{Retreat}

I have been thinking about taking a personal retreat since shortly after Elijah was born. I was so sleep deprived that all I could think about was sleep, glorious sleep. In those early days, I am sure I believed that I was never going to get to a full 8 hours of sleep again. So I told Paul that once I was not pumping anymore I wanted a night away by myself.

Eventually, sleep became more of a regular occurrence in my life. So, the idea of getting away for the sole purpose of sleeping sounded a bit crazy. But, I really liked the idea of time way. The more I started thinking about a retreat, the more I realized I wanted a time that purposeful in relaxation and refreshment.

So, in typical Charity fashion, I put together a plan, really a 4 page proposal. I wanted to have something to guide my time away.

In May, I took two nights to stay at a local Bed and Breakfast not too far from home. This was a great way for me to be able to have two nights away at a more affordable price.

So, what did my time away look like?

I enjoyed a lovely dinner with a dear friend.

I slept for 8+ hours each night.

I wrote.

I read.

I walked 3+ miles.

I prayed and read the Bible.

I ate delicious food.

I watched movies.

This time away was very life-giving. I came back home feeling refreshed and encouraged in my role as a wife and mother. I didn’t “do” everything I wanted to, so I look forward to trying this again next year.

And speaking of retreats, I just got home from a women’s retreat with my church. It was a lovely time away at the beach with a great group of women. I enjoyed getting to meet new people, enjoy the sunshine, sing worship songs and work through the book of Ruth. This retreat was more work for me since I took Elijah, but it was still nice to get out of the normal routine and enjoy the intentional time with God and my community.

I am curious, do you retreat? How do you retreat? And if not, how do you recharge?