Murrieta Hot Springs - Part 2

Well, the past two weeks have certainly zipped by....it's amazing to me how fast time goes. Is it already two weeks since we were enjoying a retreat in Murrieta Hot Springs? I did not take as many photos this year as last year, but here are a selection of them....

There were very, very tall trees that were nearly impossible to capture in their entirety.



Though it certainly didn't stop me from trying.

Along many of the walkways are fountains and soaking pools fed by the hot springs....as you can see from the steam here. This particular location smelled strongly of sulfur (rotten eggs!) but other pools did not. Guests are welcome to sit and soak in the warm water. I passed up the opportunities however - not my cup of tea!



Early on Sunday morning I got up before everyone else and walked alone over to the Coffee House for a cup of hot chocolate and sat at a table by the window catching the rising sun while I attempted to read my devotions for the day...but my thoughts were too scattered to concentrate. Being inside was constraining....I had to get out of doors!



The moon was still shining high in the sky.



Fortified with hot chocolate against the morning chill, I decided to go for a walk around the lake and drink in the beauty of creation. Being outside in nature is where I feel closest to Him anyway....it always calms my mind and refreshes my heart...



A mud hen observes her reflection....or, more accurately, searches for something tasty for breakfast.



The water's surface glimmers and glints with myriad colors and patterns in shining brightness.



Eucalyptus bark echoes the water's patterns and glows with a satiny sheen...



Pine cones and branches create graceful detailed black silhouettes against the blue sky.

The retreat this year was titled "Different by Design" and the speaker was Dr. Myra Perrine, author of What's Your God Language? Connecting to God through your Unique Spiritual Temperament. As it happens, I had read this book in March, so I was thrilled at the opportunity to hear the author in person over the retreat weekend. I wrote about the book here and you are welcome to go there, if you are interested.

Since I went straight back to work the following Monday, I haven't really had time to do much internal processing about the things I learned at the retreat. Basically, it was a summary of all that she says in her book, and it was an added pleasure to hear these ideas presented in her warm and funny personal style rather than by the written word alone.

All this has got me to thinking about what my personal focus might be for 2009. 2008 was about being aware, attentive to God; 2007 was all about opening my eyes, heart and mind the beauty around us. What will 2009 be? Have you given any thought to this yourself? I think as my work assignment draws to a close in a few weeks I will have some idea about the direction I'll be taking in 2009. Perhaps something on the theme of the dance of life, the sacred dance.....these terms have been popping up quite a lot recently in things I've read or heard. We shall see!