Retreat to Rise?

These last few days I have been retreating. People come into a room, I leave it. The kitchen becomes full of my precious ones and I make my way up to my bedroom where there is no one. I got up at 5  am this morning, not because I had to in order to get ready on time but because I knew there would be solitude waiting for me. Solitude, space, some stillness and a fire.

I made some muffins for a gal at work who celebrates her birthday today. I gathered my ingredients, pulled out my trusty recipe and then I stopped, alone in the kitchen.

I felt sweet relief.

Exhale.

Inhale.

A moment.All to myself. No words. No noise.

So I made my muffins.

There is so much noise lately. So many words with the elections coming up. They sound destructive to me and I wonder why we can't seem to understand the tearing down of others gets us nowhere. Well perhaps it gets us to more cynicism. Why is the other person always wrong? Why is my way the best way? Why are we afraid of others and what they have to offer? 

Then there are the words from Pennsylvania this week. Sad words that rip not only at my heart but at the heart of this nation I chose to live in. Why? Why will there likely be another story similar to this next week ?

So retreating with my questions has been my coping mechanism of choice.

Stay away from people as much as possible.

Probably not the most mature option but I guess I'm at a loss.

Making muffins at 5:00 am, in a house that was still sleeping, with the dark of the night pressing in, keeping everything and everyone quiet,seemed like a good plan..

I'm reading an excellent book right now by Shannan Martin called, "The Ministry of Ordinary Places."

I'll leave you with her words.

In the span of God's wide and rowdy family, we all belong to one another and there's no such thing as other people's children.Take a look around. Find someone to nurture. This is how we'll rise.