Tag: retreats

• “Family”

  About 40 years ago, I went “home” with Mim for the first time. We drove from Chicago to Kenyon, Minnesota, at least a seven-hour drive, the first weekend in December. In Kenyon, we picked up Mim’s mom, Selma, and drove another 15 miles to go to the St. Olaf College Christmas concert. Mim’s mom, who…

  Marian

  July 29, 2014

  Celebrations, God’s Love, Reflections, Reunions

  125th anniversary, 150th anniversary, Bill Gaither, branch of God’s family, childhood church, church family, church of my childhood, country church, family, family church, family of God, family reunion, friends, God’s family, God’s love, Gol, Gol Lutheran Church, home church, immigrated from Norway, Kenyon Minnesota, kindness, life changes, listening for God, love your neighbor, Messiah Lutheran Church, Otto Jacobson, Philip Yancey, reflections, Resurrection Lutheran Church, retreats, Selma Jacobson, sesquicentennial, spirituality, St. Olaf College, Willerup United Methodist Church

• Delicious Solitude

  During the month of October, the daily reflections in The Monastic Way pamphlet by Joan Chittister were on the theme of “Delicious Solitude.” I loved those reflections! Here’s a sampling. October 1: Solitude, like black olives, is an acquired taste. But once it touches the soul it is the only place where we can come to…

  Marian

  November 19, 2013

  God’s Love, Life’s Challenges, Music, Personal Retreats, Reflections

  Christmas Mountain, God’s love, Joan Chittister, life challenges, listening for God, Monastic Way, nest of noise, playing the piano, reflections, retreats, Sabbath, silence, solitude, spirituality, talking with God, The Monastic Way

• God Sent a Deer to Remind Me

  As a deer longs for flowing streams, so my soul longs for you, O God. [Psalm 42:1 NRSV] A young deer was cautiously watching me as I stood at my copier making a few copies of some music to put in my organ binder for Sunday’s church service. I spied her as I looked through…

  Marian

  September 24, 2012

  God’s Love, Life’s Challenges, Music, Nature, Personal Retreats, Reflections

  As the deer, deer, God’s love, Hans Margolius, Joan Chittister, life challenges, life changes, listening for God, my soul longs for you, nature, personal retreat, Psalm, psalm 42, quiet mind, quiet waters, reflections, retreats, Socrates, spirituality, Take time to be holy, talking with God, The Monastic Way, to see the world undistorted, unexamined life, unexamined life is not worth living, whispering winds

• Great Expectations for this week – 7 of them!

  For several weeks now, a friend of mine has been posting a list of three things she’s thankful for each day. Usually the lists are just that – three words or short phrases in a simple list format – just a quick statement of things she’s particularly thankful for that day. That practice got me…

  Marian

  July 2, 2012

  Blogs, Celebrations, Jail Ministry, Music, Reflections, Uncategorized

  blogging, church music, getting organized, goals, God’s love, great expectations, great-great-nephew, jail ministry, life challenges, life changes, Messiah Lutheran Church, monday mornings, past and future, personal retreat, pipe organ, reflections, retreats, safe travel, website changes, weekend guests, whispering winds, writing retreat

• Upcoming Retreat at Whispering Winds: “Wrinkles Don’t Hurt”

  Guest blog post by Pastor and Spiritual Director Joan Gunderman It is not difficult to talk and joke with friends about growing old, but how often do we have conversations with others about meaning, where we can honestly share our wisdom and peace, our fears and doubts, our faith, and the unique humor that comes…

  Marian

  May 16, 2012

  God’s Love, Group Retreats, Life’s Challenges, Reflections

  aging, aging and spirituality, God’s love, group retreats, inspiration, life challenges, life changes, reflections, retreats, spiritual retreats, spirituality, whispering winds, wrinkles

• Summer Small Group Opportunities at Whispering Winds… Starting this month!

        Joan Gunderman will be leading two small groups at Whispering Winds this summer. I asked her to tell us about these groups in today’s blog post. “Great Reads” 3rd Mondays, May-October, 7:00-8:30 p.m. Are you someone who enjoys discussing a good book with others who have read it, too?   You’ll have a series…

  Marian

  May 7, 2012

  Book Recommendations, Group Retreats, Reflections

  Bible study, book club, book discussion, book discussion group, change in my life, group retreats, imaginary jesus, retreats, sacred journey, small group, small group study, small groups, spiritual formation, spiritual formation group, spirituality, whispering winds

• Forgiveness – Challenge & Gift

  I asked Pastor Joan Gunderman to write today’s blog post. Joan and I have been friends for 13 years, ever since she started coming to our first bed & breakfast, Country Comforts, in the late 1990’s. Joan is a Lutheran pastor, retreat leader, and spiritual director.  Joan will be leading three retreats this summer at…

  Marian

  April 16, 2012

  Group Retreats, Life’s Challenges

  forgive, forgive and forget, forgiveness, gifts of forgiveness, God’s love, group retreats, Joan Gunderman, life challenges, life changes, love your neighbor, retreats, spirituality, whispering winds

• Eight Questions

  Eight Questions to think about: What wrongdoing is the hardest one for me to forgive? Why is growing old so hard to do, and why is maturity so under-valued? What is “centering prayer,” and is it something I should know about and maybe even do? Do I have any “spiritual gifts” – and if so,…

  Marian

  April 9, 2012

  Group Retreats, Uncategorized

  book discussion group, church, group retreats, public retreats, retreats, spirituality, whispering winds

• “I Saw Jesus”

  Early one morning a few days ago, I walked by Emma’s* room on my way to the kitchen to make a pot of coffee. I heard Emma talking, so I stepped inside her room to be sure she was okay. Emma is one of our two assisted living residents. She is 91, has dementia, and…

  Marian

  February 20, 2012

  E-Retreats, Lent, Music, Reflections

  angels, assisted living, e-retreats, God’s love, gospel songs, hymns, Lent, reflections, retreats, spirituals, The Scandal of Lent, visitors from heaven

• Parish Nurses, Nutty Knitters, and More Blessings

  This past weekend, a group of nine nurses gathered at Whispering Winds. Friday night was essentially a party, a time to relax and have fun together. Saturday was a more reflective time, an opportunity for sharing and contemplating ways to allow ourselves to be renewed physically, emotionally, and spiritually. I joined the nurses for some…

  Marian

  January 30, 2012

  Blogs, Group Retreats, Reunions

  Country Comforts, family reunion, farmhouse, God’s love, group retreats, parish nurses, retreats, reunions, whispering winds