Advent 2011

What a gift it was to begin this advent season with a silent prayer retreat.  God spoke into the silence, into my heart and soul.  He spoke through scripture, through nature, through words written and carved by others on a park bench and on railings, through books, through music, through the leaders of this retreat and through the women who silently journeyed along with me in this retreat.  Amazing the many ways God speaks if we take the time to listen!  Most of the time my life is so busy I don't hear His quiet whispers. I get caught up in all of the "doing" and don't take that time to just listen and "be" with Him.  A couple of years ago I came across an advent poem written on a blog that moved me and it was through this blog that God led me to this particular retreat.  Amazing!

God spoke words that I've not always let myself hear and gave new hope about growth and freedom and even friendship in my life.  During this retreat we had some reflections we could do and a couple of them had to do with Mary.  Mary in her waiting.  Mary in her response to what God was asking of her.  It seems her story is coming up everywhere for me since then which does make sense since it is advent and Christmas is coming.  Maybe I am just noticing it more this year.  One of the directors of the retreat asked if we would like to receive daily advent readings and reflections that she was going to send out.  These have been so meaningful this year as we share our responses with a group.  Today's reading was about Mary's response...her "yes" to God and her willingness to let go of self and receive what God had for her.  As part of the response we were invited to write the word "yes" in black marker on our palms.  So I write the word “Yes” on the palms of my hands to remind me to let go and receive the life giving spiritual energy of the Holy Spirit and reminding me to say "yes", the way Mary did, to whatever God has for me.

And so this advent season has been filled with a peace and beauty that brings joy to my soul.  At the very end of the prayer retreat, after we had a beautiful and moving time of sharing, we ended by singing this song together.  Cathy Hardy who wrote and sings it was one of the retreat directors.  I can't describe what joy there was as we sang this together.