There's been a lot of good buzz
over the last few years around the concept of
Re-Purposing.
Women's decorating magazines, homesteading websites and craft blogs
have been showing us how to take one thing and turn it into something
completely different...a colander becomes a hanging lamp...canning jars
become chandeliers...thrown out pieces of whatever become collage art pieces. You can find lots of ideas at this
blog list if you are prone to reusing, recycling and re-purposing the things around you.
At Prairie Pond Woods,
mostly out of logistical necessity, my husband
and I started naming areas of the property right after we took
possession of it. We have the "fallen oak" area, the "larkspur slope"
and the "landing strip," to name a few. The landing strip is a long,
narrow patch of
land that separates two wooded areas and, if you needed to, you could
land a small plane there in a pinch. At the end of the strip sits an old
aluminum-sided lean-to. I never thought much about it, in fact there
was some talk about dismantling it, but lately I've been thinking about
turning it into a place of meditation and prayer. Yes, an old cow
shed...becomes a place to connect with God. Hey, it's happened before, if
you recall.
This
week, I will be feverishly working on the shed (alongside a wise, young
woman, who is bartering work at Prairie Pond Woods for a personal
retreat), in hopes of finishing it before the
Bird Watching as a Meditation retreat this coming weekend. There is much to do for sure...poor girl has her work cut out for her!
Dead Sumac trees need cleared out and the wood cut small for the fire pit going inside
The Entrance obviously needs re-worked
The weeds on the floor have been killed and now a layer of mulch needs to go down.
The Honeysuckle and Crown Vetch have
been eradicated on one side. Now new native landscaping must be
designed and planted so that it facilitates a feeling of peace,
seclusion and joy upon arrival. My hope is that as women spend time there, the simple act of being quiet and listening might bring about New Purposes in their lives.
NAMING CONTEST!!
So, here's the deal.
By Thursday, April 26 at 12:00 AM, I would also like to have the shed
named, so that we can make a barn siding sign to hang at its entrance.
So...calling all creative types to think of a great name for it (I
started calling it the Med Shed...but it lacks a certain flair). If we
pick your Name, I'll send you a copy of one of my favorite books by Ken
Gire called, Windows of the Soul..Experiencing God in New Ways.
See you outside!
Cindy
Monday began my week-long fall sabbatical for the year. I try to take an extended time of solitude at Prairie Pond Woods at least twice a year in the spring and fall. I do it for two reasons; one, so that I can de-stress, write, enjoy nature, commune with God and find my heart’s desire again (like Dorothy’s journey to Oz). The second reason is to encourage others to do the same. I’m convinced people need, and deep down want, time to be alone, to ask themselves the genuinely important questions and to soak in the inspiration from the wonder and beauty of nature. Our society just simply doesn’t honor these endeavors. Not flashy enough! Too self-indulgent! Too scary, maybe? 
There are only a handful of people in my circle of friends and acquaintances that I know of who take intentional time away from their lives…not to go on vacation (which is also important)…but to go somewhere lovely (or a hotel if that’s all you got) to focus on their inner life and listen to what God might be quietly saying within the sound of silence. 
So, for inspiration, this week I’ll be posting my sabbatical experiences. I realize most people can’t take an entire week off of work or running a household to do this. But I’m equally convinced most folks could take a weekend or a day, if we value and plan for it. At the end of this week, Heart By Nature is facilitating a retreat on how to simplify life, clarify values we hold in our hearts and plan a year (literally on a calendar!) that will yield the most fruit and peace. I call it a “Personal Phenology,” phenology being the study of what happens, where and when in the natural world. It is a principle that can be applied to our own goals, rhythms and circumstances.
I hope you will visit here during the week to catch a vision for what one can experience when there is no TV, high-speed internet, phone calls, obligations or people (even the little ones you love so much) talking at you all day. Perhaps sharing thoughts that came while walking The Refresher Course, or insights from a half-hour of listening prayer or photos from the 27-acres here at Prairie Pond Woods will encourage you to approach the new year differently…with more intention and more time spent living the call of God in your life.
