I’ve been away for what seems like an age and it is great to be back.

I have loads spinning in my head which could keep me writing for weeks. I’m just going to highlight some stuff now which I may come back to over the following few days.

I had a wonderful time away, catching up with Johnny was great and it was fantastic to meet Hannah and Libby too. Just a shame I could not spend longer with such lovely people and get to know them better – but hopefully there will be more times in the future.

So … highlights of my time away:
– chatting with Johnny and being introduced and given an early present of Rob Bell’s ‘Velvet Elvis‘. Such a cool book which has replaced my (rather dreary!)reading for SEITE the past couple of days. I have not put this book down the last few days and keep saying ‘Yes!!!’ on each page.

– the silence of retreat

– spending time on the senior manager retreat just resting with God. One night we just sat and chilled with our creator for a little while. We were alone but together; it was special in a unique way that I cannot put into words.

– realising that the Marist centre in Nympsfield is one of those thin places that the Celtic Christians used to talk about – a place where the border between heaven and earth is so thin you can experience heaven itself.

– understanding that God loves me – not for what I do, not for how I act, not for how I think – but simply because he loves me.

-Pig’s Ear Ale at the Rose and Crown

– hearing that God smiles just because of who I am in the same way I smile when I think of my own children.

– the time of affirmation on Thursday night. Another special time where we spent loads of time telling each other what we appreciated about each other.

– leading a communion service on the last morning for us and ending by anointing each other as we returned to the real world.

– seeing how God is working in so many peoples lives.

– learning from other people on different journeys to mine who, in the past, I may even not have listened to.

– understanding the sense of community we are developing a SEITE – a privilege.

– watching Match of the Day with beer and wine with some new friends

– seeing Sarah, Tom, Beth and Joe on Sunday evening

– waking up in a noisy house on Monday morning.

It’s good to be back