Read part 1 here.

Presby-retreat and Back Again

Thursday night we mainly got settled and met up with some of our friends. I found out the unfortunate news about NotShyChiRev’s father, who passed away the day before. NSCR had been scheduled to lead the retreat. Head of Staff was planning to fill in, but he too was called away for a family emergency, leaving the two co-associates (a married couple) to punt. I later heard that the stairs to the stage collapsed right under one of them during a keynote, leading some to wonder whether the weekend was jinxed. Even so, and even with my spouse whispering “I can access all your computer files from my laptop—including your sermons,” I laid low. I was on vacation, for Pete’s sake. I’ve led many a retreat and preached in a variety of venues, but you know what? I attended that all-church retreat several times as a staff or volunteer person. I gave at the office. This weekend was for my family and me.

(I consider this a minor personal breakthrough of Sabbath. No, they do NOT need me to step in and Save the Day. The world will turn just fine without me.)

That night we hung out in a circle of benches and camping chairs, yakking until late in the night, which for me means 10:30 or 11. It was fun to meet the new pastors and have one of them ask, “What’s your connection to this church?” Well, I used to be on staff here, I was ordained here after seminary, my stepmother is a member here now, and the senior pastor is R’s mother’s cousin.

I had brought two books with me. The first was Many Waters by Madeleine L’Engle. I was expecting her usual quasi-spiritual, semi-Christian themes but if you’ve read that one you know—it’s explicitly biblical in origin. So much for no churchy stuff. The second was Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert, which is enjoyable as a book, but one also can’t help but bask in her marketing savvy. Someone described the book’s concept and I thought, “That book is a guaranteed bestseller.” Sure enough…

Friday was a full day. The girls played in the makeshift nursery while R and I took a walk during morning keynote. (I didn’t attend any group sessions—see above about giving at the office. I felt no guilt.) Then we went to the toddler pool and watched the clouds gather. Yuck. Nothing depresses me like rain and Presby-retreat. All my favorite stuff is outside.

After lunch, during which M fell asleep, she and I napped in the room. By the time we woke up, the sun was out and it was time to go to the rapids. R and C returned from the grocery store around this time with some fattening snacks. It so happens that M enjoys having Easy Cheese squirted right into her mouth.

The rapids at Presby-retreat are one of God’s great marvels. There are pools in which to sit with friends in a happy circle, talking and drinking; there are shallow areas where kids can gather stones and admire the minnows; there is a ’slide’ through which even a pregnant woman can body-surf around the twisty rocks and get dumped into the wide waiting river. Bliss.

Coming back from the rapids took at least half an hour. Both girls insisted on walking and examining everything. By the time we got back, I was beat. R looked at me and said, “Imagine how long it will take with three.”

That day C made a friend with another little girl, also initialed C. C&C were pretty much inseparable, skipping along the paths, holding hands. Friday and Saturday C2 refused to go to bed, so her parents cut a deal that our C would come and sing to her. Mighty adorable. My C informed me that she wanted to marry the other C and asked me to write a note to her parents. I promised I’d get right on that.

That night, more late-night talking and eating in the circle.

Saturday was spent like Friday, just with no rapids and more time at the toddler pool. There was a little boy with a life vest who jumped in the 30-inch-deep water again and again. M decided this looked like a good idea, only she had no life vest. R scooped her up quickly and once she realized she was OK, she grinned like a fool. Lord help us.

Later she lost her footing and went under AGAIN while we were all watching C blow bubbles underwater. This time she was scared and mad though. Good Lord, we’re going to have THREE and we can’t even keep our eyes on two?

On the other hand, we get to be the folks that allow others feel good about their parenting: “At least we don’t let our kids nearly drown.” I suppose it’s a service we provide.

ChaplainMom and family came to Presby-retreat for a visit and joined us for the traditional Saturday night BBQ picnic at the riverside. A bunch of guys spontaneously decided to go down the slide, including R, who went down twice and didn’t even wipe out. The slide, for those who don’t know, is a 50 foot high (?) metal slide with a groove in it, which you ride down while sitting on a wooden sled with a rudder that fits in the groove. The slide empties into the water, and a skilled rider can bump along the surface before going under. A Presby-retreat institution, even with the new safety walls, which have I mentioned are an abomination unto the Lord?

Unfortunately, several people in the church group got sick Saturday night from the picnic, including R. However, aside from him feeling puny, it didn’t impact our plans much. We drove back to Dallas (R was propped up with some well-timed drugs) and spent the night with Gram, then Monday we had lunch with Texas ClergyPal on our way to Airport Through Which You Must Connect on Your Way to Heaven, or so goes the country song.

And that’s the trip.