Well, it's been a long journey but the plastic is finally here. A BIG thank you to everyone who made it possible. I appreciate the availability, energy and time that you gave to this task. Each year I cringe at the receipt when I purchase that piece of plastic from the local agricultural store.Here is the abbreviated delivery schedule:1. Plastic purchase from ebay (seller in Philadelphia)2. Plastic pick up direct from ebay seller.3. Plastic transport to Binghamton, NY is canceled due to insufficient cargo space. Package too large.4. Plastic transport to Binghamton, NY (second attempt) is canceled due to insufficient cargo space. Passenger overload. No space for package.5. Plastic transport to Binghamton, NY is re-routed. New destination: Lancaster, PA.6. Plastic transport to Lancaster, PA delayed. Driver unavailable.7. Plastic transport to Lancaster, PA delayed. Pick up point is closed.8. Plastic transport to Lancaster, PA on schedule. Delivery to Lancaster, PA is complete.9. Plastic transport to Brackney, PA on schedule. Same day delivery to Brackney, PA is complete.Route info: Date of purchase - 12.17.08 Date of Delivery - 1.9.09That was a crazy 3 1/2 weeks. BUT... the plastic is here and so are the cold temperatures.
This past week we had our New Year's party with friends and family from southern PA. This was our 3rd year in a row and we've got the routine down to a science. Our friends filter in one by one and hunker down for a few days of rest and relaxation. We have a huge feast of pizza, wings, shrimp and snacks for New Year's Eve. We run around outside at camp and make trips to the YMCA during the day. We play games, watch movies and talk right into the morning hours. There's a mixture of earlier risers. Some of us are awake and ready for breakfast each day, while others are awake and ready for lunch. We've got some pretty good cooks and bakers in the bunch so there's never a shortage of homemade desserts, breakfast baked goods, soups and snack foods. We're so very thankful for a great group of friends that have been together for a little over 10 years now. It has been a blessing to walk along side each other through high school, college, weddings, children being born, ministry positions and career paths. We are grateful for the ways God this crew to encourage, challenge, care for and support each other. Thanks everyone.
My brother-in-law Aaron came up a few days before the New Year's festivities began. He spent a day and a half out at the Cabin as a personal retreat. Aaron spent time in prayer, reading scripture, in silence, reading The Critical Journey and resting. The progression of his time at the cabin revolved around a series of reflections designed specifically for this personal retreat.
Check out Aaron's comments on the retreat at: Existemi.blogspot.com
I'm excited to see the Cabin fulfill its purpose of providing an accessible space that is intentionally available for spiritual formation and renewal. It is a quick trip from camp with easy set up and it is also surprisingly quiet. This spring I am looking forward to some new renovations to the cabin and developing the trail system on the property. As the Cabin continues to be utilized I am formulating resources and guides for personal and small group retreats ranging from several hours to several days. I would love to share and discuss any personal retreat resources you have used. You can email them to: abc@arrowheadministry.org.
