 |
| prairie wildflowers at Lakeside Labs |
Another Living Education Retreat has come and gone…sort of. This one was different for many reasons – different location (West Okoboji, Iowa), different attendees (at least 1/3 first-timers), different speakers (we try to mix things up), and a palpable spiritual movement – particularly with the men. I spoke of the role of retreats in our lives at the Morning Meditation. Here is an excerpt –
“But retreats also take us off that road, at least for a little while. So a retreat is holy, it is ‘set apart,’ sanctified. Sometimes it is set apart because we have work to do, a wrestle with the holy that we have long postponed. Jacob, whose biblical story so often parallels our own, barrels through life, grasping for ever advantage and side-stepping God at every turn. Until that night when, all alone and trapped into retreat at the River Jabbok, he wrestles with an angel until daybreak. Bless me, he says, and he is blessed, through the mark of that blessing is a scar, a limp. Jacob will return to his journey, but he will never walk the same again.” – Gary Schmidt
 |
| Reading Beuchner at the Morning Meditations under the oak canopy |
During the opening Conversazione, I shared a wonderful document, Our Three-fold Cord, which I will post here later this week. In it, I found the origin of the motto “For the Children’s Sake”! At once, it is insignificant (“a chance phrase”) and more significant than just about anything else.
 |
| Image used by permission from the Charlotte Mason Digital Collection, Redeemer University College, Ancaster, Ontario, Canada |
You can see the motto framing the badge. There is more information about the other aspects of badge readily available and in Our Three-fold Cord. But the source of the motto and why Mason chose it is as follows:
“We see,
too, how well our motto – “For the children’s sake” – a chance phrase in a
letter from our Lady Visitor – expresses the sentiment of our Badge. “For their
sakes I sanctify Myself,” said our Master. John 17:19. – Charlotte Mason, Our Three-fold Cord
I am thankful for all who helped, attended, and prayed for the retreat this year. I hope we are all changed.
 |
| some of the men at lunch |
I am truly interested in home education and Charlotte Mason, but what caught my eye immediately were those prairie wildflowers, especially the coneflowers with drapey petals, the likes of which I'd never seen. So I researched them and found that they are echinacea pallida, and I got myself on a list to buy some plants or seeds next year. Thank you for your serendipitous gift!
I agree – they are beautiful and unique! Thank you for sharing that, Gretchen!
"a palpable spiritual movement"… I can't think of a more descriptive phrase for what I experienced this year. Thank you, Nancy, for all that you shared, and most of all, for the prayerful consideration that I know you gave to each aspect of this gathering. ~Amy Fiedler
Dear Amy,
You know, when you are participating in something the Holy Spirit leads you to do, it is a joy. We(the planning team) enjoy it so much, too! You and Jason are part of all of it, too. So I thank you!
Warmly,
Nancy
How often are your retreats? How long are they? I need to come!
Mrs. Collier,
The LER is an annual retreat and usually lasts for 2.5 days. Follow the link at the top to see this year's flyer. We have a fb page, too. We would love to have you! (Just sign up immediately when the flyer goes out. It fills up FAST.)
Warmly,
Nancy
Beautifully expressed! Miss you.
I was so blessed to see you at this retreat and to have you participate! Thank you, Dena, for sharing your knowledge and experience with the attendees. I miss all of you!
Warmly,
Nancy