When diets and detoxes aren't enough

It's that time of year again ....

• to shake off the dust of regret and disappointment

• to diet

• to detox

• to devise ways to a better new year

We live in a world where many are facing demands that are overwhelming;
where work is taking up more and more of our time;
where we have less and less time for the things that REALLY matter .....

( See: https://theconversation.com/no-its-not-you-why-wellness-isnt-the-answer-to-overwork-42124)

SO - How is your soul?
How is your relationship with Jesus?

 
Maybe, just maybe, it's time for designing the relationship with him that you truly desire?
 

As you face the prospect of returning to work on Monday, realising that the festivities are over for another year, maybe you realise that actually it was no holiday - it was fairly demanding. In every part of you.
 
You're exhausted and in need of a bit of dieting and detoxing in body and mind!

And your spirit needs it too.

A fresh new you is the whole of you - body, mind and spirit. 

Time to BE and reflect and be refreshed.

For each part of you to be renewed - in body, mind and spirit

Maybe it’s time to treat yourself to a day or three away from normal routines?
To have space and time  - to sleep, read, reflect, redesign ...

To re-discover the person God intended you to be. 

"The place and space you have created is something very precious and special and tranquil and of God" -  Rhiannon, December 2015

"Thank you for peaceful breathing time at your lovely home.  My two-day stay at The Vine has played a huge part in the story of my life..." - Linda, November 2015
 

Make this the time for a fresh new you -  in body, mind, and spirit. Plan to go away somewhere special; get the time in the diary and you'll have it to look forward to. It's something you won't regret!

One place you could go, of course, is
THE VINE at MAYS FARM:  
 

•  A HOME AWAY FROM HOME THAT ISN’T HOME 
• PEACE AND TRANQUILLITY   
• BRACING WALKS (with the option of the dog!)
• AROMATHERAPY TO COMFORT AND RELIEVE
• DEEP COMFY BEDS AND FLUFFY TOWELS
• HOME COOKED LOCAL PRODUCE; wine with supper; traditional afternoon teas
• A RHYTHM OF CHAPEL PRAYERS -  CANDLELIT COMPLINE, MORNING  MEDITATIONS
• 1:2:1 SESSIONS OF MENTORING, COUNSELLING, SPIRITUAL DIRECTION AVAILABLE
• WINDOW SEATS AND WOODBURNER STOVES
• OH, AND BREAKFAST IN BED.  

Full details here:  www.thevine-at-maysfarm.com - photos, prices, calendar and availability

BOOKINGS NOW OPEN FOR JANUARY - JULY 2016

to book a fresh new treat,  email
penelope@ministriesbydesign.org

ARE YOU TIRED? WORN OUT?

Come and enjoy this place of spiritual sanctuary – and warmth.

You can sit …. read …. pray …. Think

Or just sit.

And be renewed and refreshed, as you step away for a while from the busyness of your demanding stressful life, into this place of quiet and rest.

Lovely warming fire in the retreatants' sitting room - installed just today!

Imagine sitting here awhile to enjoy BEING

Come for a day.

Come for a weekend.

Come for as long as you need.

Come for refreshment, renewal.

Come for remaining in the Vine (John 15:4)

More details on the Retreats page – click here to reach it

Designed with you in mind

You've had -  or are about to have -  your much-longed-for summer holiday. It's good. Great even. Slowing down, relaxing, enjoying a different pace of life.

But then.

Then there's a long time until the next opportunity to relax. And actually, you realise you didn't necessarily draw much closer to God while you were away. You meant to. But somehow it didn't happen. There was the pool, the sea, the sand, the wine .. things to see and words to read and new opportunities ... and and and

So now you realise that you need a specific time of being intentional about allowing God to have more space and time and closeness.

You will have as much of God in your life as you choose. 

What helps you to choose?

Maybe a special place. A few days specially dedicated to allowing the Lord to speak into your life.

"I didn't think much would happen over these few days," confided one retreatant on Friday morning. "there was no actual voice, no Damascus road experienced. But God. But God spoke in a way I hadn't expected. And I'm going home determined to allow Him to go on drawing close to me. Now I know more of how to do that. Thank you, thank you."

I hadn't done anything in particular. Just provided the bed and the breakfast tray and the morning prayer; made a few suggestions; prayed.

And God did what only He can do and He came and He drew near.

Maybe you could do with some time to allow Him to do that. Some time over the next few months when you could take a day or a few days or a week, and step off the normal merry-go-round in order to wait upon the Lord.

It doesn't have to be a silent week. It might be, but there are other suggestions too.

There will be days designed with you in mind. Some will be a single day, some will be a few days, some will be a week or a weekend. What will you choose?

A week for writers to come and write in peace and quiet and then talk and share over meals times and other times and spark each other to write.

Days for apple picking and apple cooking and apple processing; looking at how and why we are the apples of God's eye. Cooking in the amazing designer kitchen with its Aga and electric gadgets!

Blogging - learning from one other, intentionally writing and getting on to social media, sharing good practice.

Fabric days - bring your scraps, use the ones here, and stitch and sew and create, while talking and sharing together.

Creative writing - set times to write on set topics, share and learn from one another.

Young leaders - bring your questions and queries, your challenges and situations, and learn from experienced clergy leaders about setting priorities, establishing values and building teams

Women clergy - groups of younger women in ordained ministry, coming for support and prayer, and sharing with those who understand the challenges and peculiarities!

There will be others. But these are designed with you in mind.

What will you choose? What else could you suggest?

Dates will be on the website/retreats in the next week or two - I'll let you know as soon as the dates are posted, so that you can book soon and not miss out!

You 'll need a few days at Mays Farm by the time the autumn is here.

and to whet your appetite - this week's progress in photos.  Enjoy.

A WEEK IN THE LIFE OF MAYS FARM

The front porch is clean and tidy; not painted yet, but welcoming nontheless

The back door - or are we in Provence?

Plaques for the some of the rooms arrive

Who is in which room and what they can’t eat .. week by week rota to remind me

Slient retreats - guests have breakfast in bed. Preparing the trays

Mud pies ...

…outside the breakfast room

trampling down the skip/dumpster to get more in!

rolling the heavy old stones on to the mud pies

getting rid of what was once a rockery

the courtyard is very nearly finished - complete with fire pit, which is in its early stages in this photo

Grand tidying up this week

Compline in the LIbrary by candlelight

Mission command

Last week’s walking retreat, passing through a corn field

The Library is very nearly finished

The apples are starting to fall.

Tomatoes from the polytunnel

The wildflower meadow is still flowering well

Rest, recent photos and reality

There is something very special about total rest. A not doing.

An enjoyment of being. Of taking time to be, to rest, to notice.

Last week I decided to begin taking a total sabbatical each week. A twenty four period of rest and refreshment, of not doing what I normally do. I blogged about it (HERE) and received comments, emails, tweets and even a note from others who perhaps already practise this, or want to, or hope to.

All I can say is - it works! For two weeks in a row, I have enjoyed a twenty-four hours refreshment, relaxation, rest. From 6pm Saturday until 6pm on Sunday. Last night, I slept for just over 10 hours. There was nothing to prevent me and I was relaxed from a pleasant evening which we had enjoyed with friends, eating al fresco in the walled garden. Today, as last week, there was church at 11am (informal this morning, led by the Licensed Lay Ministers, nourishing my soul). I was given bags of gooseberries - so there will be gooseberry fool or gooseberry pie for the retreatants who are coming next weekend!

Ah - next weekend.

Next weekend I start work! Yes, the first retreatants arrive for the weekend, the second retreat starts on the MOnday. So I will not be able to have my twenty four hour sabbatical from Saturday evening. Now what?

No problem, I have already put it into my diary - from 4pm Sunday to 4pm Monday. When is YOUR sabbath rest? When do you have to work and when can you rest?

This was Tricia Goyer's post on Facebook last week:

Good questions! I nearly missed out on a really great thing today because I forgot I had no schedule. Friends rang just after lunch to ask if they could come for tea and see the house.

The old me began to panic. No tea-type food, too much dust, things to do ....

The new me relaxed.

Sure, why not? I've nothing scheduled, come on over.

They brought cake. We had champagne in the fridge and smoked salmon.

We had an impromptu party in the walled garden. (which was much much happier than they all appear in this photo!)

One of these friends designed my new kitchen - which was installed yesterday.

I am blessed. I am refreshed. I feel as though I have had a retreat for twenty four hours.

Which is just as well, with our first retreatants arriving at the end of this coming week!

And here is a sneak preview of some of what they will find when they come - the house is coming together all of a sudden! This new ministry is about to be born.

Come soon? There's a quiet space waiting for you. And the countryside  is stunning.

What are you waiting for?

Spaces available from September onwards. Make sure you have your time booked in soon.

RETREATS at THE VINE @ MAYS FARM.

for retreats, quiet days, quiet spaces,

Spiritual Direction

leadership training

& mentoring

 

come alone

come with a group

bring your friends

your small group

your leadership team

A not-so-quiet Quiet Day

MbD planned a Quiet Day with a difference - for Easter Monday, April 1st.  Not an April Fool's Joke; more a vision of a spring-like day, people coming to spend some time joining in the Easter meditations, and then spending a few hours thinking, praying, helping out around the house and grounds. But we hadn't reckoned on the weather. Nor, that of the 14 who said they would come, most had to drop out, all for very good reasons. And when the forecast continued to promise temperatures of maybe as high as 3C with a windchill factor taking it lower, the day was cancelled.

Except that 2 stalwart friends and their (grown up) son said they would come anyway and help out for a bit and then we could all warm up with a pub lunch at half time; only the son didn't want any of the "retreat thingy" bit.

So the retreat thingy bit was put on hold - maybe for Easter next year, for it was all planned. And they and we donned our thickest warmest work gear and set out.  I chose the polytunnel - well, it's marginally warmer than the raw outdoors; and I am longing to get planting so that we have seedlings to transplant to the rest of the wilderness soon.

And as I worked, alongside a friend at first, and then alone, there was that companionable silence when there was prayer and thought and decisions. God didn't speak as such; but He felt nearer than sometimes. Experiencing God in a polytunnel is a new experience for me. But one I am already longing to repeat. I have been in again today, sensing  that it is, for me, a special place. One of those thin places.

It feels close to many of the illustrations used by Jesus. A sower went out to sow. A man planted a vineyard. (Our vine was pruned ...) A man had a field. 

Much was accomplished. Here are some before and after shots.

Above: found the chesse making trough, being reused/recycled at the far end

 Below: starting on the outside double privy

Above: beautiful carved wooden lock - for your privacy in the  privy !

Below: fresh air circulates into the privy

That was Monday. Today, Wednesday, the sun returned. I stood in the orchard, giving thanks for all that has been. for all that will be, at Mays Farm.

Tea in the orchard, anyone? In July or August? See below for how you could come and enjoy that as our guests.

Don't forget that you could come on one of the Preview (free) Retreats this summer - there are still one or two places still available, and details are HERE.  But do ask soon for your invite -  we have been amazed at the response and how many people want to come!  So ask for details and an application form and come on Retreat at this very special place!

Blessing upon blessing upon brokenness

It's not easy, buying a house. Or selling one. Like most people, we are currently doing both. At the same time as a complete change of lifestyle, ministry, work, business, geography and space. Like many people. So there is excitement, anxiety, stress - and blessing. Blessing upon blessing, many of them small blessings, each of them seeming to be God's provision, timing, leading.

On Thursday afternoon, we stood in the Piggeries at our new home.

The Piggeries!

We don't actually own this house yet. But the Aga for my new kitchen was being delivered, and it is being stored in the Piggeries for now. My husband found the Aga on ebay - a mere 5 years old, unwanted and eventually unbid for. No-one wanted to pay the enormous asking price, I suppose.  We couldn't; but a few emails and phone calls later, and a 4 door cream Aga is ours for a mere fraction of what it should have cost. Just like the house itself -  ours was the lowest offer,yet for some unearthly because heavenly reason, our offer was the one accepted.

The Aga was moved and transported it for us by an amazing father and son team - the son is a young man with severe learning disabilities, but able to help his father in their family business of redistributing Agas. It was humbling to see them working together, interacting, chuntering and cheering at each other. They slipped the Aga into a large piggery, and promised to be back when the kitchen is ready for it. And while we were there, back in London a dishwasher was popped into our garage - unwanted, surplus to requirement and would we like it for our new home? As we don't own one (all the appliances in our current kitchen belong to the church) we were delighted to accept.

The new kitchen needs designing. It's currently 4 areas separated with partition walls, with old uneven stone floors and not much else. But a friendly kitchen designer has offered her services - for free. My ministry of Retreats and Quiet Spaces in this new house needed setting up with a company, a trust, a Board of Directors, a Charitable Status. It's all being done for me - kind friends, congregation members, acquaintances  - giving freely and generously of their time and expertise; and suddenly Ministries By Design is a Company registered at Company House, and charitable status is on its way.

Others, whether friends known for a long time, or friends known only through Twitter, are offering time and prayer and skills for later when we could do with people to paint and decorate.

Or give the double aspect some TLC:

IMG_1400

Blessing upon blessing.

And as for the huge financial needs - I don't want to go into specific details, but I can mention loans, small gifts, grants (even one to pay the removal costs, as moving without a job to go to means there is no removal payments) donations, provisions.....  A long way to go yet, but enough so far to mean we can move ahead.

Blessing upon blessing, undeserved and unmerited.

At 5 am on Saturday morning, we were both wide awake. Heads full of plans for new kitchens or big physical tasks like laying underfloor heating. Too busy to sleep. Coffee in the kitchen in the darkness of an early morning, laptops wide open. Excited, anxious, worried, gleeful, perplexed.

Wondering whether we are totally mad. Wondering whether I will really be able to do what I feel called to do. After all, I've had 2 years off work, coping with PTSS and depression and broken dreams. I CAN'T DO THIS. WHAT MAKE ME THINK I CAN HELP OTHERS, especially those younger women clergy whom I long to support and encourage?

But then I re-read this, and knew the truth of it:

Many have found that their broken dream was an open door to a better dream that could ONLY come through brokenness.

And I remembered:

Attempt something so great for God that it be doomed to failure unless God be in it.

I am being blessed in and through the brokenness.

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." 2 Cor 12:9

Where have you experienced unexpected blessings?

Where are you finding grace and power perfected in your weakness?

Might you encourage me too by sharing those?

WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?

I am writing a daily blog (Monday to Friday)  on preparing spiritually and physically

to lead a Pilgrimage of 100 miles in September.

for details of the Pilgrimage, click on the dropdown Cotswold Pilgrimage bar at the top of this page 

I’ve been posting about retreats recently –

ideas for a 24 hour retreat

http://www.ministriesbydesign.org/2012/06/12/refresh-renew-recreate-retreat/

thoughts on a 10 day silent retreat

http://www.ministriesbydesign.org/2012/06/13/bubbles-and-silence-a-10-day-retreat/

special places to go for a Retreat

http://www.ministriesbydesign.org/2012/06/20/760/

A one minute retreat anywhere anytime

http://www.ministriesbydesign.org/2012/06/21/a-one-minute-retreat/

And today I want to urge you to do one or more of these things.

To spend some time alone with God.

To BE in His Presence.

Even if it’s just a minute.

I’ve been reading Elijah’s story this week. http://www.amazon.com/Readers-Guide-Bible-Chronological-Reading/dp/1415871051/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1340347029&sr=8-2&keywords=Guthrie+Chronological+BIble

How he interacted with life and then withdrew for spiritual sustenance.

Braving Ahab and then being ministered to by ravens sent by God at the Wadi Cherith. A most remote place yet a place where God tenderly looks after him.

Staying quietly with a widow and healing her son, and knowing the Lord’s provision daily.

Calling down fire from God on the soaking sacrifice, ending the drought and showing God’s power.

Fleeing to a cave when his life was threatened and an angel providing him with food, and the same at the next cave.

Feeling all alone, the only one left who worshipped God; and then the privilege of knowing the Presence of the Lord – the still small voice in the sheer silence.

The times of solitude were not easy for Elijah.

But it was then that he knew the Lord and experienced Him in unimaginable ways.

Thomas a Kempis wrote in the 15^th Century:

The person who wants to arrive at interiority and spirituality has to leave the crowd behind and spend some time with Jesus. Nobody’s comfortable in public unless he spends a good deal of time in the quiet of his own home. Better to lie still in one’s cubicle and worry about one’s spiritual welfare. Worse, to roam the streets, a wonder-worker for others, to the neglect of one’s own spiritual life.

God tells us, as he told Elijah – Go and hide yourself by the stream.

It’s there that He will tenderly minister to our needs.

Does busyness really fulfill you?

What prevents you from making times of solitude, even if it’s just one minute,  a part of your everyday life?

Can you trust God to give you all you need through times of solitude with Him?

WHERE TO RETREAT?

I am writing a daily blog (Monday to Friday)  on preparing spiritually and physically

to lead a Pilgrimage of 100 miles in September.

for details of the Pilgrimage, click on the dropdown Cotswold Pilgrimage bar at the top of this page 

WHERE TO RETREAT?

I am often asked for recommendations of places to go in order to spend time alone with the Lord – places for retreat, where there is peace and quiet, beauty and solace.  Time to be, uninterrupted; maybe with a comfortable bed and a large bath. Not too expensive. Nearby.

And so on.  We each have our list of requirements.

Mostly, I am asked for places in Great Britain.

So I began to make a list.  It's below if you want to read it.

But I would love more input on this.

Where have you been on retreat?

Would you recommend it? Why?

What was good – or not-sot-good – about it?

What person might it suit?

What type of retreat might it be best for?

Was it relatively affordable?

What else can you tell us about it?

Here’s some suggestions of what I have already gathered;

for beauty and peace and quiet, I love and highly recommend Launde, Harnhill or St Beuno’s! And you? What's your favourite Retreat Centre?

Good resources:

http://www.eden.co.uk/directory/christian_retreats_10.html

http://www.retreats.org.uk/

LONDON

CITY

St Katherine, Limehouse, London

http://www.rfsk.org.uk/

Retreats and Quiet Days in the centre of London between the City and Canary Wharf with easy access to the West End. Residential/day

NORTH LONDON

The Guy Chester Centre, Muswell Hill

http://www.chestercentre.org.uk

Day/residential   Courses, retreats, workshops

EAST of ENGLAND

The Chelmsford Diocesan House of Retreat, Pleshey, Essex.

Near Stansted/Chelmsford

http://www.retreathousepleshey.com/

Retreats, courses.  Day/residential

Mulberry House, High Ongar

http://pastoralcentre.nationwidechristiantrust.com/pages/3.htm

Retreats, courses, healing prayer. Day/residential

CENTRAL

Pelagos

Latimer, Bucks

http://pelagos.co.uk/

good day centre for retreats, Spiritual Direction, Courses

Turvey Abbey, Beds

www.turveyabbey.org.uk

day /residential, for retreats, for prayer, for rest and relaxation

Buckend Towers, St Neots, Cambs

http://www.buckden-towers.org.uk/

Day/residential. Spiritual guidance available

LAUNDE ABBEY, Oakham, Rutland

http://www.laundeabbey.org.uk/

Day/residential. Courses, retreats

WEST

HARNHILL,  Cirencester, Glos

http://www.harnhillcentre.org.uk/centre.htm

Residential/day. Emphasis on Healing prayer

SOUTH

The Emmaus Centre, West Wickham, Kent

http://www.emmauscentre.org.uk

day/residential  Retreats

The Peshurst Retreat Centre, Nr Battle, E Sussex

http://www.penhurst-retreat-centre.org.uk/

day/residential  Retreats,prayer,counselling

WALES

NORTH WALES

St Beuno’s nr St Asaph, Snowdonia

http://www.beunos.com/

Residential Ignatian centre: retreats, Direction, prayer

PEMBROKESHIRE

Ffald-y-brenin, Fishguard

http://www.ffald-y-brenin.org/

Residential/day. Retreats,prayer

SO: your comments and suggestions please!