reflective weekend

this weekend i split my time between work and retreat.  weird, huh? 

our university ministry retreat for our church was held 30 min. from our apartment, so i could attend (parts) while i wasn't working homecoming weekend at bsu.  while driving from one to the other, i had some time to reflect.

i find myself in the kitchen. 

my mom taught me to help out in the kitchen & eventually i grew to love the kitchen after many reminders to set or clear the table (among other tasks).  when i go to someone's house, i often end up in the kitchen.  sometimes it's helping out, sometimes i sit and chat with the host or hostess.  i find great comfort in being in the kitchen.  this weekend was no different, both nights included cleaning and conversation in the kitchen.  friendships grew, dishes were cleaned and it was beautiful. 

((source))

i have a bad sense of direction.
this is really hard to admit, but i am terrible at directions, even with a gps!  i will spare the exact story, but it involved rain & darkness & going to the wrong t stop to pick up some students for the retreat...followed by another pick up trip in which the gps routed us rather oddly!  my husband has a great sense of direction and i really appreciate that, in fact i often take it for granted and assume i am just as good with finding my way, but i am not.  (i miss the rocky mountains, living along the front range they served as a guide (in addition to their beauty)).  i muddled through & students got where they needed to be: the retreat.  i need to trust myself to follow directions (via the gps).

((source))

i am not as much of a loaner as i like to think.
my husband spent both nights at the retreat site while i slept at home with the dog.  it was the first time i had spent the night at our place without my husband.  it was more weird than i expected.  i used to pride myself on my independence (which i know is wrong).  but since i've been married, i realized more fully my need for people in my life to speak grace & truth, as well as the beauty of companionship.  even though i was around a lot of people at homecoming and the retreat, i missed simple conversation at home & in the car (i can only tell the dog so much).  i have a renewed appreciation for simple conversations at home & the companionship of a dog. 

((source))

i am growing all the time, learning about myself & those around me.