Welcome to the October Mini-Retreat
A moment to restore joy, refresh intentions, & rekindle creativity right from home
preparation
A restorative retreat doesn’t require a getaway, just a small window of intentional time. Even thirty minutes of reflection, paired with inspiring ideas, creative sparks, and a favorite treat, can turn a brief pause at home into a meaningful experience. This self-paced retreat is designed to move at your rhythm and fit your schedule.
And here are a few considerations to get the most out of the time you’ve set aside.
Reserve 30 minutes to one hour on your schedule. If you want to complete the Creative Project at the same time, add an additional hour. Settle into a quiet corner of your house, preferably away from laundry, dishes, and distractions.
Light a candle, or switch on a lamp rather than a bright overhead light.
Turn on a soft background playlist. If you need inspiration on Spotify, search for playlists with keywords like Classical in the Background, Piano Hymns, or even Soft Vintage French Countryside.
Prepare a cup of coffee or tea. For a Fall touch, try making this delicious homemade coffee creamer from the handwritten recipe card below.
If possible, silence your phone or set it aside. This is a time to refill and restore. On that note, I’ve also tried to keep links on this retreat page to a minimum. Sending you all over the web and back again does not sound like a peaceful way to recharge.
Please note that a few of the sections have computer-generated audio recordings available if you’d rather listen than read.
Gather your supplies:
Journal & pen/pencil
Items for the Creative Project, listed below in that section
Recipe adapted from the Deliciously Organic cookbook by Carrie Vitt
Prayer
Hymnal
Art Gallery
Scripture: Stewardship
Pilgrimage Journey
Studio Table
Monthly Reset
Walk
Retreat Rhythm
theme
Stillness, Stewardship, & Scotland
prayer
Let’s join together to pray the words of Christ, embracing thoughtful recitation and allowing each line to shape how we view the day ahead.
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from the evil one.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.
from Matthew 6 and Luke 11
Response
Consider writing out the prayer
Record any thoughts that are sparked as you pray
Hymnal
Be Still My Soul
by Katarina von Schlagel, 1752, Germany
Translated by Jane L. Borthwick, 1855, Scotland
Above there are two versions of the song. Choose one or both and sing along, using the lyrics below. Afterward, we’ll read a bit about the hymn.
Be still, my soul! the Lord is on your side;
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;
Leave to your God to order and provide;
In ev'ry change he faithful will remain. Be still, my soul! your best, your heav’nly friend
Thru' thorny ways leads to a joyful end.
Be still, my soul! your God does undertake
To guide the future as he has the past;
Your hope, your confidence, let nothing shake;
all now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul! the waves and winds still know
His voice who ruled them while he lived below.
Be still, my soul! when dearest friends depart
And all is darkened in the vale of tears,
Then shall you better know his love, his heart,
Who comes to soothe your sorrow and your fears.
Be still, my soul! your Jesus can repay
From his own fullness all he takes away.
Be still, my soul! the hour is hast'ning on
When we shall be forever with the Lord,
When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love's purest joys restored.
Be still my soul! when change and tears are past,
All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.
correlating scripture
Psalm 46:10
“Be still, and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!”
Psalm 37:7
Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him;
fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way,
over the man who carries out evil devices!
Psalm 62:5
For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence,
for my hope is from him.
Click play if you’d prefer to listen along to this section.
For those who know the strains of severe emotional and circumstantial uncertainty, they know saying “be still my soul” is easier said than done. But here is where the grip is loosened and the burdens handed over to the One who says I will carry them for you. Often, our trials are where the rubber meets the road, the place we decide how we will bear them.
A Bit of Historical Background
This beautiful hymn introduces us to two women from different countries and centuries.
Its author would surely have been surprised to hear her lyrics still sung, written by candlelight over 300 years ago. Katarina von Schlagel lived in Germany in a time when death blanketed the streets. Her small village likely gathered for funerals at least once a week, the church bells tolling with every new passing. While the reality of another death might not have been as startling as it is for us today, it was just as sobering. Children were born and loved and buried. So to read the lyrics of Katarina’s hymn while considering the reality in which she lived is enough to bolster a frail heart.
Be still, my soul! The hour is hast'ning on
When we shall be forever with the Lord,
When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love's purest joys restored.
Be still my soul! when change and tears are past,
All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.
100 years after Katarina wrote the song in German, it was read by a Scottish woman from Edinburgh, Jane Borthwick, who worked to translate it into English, along with a host of other German hymns. Jane preferred to remain anonymous throughout her life as a writer, using the pseudonym H. L. L. for poems, stories, and songs.
And here is a picture of two faithful women, living unseen, quiet lives. They used their creativity, fueled by spiritual conviction and devotion, and their small offerings continue to bless us centuries later.
Response
What is causing my soul to lack stillness today? What issue or concern is agitating me or leaving me full of angst?
Journal any thoughts you have, or record a few favorite lyrics.
art
The Hind’s Daughter
by Sir James Guthrie, 1883
I first glimpsed a portion of this painting as an advertisement banner for the National Galleries of Scotland. I was drawn to it and immediately wanted to see the original in the museum.
Once I got to the real thing, I stood looking at it and took the above photograph. Here are a few reasons I love it:
It feels very sure-handed. The strokes are bold and certain.
The subject matter is real and hard, rough around the edges, rather than a pristine Victorian scene.
The color palette is composed of peaceful earthtones.
The painting is by Scotsman James Guthrie. He preferred painting “en plein air” or outside, which was less common in his day, though gaining popularity. James was mostly self-trained, leaving his law studies at Glasgow University to pursue art. He leaned toward real-life scenes others might have considered unrefined — gypsy campfires, field laborers, and shepherds were among his subjects.
His work resonated, though, and in his later years he was one of Britain’s most sought-after portrait artists, president of the Royal Scottish Academy, and soon after, a knight.
How does this painting strike you?
For more on this painting and the artist, head over HERE after your retreat.
Another of his paintings:
In the Orchard by Sir James Guthrie | National Galleries of Scotland
Stewardship, from Eric Liddell
Above is an audio version for those who prefer to listen.
Stewardship
Let’s consider stewardship this month, as October feels like a wonderful time to take stock of the back portion of our year, and how we will spend it.
Today we have a few words from Eric Liddell. If you’ve seen the movie Chariots of Fire, you know a bit about the life of this Scotsman who famously won Olympic Gold in 1924. Twenty years after that win, he was in a World War II prison camp in China, where he was a missionary. Even though he was malnourished, painfully separated from his family, and had a growing brain tumor, he spent his days comforting other prisoners with scripture, nurturing morale, and taking on extra physical labor to help others.
When his body was too debilitated to go on, he was taken to the prison hospital. Outside his window, a few men came to play music. Eric sent a request through the nurse, asking them to play his favorite hymn: Be Still My Soul.
Be still, my soul! The hour is hast'ning on
When we shall be forever with the Lord,
When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love's purest joys restored.
Eric left behind an inspiring little book called “The Disciplines of the Christian Life,” whose manuscript circulated around the internment camp. He died and was buried there in 1945.
Here is an excerpt from his book on stewardship, following his discussion of our relationship with God - as debtors moved to repentance, servants called to loving obedience, and children drawn to love. The fourth relationship, he says, is that of a steward:
“If I borrow money I can use it as I please; the only obligation is to repay at the appointed time. Here I am a debtor. A steward is not so. What he has is not borrowed for his use, but loaned him on trust, to be used as his master desires. His obligations are twofold:
He must use his master’s gift according to his master’s will.
He has no obligation to repay but must give an account of his stewardship when his master asks for it.
This is what we mean by saying we are stewards of God’s gifts. All that we are, all that we have, and all the latent possibilities within us are God’s gifts, to be used according to his will and for his glory. Some day we must render an account of our stewardship.”
He proceeds to outline various kinds of stewards:
A wise steward (Luke 12:43).
A foolish steward (Luke 12:47).
A slothful steward (Matthew 25: 24-30).
Lastly, Mr. Liddell, mentions God’s various gifts and how they might be stewarded:
Stewards of our bodies. See Romans 12:1
Stewards of our minds. See Philippians 2:5
Stewards of our memories. See Philippians 4:8
Stewards of money, possessions, lands, education, gifts, and time. See Luke 19:11-27
Let’s spend a few moments looking up these various passages and jotting down how they relate to stewardship in our own lives this month.
For example, “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,” words from Philippians 2, might prompt us to consider how we are stewarding the moments we have to serve and to show love. As Eric wrote, “All that we are, all that we have, and all the latent possibilities within us are God’s gifts, to be used according to his will and for his glory.”
This month, how might we prioritize stewarding our days well? This isn’t another obligation to add to a busy schedule, but a paradigm shift for viewing the entire rhythm of our week. Stewardship can lead our decisions.
RESPONSE
How might we approach our home today through the lens of stewardship?
Pilgrimage
Standard retreats offer the chance to step into a new environment, which in turn sparks creativity and curiosity. We are at home today, which we love, but how about a quick virtual trip to a new spot? You never know how it might inspire your art, the stories you tell at bedtime, or even future travels.
It’s a beautiful Fall day in old town Edinburgh!
Bundle up and step out into the bustling, historic streets. You’ll want to spend all day exploring, popping into places here and there, so I’m just going to point out a couple ideas as you go.
First, stop in for hot chocolate at Alandas. If it’s warm, or later in the day, you can alternatively choose their gelato, but the hot chocolate is so tasty that you will soon-thereafter purchase a small blowtorch, marshmallows, sprinkles, and wafers so that you can replicate it at home.
Chocolate in hand, stroll around the corner to Greyfriar’s Kirkyard (churchyard) and walk among the headstones for a bit. This church opened its doors on Christmas Day, 1620, which is about one month after the Mayflower landed with 100 pilgrims in the New World. Stepping around a graveyard is a humbling experience, all at once pulling us into the past and nudging us toward our own future. Make your way, slowly, to the back section, and you can find a burial spot that no one else, unless they are also on this mini-retreat, will be visiting — that of Jane Borthwick. She is the beautiful, anonymous young woman who translated Be Still My Soul, making it available to her Scottish homeland in 1855. (Jane was mentioned above in the song section.)
As you look, you will hear people around you murmuring “Harry Potter” and here’s why. This churchyard is said to be a place where J.K. Rowling picked up a few of her character names like Tom Riddle and McGonagall. While not a confirmed fact, tour guides have certainly made the most of the opportunity. You will see the groups gathered near the back wrought iron fence, just behind Jane’s grave. There looms the towering stone school, George Heriot’s, supposedly the place Rowling’s children attended, and the inspiration for Hogwarts. She did, in fact, work on the original manuscript in a nearby cafe, now a pilgrimage site all its own.
Let’s head now a bit north toward the National Galleries. It’s about a 20 minute walk, with lots to take in along the way so take your time. You will not regret purchasing a wide Scottish Tartan wrap scarf, available everywhere you turn, so that you might display it over your sofa at home during the Christmas season. If you happen to see a charity shop or church rummage sale, make sure to grab an old book or relic that has seen years of Scottish life.
As you walk, imagine all who walked these same streets before you. Or ran, as in the case of the aforementioned Eric Liddell. In the 1920s, he could be seen racing city buses from the sidewalk as he attended Edinburgh University. Another year, you might have brushed arms with Edinburgh natives like Alexander Graham Bell, Robert Lewis Stevenson, or hymn-writer Elizabeth Cephlane. Artists like James Guthrie, mentioned above, would have passed by too, perhaps carrying his art kit and a sketchbook.
Speaking of which, if you’re so inclined, rest on a bench for a moment and sketch part of a scene in front of you. Quick, messy lines will do. You’ll look back later and be glad you did.
The National Galleries of Scotland will be the perfect place to step in from the cold and enjoy a little art. You will find it very nicely laid out, intuitively directing you toward paintings that feel, and are, Scottish. Admission is free, so you will be at liberty to stay as long or short as suits you.
An advertising banner near the front might feature an enlarged image of The Hind’s Daughter by Sir James Guthrie, which will do its job of drawing you in. Its the style of art that feels sure of itself, and might make you think — I’d like to paint like that. The original is just up ahead.
Progress through the gallery halls. If you see a painting that really draws you in, pause and read more about the artist. Or jot down the artist's name to read more about later so you don’t have to be on your phone. Knowing the story of the art makes it so much more enjoyable.
Once you begin to feel like you’ve seen enough art for the day, make your way toward the exit. Museums are best departed on a high note rather than in exhaustion. But wait — don’t leave without stopping in the gift-shop! Grab a postcard of the art piece that was your favorite. You will love using this as a bookmark back home, or framing it for your wall as a memory of this illuminating visit.
Time to head back out. There’s Franco Manca sourdough pizza nearby if needed. Enjoy the day, rambling around town, feeling blessed by the beauty. If you’re able to squeeze in time for a meal at the Sheep Heid Inn (14th Century!) followed by a hike over Arthur’s Seat (or vice versa), you won’t be sorry, unless it’s cold and raining. And even then, you won’t be too sorry.
If you have traceable Scottish ancestry, you will love incorporating a bit of that into your day. It’s remarkable to imagine walking the same roads as those who you came from, the lives that led to yours. And consider jotting down a few notes from your day, journal entries that the generations after you might enjoy.
And if there is, by chance, a candlelight concert scheduled for the evening at the famous St. Giles Cathedral (the church of John Knox, who is buried in the parking lot), make absolutely sure you go.
Edinburgh, Scotland
Isn’t it splendid to think of all the things there are to find out about? It just makes me feel glad to be alive—it’s such an interesting world. It wouldn’t be half so interesting if we knew all about everything, would it? There’d be no scope for imagination then, would there?
-Anne of Green Gables, by Lucy M. Montgomery
Studio Table
Scottish Tartan Art
Today we’re making a simple tartan pattern. Feel free to use your own colors or replicate what we have here. Don’t worry about perfectly straight lines. Embrace the mark of the maker. The handmade look is beautiful.
If interested, read more on the history of tartan here.
Project Instructions
Use the arrows to scroll through
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Gather Supplies
Thick Paper, 2 Brushes: 1 wide, 1 thin, 4 acrylic or gouache paint colors (I used green, navy, red, white), water, optional- ruler and pencil
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Sketch Lines
If you’d like, use the ruler to sketch a grid of the size you want. I began this way, but then found it was easier for me to just paint on my grid, as shown in the next photo.
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Paint Background & Stripes
I began by painting the entire background green. Then (disregarding the sketched lines I had made) I simply used the thicker brush and made navy stripes, about 1 inch wide.
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Create Plaid Pattern with Navy
Now paint the same stripes horizontally, creating something similar to a large tic-tac-toe board.
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Paint Thin Red Stripes
Now, take the thin brush and paint thin red lines on top of the navy stripes. Embrace the handmade look, the mark of the maker!
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Paint Thin Crossed Lines
Now paint thin white lines that intersect over each green section.
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Enjoy your Tartan
Think of a creative way you can use your Tartan pattern - maybe a frame mat with a black and white photo on top, Or slice it up to create Tartan bookmarks.
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Bookmarks
To create bookmarks, cut your paper into even strips.
Monthly Reset
Scroll through the questions and prompts below to help recast vision for the month. Record responses in your journal.
End your retreat with a 20-minute walk around your neighborhood
Listen to Be Still My Soul, peaceful music, or walk in quiet
Notes and Sources
Hymn Lyrics can be found here.
Liddell, Eric. The Disciplines of the Christian Life. London: Triangle, 1985
Hamilton, Duncan. For the Glory: Eric Liddell's Journey from Olympic Champion to Modern Martyr. New York: Penguin Press, 2016.
Get a sense of the Edinburgh streets in this video.
“Caritas” is based on the hymn Ubi Caritas, traditionally sung on Maundy Thursday during Lent. The first line translates to “Where charity and love are, there God is.”
The entire hymn has poignant words, but I thought this second verse was especially fitting for now. Here it is translated from the original Latin:
Where charity and love are, there God is.
Therefore, whensoever we are gathered as one:
Lest we in mind be divided, let us beware.
Let cease malicious quarrels, let strife give way.
And in the midst of us be Christ our God.
Take a moment to listen to a gorgeous rendition of Ubi Caritas here, by Joel Clarkson, with some additional thoughts on the hymn here.
DETAILS:
This listing is for an 11x14 inch Fine Art Giclee (Reproduction) professionally printed on beautiful Archival Canvas Paper.
Framing: I recommend accompanying this print with a white or off-white mat in addition to a frame.
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SHIPPING:
Shipping currently available for all items within the continental USA, plus Canada and the UK on most items. Local pick-up also available.
Please allow 3 weeks for shipment arrival, possibly a bit longer outside the US. Thank you for your patience!
Retreat Gift Shop
COAST WALK is based on a breathtaking adventure in Camden, Maine. But more than the specific location, it’s ultimately a symbol of gratitude for a life of adventure alongside the people I love -- whether it’s a coastal path, or running through the sprinkler in the front yard. With gratitude and eyes to see beauty, seems like almost anything can be an adventure.
This listing is for a Fine Art Giclee (Reproduction) professionally printed on beautiful Archival Canvas Paper.
Framing: I recommend accompanying this print with a white or off-white mat in addition to a frame.
Please allow about two weeks for printing and shipping. Shipping will be added at checkout.
I want you to be completely satisfied with your purchase! Please contact me with any issues.
This piece was significant for me. At the end of Day 1 of quarantine and social distancing during Covid-19, I was feeling overwhelmed by the weight of the world — everything from the rapidly spreading virus, to what I’d make for dinner.
We stepped out for a family walk in the last light before sunset and the sunset struck me. Isn’t it amazing how beauty is so much more striking in darker times? I snapped a photo and replicated it with my oil paints the next day.
It’s a reminder of hope in the midst of chaos, and certainty in the midst of uncertain times.
This listing is for a Fine Art Giclee (Reproduction) professionally printed on beautiful Archival Canvas Paper.
If you do not see the size you’d like, please contact me and I will be more than happy to let you know if it’s available.
Framing: I recommend accompanying this print with a white or off-white mat in addition to a frame.
Please allow about two weeks for printing and shipping.
I want you to be completely satisfied with your purchase! Please contact me with any issues.
Children’s Books!
MISS PRIM GOES WILD
Historical Book that both children & adults enjoy!
Lilibet the Brave
The Unusual Childhood of an Unlikely Queen