Retreating In Rio Rico, Arizona

Last Thursday, I drove down to Tubac (Rio Rico) for the Casas Women's retreat. The speaker this year was Bobbie Rill from Family Life Radio and she taught from the book of Ruth. Learned a lot about relationships last weekend...as well as joy out of suffering and God's great redemption! The retreat didn't actually begin until Friday night so I had the day to myself. Ordered room service for breakfast, went to the pool to read and then drove to Tubac for some shopping.

The weekend was really nice. I connected with an old friend, learned some great lessons and didn't have to be in charge of karaoke this year! I sat at a table with a wonderful group of women. We had some good discussions and powerful times of prayer.

I also had a crisis...my job...thinking that I've had enough and called John and told him I was thinking about leaving (my job, not him). He must have known that my hormones were active and listened thoughtfully. I have been under a lot of stress at work for the first time in 21 years...still at my first job out of grad school...so is it really my job or something else? I spent a couple of hours sharing with a friend on retreat she thinks it may be the female version of mid-life crisis...hmmm...All this to say that a couple of things have happened at work this week that have improved my situation. I also received my retirement statement in the mail and I'm really too far in to quit now. Guess I can work at Starbuck's when I retire from teaching.

I think this was the last Casas retreat for me...this year was more of a "closure" trip. I left after worship on Sunday to head back to Tucson. I had brought a beautiful angel pin with me and had it pinned to my purse all weekend. It was three girl angels in brightly colored dresses who looked very happy. I bought it after Britni died (I know we don't become angels...I just really liked this pin). It reminded me of my first Rio Rico retreat with Britni and Sheri as my roomies. Retreat was in September and Britni was called home in June. Anyway, we had so much fun that year, walking down Mesquite Gulch laughing so hard that we had tears streaming down our faces. Britni also shared a powerful encounter she had with angels who had protected her in a dangerous situation. So as I drove down the hill on Sunday leaving the resort, I stopped my car in the middle of the road and got out at Mesquite Gulch. I took the pin off of my purse and found big rock at the trailhead. I found a nice little place at the base of the rock under some brush and set the pin there. Not an altar nor a shrine...just closure. I had a smile on my face as I headed towards home...had some alone time just worshipping our Father. He is good...ALWAYS!