strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow

I've been on a children's retreat this past weekend, but I'm back! :) It was in Newcastle (at the same camp as the youth retreat a couple of months ago).

Here are some glimpses of grace from the weekend:

-Sitting on the balcony of our chalet in the morning and drinking coffee and thinking. For some reason, words from one of my favorite hymns came into my head: "Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth, thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide; Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow, blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!" I think I might make a painting that includes some of those words, because apparently God wants them to stick with me.

-Watching waves lazily glide across the beach in perfect rhythm.

-The joy, laughter, energy, wisdom and faith of children.

-The intricacy of a jellyfish (looked at and not touched), with it's veiny lines that look like little glowing hairs.

-Very encouraging words from Sheena.

-Bouldering up a freezing cold river and climbing up its waterfalls with the children. At one pause waiting for everyone to catch up after a particularly challenging waterfall climb, I thought of one of my favorite movies--The Mission--and its famous waterfall climb scene as the missionary climbed to meet the people he came to serve. I smiled to myself as I decided that this freezing bouldering was my version of that...minus the nasty colonialism, of course.

**I'll try to get pictures up. Right now, blogger won't post them for some reason.**