Hey friends!

I am at Camp Canyon, near Hinton, OK. for fall retreat with my students.  The weather has been great (it is just cold enough to let you know the seasons are finally changing and the sun warms up every day to let us play outside.  

Right now the students are in an hour of silence.  No phones, no ipods, no computers, and most importantly NO TALKING.  You would be amazed at what a struggle it is for students to sit for an hour.  We have ingrained in us this need to DO or ACCOMPLISH, when sometimes we just need to relax and do some healthy maintenance.  

Ask yourself about the last time you spent an hour in silence.  TRUE silence.  Your cell phone was off (not just on vibrate – having a phone on anywhere means you are truly only a partial participant) the phone at your house was unplugged.  Your computer was powered down and even your ipod or your cd player is turned off.  

What strikes me about the silence is the tendency for my mind to tell me I am selfish that there are more productive things to be done and when that doesn’t work then your mind turns dirty and tells you what all you need to get done (believe me it can wait, the sun will still come up tomorrow if you spend a little time in silence) and that you aren’t as good as other people who “do” more.

This is something you have to survive if you are to get through your hour.  But I PROMISE if you can survive an hour of silence, you will come out more refreshed and feeling an inward cleansing (and if not you need some more silence).  

So give it a try and let me know how who it goes.

peace to you

current itunes track:  Cumbersome, Seven Mary Three, Pocket Full of Kryptonite

currently watching: nothing.  there is no tv here.  can’t wait to get to my DVR’d thursday night shows.

currently reading: Psalm 90-100

currently missing:  MEAGAN (she should be here later!)

currently needing:  a mt. dew