An away weekend

Just back from helping at a spiritual formation program. Camerons was cold, and i seemed to feel it more than others. Indeed i wasn't among the oldest - there were quite a few people older, so it wasn't just "I'm getting old". It was difficult to function at times, even with a warm jacket,with cold hands and feet and a cold nose! The first night i could hardly sleep because i was feeling cold even tucked in bed! The second night was better probably because i was really tired by then.

I noticed that i felt a bit uncomfortable with the group......i met most of them the first time - a few months ago, at a similar program. Then too, i was uncomfortable but could not understand why.....(Obviously it is not due to them - and i needed to ask myself why i have such reactions) This was at the back of my mind for a while.

Then on the drive back, it came to me..........i felt uncomfortable because there were so many men in the Methodist group (more than women!). I guess i have never really done ministry to mixed groups - it has always been with women, where i feel fairly comfortable, even though public speaking is not a great gift. Part of this discomfort probably comes from my Baptist heritage where women usually do not 'teach' mixed groups. I don't know what it is like now but that was certainly my past experience. Anyway, this weekend i was not teaching anything, just being a spiritual companion for a few of the participants. I had three men and three women in my group, and it was really God's gift that they were all willing to share their journey with me!! It is always humbling to share someone else's journey........and i am encouraged to see that the discipline of spiritual direction is found useful by more and more people.

Well, back to the more mundane...... and finding God there too!