Direction for our Times Family Retreat

Over Memorial Day weekend we attended a Family Retreat.  It was in association with Direction for our Times and The Volumes by Anne.  Bruce and I have been reading The Volumes since Andrew was born and they have been a source of much needed grace and peace through some very difficult times.  We still ready then daily and find that they have so enriched our faith and brought us closer to a closer relationship with Jesus.

We were so excited when we heard that they were offering a FAmily Retreat ONLY a little over an hour from our home.  We had such a wonderful time meeting and faith sharing with other families AND growing spiritually together as a family.  The grounds were spectacular and the boys had a BLAST!!!  We participated in a group Way of the Cross as well as a Living Rosary in the Rosary Garden.  The FAmily Scavenger Hunt activity enabled us explore the beautiful grounds and work together as a family.  We fished, hunted for bugs, canoed on the pond, and many, many more.

There is another Family Retreat scheduled for Labor Day weekend.  Information can be found at directionforourtimes.com.

Here are some photos!

Andrew caught a fish. It was a scavenger hunt item.

Andrew the bug hunter.  Another Scavenger Hunt item.

Andrew and Mark enjoy the campfire and smores.

Mark in the Rosary Garden.

The Playground almost right outside of our cottage.

The grounds were absolutely beautiful.  

OK, I'm back.

OK.  I'm back.  I was in a little bit of funk for a while, but I believe, through the help of Jesus, I have been able to pull out.  It think it was a combination of many things including the trip back to La with all of it's changes and the onset of summer heat.  

Part of that funk may have been from the fact that I  have been frequenting Yahoo comment boards on sexual abuse in the Catholic Church in an attempt to defend my Catholic Faith.   I don't know if it was curiosity or God that first made me click on that first article, but I know it was God and the level of hate and misinformation about the Catholic Faith that made me to stay.  I have debated athiests and protestant Catholic haters on issues from the existence of God, Mary, Communion of Saints, women ordination, etc., etc.  In many cases, it forced me to ask myself, "Why do I believe this?" and in all cases, through the gift of faith and the love of God, I have been brought to a deeper and fuller understanding of  my Catholic Faith AND the very existence and love of God.  It has also given me a sheer appreciation for the blessed gift of faith for there are many lost souls who refuse to be open to the love of God and the gift of Faith, which I believe, from this experience, only results in lack of peace.  

Based on this experience, I know now more than ever that the only true source of Peace, Love and Joy can only be found through the experience of the transforming Love of Jesus Christ.

Jesus, I trust in you.  

Lazy, HOT, Summer days.

So, while June was a busy and active month filled with pool dates and play dates with friends and good times, July and the beginning of August found us at home most of the time.

Brotherly love.

Summer Fun.