retreat at home

I'm lucky to live alone and have the opportunity to take retreat time at home. Not only could I watch the moorhens but there has been space for all the parts of a retreat that I needed: time for reading and thinking as broadly as possible, this time accompanied by Walter Brueggemann's new book (he's my all-time hero) The Word that redescribes the World, Fortress 2006 – how up-to-the-minute is that! I feel so energized for preaching and living when I read his stuff, and normally I don’t find time because it needs slow-cooking in my brain and parish life doesn’t accommodate that too well. And so good to be at home with my moorhens and others! I've also spent time praying, cooking, sleeping and walking. Those are the usual components for me when I go away on retreat but this time I've also had the internet to blog and keep in touch non-verbally with the world. I need to know what's happening in order to pray well. I've also had my neighbours in the hostel for people who find themselves homeless popping in for extra equipment donated by other parishes and kept here, and for food from Elijah's cupboard. E's cupboard is a special space in my kitchen kept filled with food and drink by people from St Katharine's Matson. It never runs out - just like E's cruse of oil and jar of meal which he left with the widow and her son. God's abundance in tins!