Retreat!

It's always fun to get away from reality for a little while. Particularly when that reality is filled with being a busy CEO, COO, and CFO. So, I was very excited to have a chance to get away from all the every day trials and drama. Even if it was for just a brief time.

I have a mixed history with retreats. Back in college, when my campus ministry would have our Fall Retreat, I often did anything but relax or take it easy. I would often stay up all night long. Literally, would never even make it to my cabin. I was too busy playing games with friends, enjoying the stars, bonding, chatting, and goofing around. Or on our Spring Retreat, I would spend more time shopping and sleeping than attending sessions and enriching my spiritual life.

Obviously, the older me has learned how I squandered those opportunities for renewal and refocus. And although I always try to bond and enjoy some fun, I try to be a little more balanced and I always try to enhance and improve myself. How can you not embrace some time here?

I challenged myself to go outside of my comfort zone. I took an art class. I haven't painted since middle school art, but I enjoyed myself and didn't hate the finished product.

I allowed myself a little adventure. I went down a zip-line for the first time ever. And the second. And the third. Check one of the bucket list with that!

Most importantly, I embraced the spiritual challenge of our guest speaker. Our topic for the weekend was to think of one word.

Well, that doesn't sound too hard Red Bird. One word? You've just come up with a hundred. What's the problem?

This one word isn't just any old word. It has meaning. It has purpose. It has intent. It has power.

Still not sure I'm following you Red Bird.

Instead of resolving to change forty-five aspects of our lives with New Years' Resolutions and the like, we're joining the My One Word movement. We are selecting a solitary word to use as our focus for the year. As an area in which we will grow and change and transform. It is a vehicle for us to ride in with God for our year. It is a lens for which to view our triumphs and tragedies.

One. Single. Word.

A lot of words came to mind, for a lot of reasons. Here are a few on my short list and a brief description of why I felt led to consider them.

PEACE:  To be at peace with myself and who I am as a child of Christ.
GENTLENESS:  To soften my tone and demeanor, with others and myself, both verbally and physically.
YIELDING: Giving over power and control to Jesus, and to others, not always insisting that my way is best.
INTENTIONAL:  To be purposeful in word and deed, not to meander, wander or be scattered
ENGAGED:  To connect with my God, my family, and my friends and not retreating within myself.
COURAGEOUS:  To give my worry and fear to God and move in spite of myself.

In addition to the challenge of a single word, I'm trying to overcome my major journaling deficiency. Thus these Chronicles of the Red Bird's One Word.