Welcome to the September Mini-Retreat
A place to restore the heart, refresh intentions, & rekindle creativity right from home
preparation
This small retreat is self-paced, designed to fit your unique schedule. But here are a few considerations to get the most out of the time you’ve set aside.
Reserve an hour on your schedule, or two 30-minute blocks of time. If you want to complete the Creative Project at the same time, I think about 2 hours total will work. Settle into a quiet corner of your house, preferably away from laundry, dishes, and distractions.
Light a candle, or switch to 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. 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.
Gather your supplies:
Journal & pen/pencil
Items for the Creative Project, listed below in that section
Recipe adapted from the Deliciously Organic cookbook
Opening Prayer
Song
Scripture Reflection
Spotlight
Monthly Outing
Reflection from the Past
Art Observation
Month’s Reset
Creative Project
It seems a helpful retreat is constructed from intentional time removed from daily life, even if it’s only one hour, spiritual focus, restorative and helpful direction, and enlightening and interesting bits of knowledge to spark the imagination. And of course, something tasty!
Retreat Rhythm
Themes
Stillness, Stewardship, & Scotland
prayer
Let’s join together to pray the very words of Christ over the next year. Let’s reject thoughtless recitation and give each line the consideration it deserves. To think - Jesus chose these very words to give us to talk to God!
Response
Consider writing out the prayer
Record any thoughts that are sparked
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.
song
Be Still My Soul
by Katarina von Schlagel
Translated by Jane L. Borthwick
Be still my soul, the Lord is on thy 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 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! 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.
Scripture references:
A Bit of Background:
This hymn introduces us to two women from two difference countries.
author would have surely been surprised to hear her lyrics are still sung when she wrote them 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! 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.
100 years after Katarina wrote the song in German, it was read by a Scottish woman, Jane Borthwick, who worked to translate it into English, along with other German hymns. It has been sung around the world ever since.
Reflect
Consider what is causing your soul to not feel still today. What issue or concern is agitating or full of angst?
Click play on the song below and either listen to the words, or follow along in the hymnal image below.
Journal any thoughts you have, or record a few favorite lyrics.
Reflection from the past
Eric Liddell
a motivating picture for a life lived anvsdnvasdj
If you’ve seen the movie Chariots of Fire, you know a bit about the life of Eric Liddell, the 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, weak, and had a growing brain tumor, he spent his days comforting other prisoners with scripture, playing games with the children, and taking on extra physical labor to help.
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 one song: 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.
He died a few days later.
During his imprisonment, separated from his wife and children, Eric wrote these words:
“Circumstances may appear to wreck our lives and God’s plans, but God is not helpless among the ruins. God’s love is still working. He comes in and takes the calamity and uses it victoriously, working out His wonderful plan of love.”
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. Our trials are where the rubber meets the road. Will we choose to trust?
Scripture Reflections
Stewardship
I have been thinking over stewardship this month, as September always feels, to me, like a reset for the back portion of the year.
Because all blessing come from God, I am a steward, which implies a daily commitment to faithfulness in how I use the gifts he’s given.
I’m inviting Eric Liddell to join us today for a few words. He left behind a wonderful little book called “The Disciplines of the Christian Life,” whose manuscript circulated around the internment camp in China where he died in 1945.
Here are a few words from Mr. Liddell:
“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 (Mattew 25: 24-30).
Lastly, Mr. Liddell, outlines 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
Reference:
Eric Liddell, The Disciplines of the Christian Life (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1985), [insert page number].
“Circumstances may appear to wreck our lives and God's plans, but God is not helpless among the ruins. God's love is still working. He comes in and takes the calamity and uses it victoriously, working out His wonderful plan of love.”
- Eric Liddell
art
Argenteuil
by Claude Monet
The day that Eric Liddell won gold in Paris, Frenchman Claude Monet was a few miles away, struggling to get paint on his canvas. Monet had already achieved international acclaim for his distinctive painting style, but in recent years, his eyes had failed him. Operations helped a little, but ultimately, the distortion is evident in his work.
Claude Monet had helped form a group of artists, inadvertently called Impressionists. Critics saw their unusual approach as blundering the popular realistic style of painting by making it blurry, incomplete, and unrefined. Others praised it, understanding that these artists were aiming to capture the impression the scene or subject evoked, focusing less on detail and more on essence.
Critical to Monet’s approach was the element of light. He loved to paint “en plein air” or outside, which was less common then. The ability to look at the real subject matter in natural sunlight has a significant effect on the work. The colors and shadows are vivid and true to life. Monet’s study of light was revolutionary.
Impressionistic artwork speaks to something deeper. When standing close, it’s hard to see the bigger picture. The brush strokes are abrupt, nonsensical, and merely look like messy swipes of color. But from a few feet back, with a little distance and perspective, the scene is grasped in its fullness. And so it is with our lives and the Master Artist who has the full picture in mind.
optional retreat add-ons
Pilgrimage
An enjoyable element in a more standard retreat is the chance to be set into a new environment, which in turn sparks creativity and curiosity. We are at home today, which we love, but occasionally it’s a treat to virtually travel to new spots. You never know how they might inspire your art, writing, or even future travels.
Today’s Retreat Outing:
National Galleries of Scotland
Churchyard, Jane Laurie Borthwick
Hot Chocolate shop
It’s a beautiful Fall day in Edinburgh, Scotland. Let’s explore!
Bundle up in your coat and scarf, and let’s step out into the bustling, historic streets. You will want to spend all day exploring, popping into places here and there, so I’m going to point out a few places to get you started.
First, let me recommend a divine little hot chocolate shop called Alanda’s. If it’s warm, you can alternatively choose their gelato, but the hot chocolate is so tasty that you will soonafter purchase a small blowtorch, handmade marshmallows, sprinkles, and wafers so that you can replicate it all at home.
Once your hot choc is in hand, stroll around the corner to Greyfriar’s Kirkyard (churchyard) and walk among the headstones for a moment. This is always a humbling and inspiring experience, nudging one to contemplate both the past and their own future. Make your way, slowly, to the back section, and you can spot a burial spot that no one else will be there visiting, that of Jane Borthwick. She is the beautiful young woman who translated Be Still My Soul, making it available to her homeland in 1855. We are grateful for Jane’s life work.
Jane ____
As you look, you will likely hear people around you murmuring “Harry Potter” and I’ll tell you why. This churchyard (Kirkyard) is said to be a place where J.K. Rowling picked up a few of her character names (check—-) and, if you walk over to the back gate, behind Jane’s grave, you will look through the wrought iron fences and see a looming stone school, George Heriot’s School. This is, supposedly, the place Rowling’s children attended, and the inspiration for Hogwarts.
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 rummage sale inside a church, make sure to grab an old book or relic that has seen years of Scottish life.
The National Galleries of Scotland will be the perfect place to finally step inside from the cold and take in a little art. You will find it very nicely laid out, intuitively directing you toward paintings that feel iconically Sottish. Admission is free, so you will be at liberty to stay as long or short as suits you.
An advertising banner near the front featured an enlarged image of ____, which you might immediately know you’d like to see in person. You might be drawn to the face of the girl and the style of art, very sure of itself. Don’t worry, you will see the original shortly.
Progress through the gallery halls. If you see a painting that really draws you in, pause to look up and become aquatinted with the artist. It will make the art much more enjoyable.
(insert a few iconic peices here)
Once you begin to feel like you’re all set on art for the day, make your way toward the exit. Museums are best exited on a high note rather than exhaustion. But wait- don’t leave without stopping in the giftshop! 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 in search of your next treat. If there is, by chance, either a candlelight operetta __ concert in John Know church that night, a small Sara Groves concert happening during your stay at ___, make absolutely sure you go to one of those, preferably both.
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
simple creative project
Supplies
Pencil
Watercolor Paints
Printed hymn sheet provided
Monthly Refresh
Scroll through the questions and prompts below to help recast vision for the month. Record responses in your journal.
Collective Excellence
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