The Grandkids

The Grandkids

Thursday, January 5, 2012

Marriage Reflections, Retreat, and Hocking Hill


Marriage  Reflections:
Marriage is a blessed sacrament, ordained by God, between a man and a woman. Two people truly become one as they discard their old selfish and independent ways and becomes one being united in selflessness and sacrifice.  Successful marriages are the gift that we give back to God .
 Although God blesses and sanctifies the holy union, like salvation we are required to put effort into what can be the most beautiful and blessed experience. The Lord  wants us to grow in our oneness as husband and wife. This requires continual self-examination and hard work.  In life’s endeavors one receives the benefits equal to the efforts expended yet in marriage God multiplies your contributions much greater than any worldly investment and produces true riches that never perish.
One of my observations is that strong marriages, those where the couples appear to really enjoy their life together and possess inner contentment, are those who share special moments and activities and have heavily invested in developing mutual interests and enjoyments. This usually begins with establishing positive and uninhibited communications. Which leads us to our Marriage Retreat to Hocking Hills.










Why go to Hocking Hills for a Retreat?
We go on marriage retreats to experience the joy of just being. To experience each other without all the distractions of life. It seems to me that one of the great gospel lessons is to stay focused on the one true goal. To eliminate all of the deadlines, pressures, and life requirements by retreating to a place where there is no agenda is how  we personally strengthen our mutual enjoyments in an atmosphere of stillness and nature.
People ask us “What do you do.” The answer is “not much” except be together without any plans or agenda. The only thing that we must do is eat when we are hungry, and walk the dogs. There is no cell or web access. We do not drive to get a paper while listening to the news.  The television does have cable so there may be a few rare moments when we just check to see if there was any great news but mostly we are “entertained” by soft classical music and at this time it is all Christmas classics. Mostly we are isolated from civilization and enjoy just being together with nothing planned. We are secluded in a natural wood cabin deep in the woods where we spend most of the time reading, writing, and cooking together. We have some gentle communication as topics occur and share what we have read or were pondering.
We may watch a movie, usually an old film noir, or relax at night in the hot tub. The day passes slowly and every moment if full a simple pleasure. We take the dogs on one or two hikes each day, dine on spectacular meals, and generally cleanse our minds of stress and worry. We can enjoy each other apart from all the issues of life. These times better equip us to remain one when confronted with daily challenges. Time disappears and even the day becomes vague as we seek to become lost in the moments of living.
We make measured progress in absorbing and discussions from the massive stacks of books that we have brought with us. Since we have no set agenda yet deep inside we hope to finish one book and many short writings and make good progress on many others. One of our favorite past times is to each read the same short story or essay and share our comments with each other in our personal study group. It is not just relaxing but more like the simplicity and beauty of Thoreau’s Walden Pond . Living in the moment to appreciate the grandness of life. To wander among one’s thoughts and creative urges while belonging to a timelessness that is captured by a falling snowflake, a cold Winter breeze, a warm glow from the fireplace while reading beautiful  French poetry or dining on an elegant meal of truffles with scrambled egg and wine. Uniting with nature and simplicity of life, in a cabin retreat, is linkage to a timeless past. Every age has had people who valued the terrible beauty and grandeur of nature in a relatively unrestricted state. 
Boring? Maybe to some but to us it is glorious!






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