From the river to the mountain...

Back in May 2010 I bought two journals I found in a quaint store in Apalachicola on a girls' trip to Cape San Blas, FL.  The memories of the sand, surf, and sunsets still can bring me to a peaceful place!  The two journals that I bought were: Advice from a River and Advice from a Mountain, guided journals from "Your True Nature".  [Check out their website for their various products.]

I decided to start using the Advice from a River journal when I began my Academy #32 journey in July 2011.  I came to the last pages of that journal this past weekend on my 2nd intensive weekend for my seminary ethics class on the Wilmore campus. 

I have been carrying around the Advice from a Mountain journal with me for months, not really knowing when I would run out of pages. 

I had forgotten what the inside of Advice from a Mountain said and back in the Spring when I was preparing for a talk for an Emmaus walk, I pulled it out to take a look at it.  I realized that as I was nearing the end of my Academy journey, the Advice from a River (going with the flow) journal was also coming to an end.  My first thought (fear) was that the next journal was going to say something about climbing steep and difficult terrain.  I wasn't so sure that I really wanted to use this journal. 

But when I opened it up, the first words on the opening page of the journal were: "Dear friend...Reach new heights"

That was much different than what my fearful thoughts had anticipated.

I could live into this new part of the journey.  Though I have been enjoying the river ride and going with the flow, I can live into reaching new heights.  "Going with the flow" wasn't simply a journal saying.  It was something that came from my husband as I shared a deeper calling back in 2006 on a mission trip and I wondered what it meant at the time.  His response was to "go with the flow".  And, I have been.  We have been.  And, oh what a wonderful journey this is turning out to be!

Even as I embark on this new realm of reaching new heights, I doubt I'll be too far from the river.  One finds both waterfalls and rivers near mountains.  I imagine that I will have some opportunities to still "go with the flow" and live into the other aspects of the first journal.

Ilan Shamir has created these beautiful nature journals. 

In the "Story of Advice from a Mountain" Ilan shares:

"The mountains, the rivers, the wildflowers, and the cloud patterns calm me in the midst of yet another busy day. [...] Sure, there are those days when I feel on loose ground, not sure of where I stand and not firm about who I am or my convictions, yet the mountains and timeless beauty of nature help me return to solid ground...the strength of my own true nature."

Because I am learning to know myself  and my Creator better, I know that one of my better connections with my Creator is within creation, so  this resonates with me.  As do many of the Psalms that bring out the beauty and power of God's creation. 

On the back of the journal there is a synopsis of what this journal is all about:

"Reach new heights!

Savor life's peak experiences

Stand in the strength of

Your True Nature

Rise above it all

Get to the point

Rock on!"

Standing in the strength of my true nature is a place of continued learning and growth for me.  But, ultimately, it means standing in who I was created to be.  It's that journey of learning who this unique creation is and living it out that adds to the adventure!

The longer version is inside the journal:

"Dear friend

Reach new heights

Savor life's peak experiences

There is beauty as far as the eye can see

 

Stand in the strength of Your True Nature

Be Uplifting

Follow the trails of the Wise Ones

 

Protect and preserve timeless beauty

silence, solitude, serenity

flowing rivers

ancient trees

 

Rise above it all

Make solid decisions

Climb beyond your limitations

Leave no stone unturned

Never take life for granite

 

Get to the point

Patience, patience, patience

Life has its ups and downs

Let your troubles vanish into thin air

 

To summit it all up

Enjoy the journey step by step

 

Rock on!"

 

~Ilan Shamir

 

I have approximately two years left of seminary to finish out my M.Div. degree.  I'm at 63 hours, very close to 2/3 of the way done for the 96 credits.  With the 5 credits this semester (praying for satisfactory completion and decent grades!) I will be up to 68 credits. 

 

I wonder if this journal will carry me these next two years like the river journal carried me the past two years?!?!  Who knows?!?! 

 

What I do know is that I am looking forward to continued adventures along the journey.   I look forward to learning, growing, and sharing these times with you.

 

How is your journey going?

 

Debra

 

PS-- For a link to a blog entry about my Advice from a River journal, you can check it out by clicking on the title: Advice from a river.... Go with the flow.



Time Away at the Beach... though a working vacation, my soul found rest.

Cape San Blas, FL



view of the beach

view of the dunes and beach from the condo

I spent last week in Florida on Cape San Blas.  It was a quiet and beautiful get-away!  There weren't many people on the beach, the weather was perfect (until the last night), and there were opportunities to take a sunset cruise, a snorkeling trip, do some shopping, walk along the beach, collect some sea shells, get in one TaeKwonDo workout on the beach, sleep in, rest, visit with some friends, make some new friends, and how can I forget?!?!  Get my final paper written for the semester for one of my seminary courses!!!

Though this time was not designated as personal retreat time, there was some time for thinking (besides that for the paper!) as well as some time for silence and solitude (primarily on the beach or while snorkeling). 

It was good to not have to worry about any of the regular responsibilities of life (other than my school commitments) and to enjoy the sights, sounds, and smells of the surf!

Breaking one's typical daily rhythm in order to slow down and minimize one's focus is an important part of the journey. 

For me, being able to wander along the shore watching the creatures attempt to burrow as quickly as they could was a joyous activity.

 

As was collecting some shells while snorkeling and taking pictures of sunsets, sandcastles, and shells.  Even with my paper, I was able to slow down and relax.  That is pretty major for me. :)



There was a wedding on the beach while we were there, so I was able to get some pictures from a safe distance of that too. 

 

 

Time away.  Time to just "be" without having to necessarily "do".    

Some of the "doing" involved shopping, Taekwondo, playing Mexican Train dominoes, walking along the beach shore, playing around in the waves, snorkeling, taking a sunset cruise.  Both the sunset cruise and the snorkeling trip were taken through Seahorse Water Safaris.

                           

 

  

 

There were some serendipity moments during the trip as well as some deep, inner peaceful moments through which God poked me and reminded me that He does care, He is paying attention, and that things are going to be okay. 

All I know is that it was an uphill battle for quite a while for me to even be able to go on this trip, but it was worth all the effort, trouble, and prayer that went into it. 

This was one of those trips that you tuck away in your memory for a lifetime.  This was a road trip taken with friends to get away.  No agendas (except for the paper this time). 

There is another trip like this one that I got to take many years ago (mid 80s) prior to marriage and child.  Though the responsibility list in life wasn't as high as now, it was still a wonderful get-away trip to a beach area with a special friend.  The trip?  Cancún, México.  The friend? My Spanish-speaking first cousin Michelle.  That was a great trip!  

Have you taken some time to get away recently?   Whether for relaxation or personal retreat, time away to a peaceful destination will calm your soul.

May there be some peace and calm in your journey,

~Debra

TaeKwonDo workout.  Stretching prior.  No--the truck did not run me over. :)

 

Punches to warm up arms before practicing form and doing E-CAS.