you watch as women of all ages go up...some in tears, asking the Lord for healing.
-and of course....it's SILENT!

For a girl who loves to talk, this simple retreat has done so much for my soul.

Why have I only been 2 times?

Honestly...laziness. If my Gm didn't coordinate with me then I'd forget about and it not phase me until after the fact.

I'm glad she asked me to come this year! I need to make a bigger effort in the future though.

So from Thursday until Sunday I'll me MIA from the world-no phones, no talking, no TV, no radio, no blogging and most certainly no Facebooking (which I'm giving up for Lent, by the way).

Please comment and leave your prayer intentions for me as I will have so much time to think and pray about you pretty ladies. If you'd feel more comfortable emailing your intentions-you can do that also ( jak 1083 at yahoo dot com). Please let me know by Thursday-I really want to be able to pray for each of y'all!!

As of any other sort of update here: I may or may not have ovulated sans medicine. I'm still praying that bitterness can stay at bay. And I'm still working on handling things that come my way with grace and hopefulness.

I hope this Monday finds y'all in hopeful spirits and grateful hearts, for all the blessings we've been given...no matter how big or how small.

"We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature - trees, flowers, grass- grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence... We need silence to be able to touch souls."(Mother Teresa)