Sunday Sentiments-Quiet Backyard Retreat

With the close of summer there suddenly feels like a rush of 

frenetic energy engulfs our family.

The back-to-school schedule is at once an exciting and exhausting 

change from the slower pace of summer.  

I was grateful to be able to escape this past Saturday 

to a wonderful women's retreat 

for some time of reflection and renewal.

The hostess' property was a beautiful environment and the weather was delightful.  

Fresh breezes mixed intermingled with the warmth of the sun.  

We spent the entire day under her newly built outdoor fireplace/kitchen 

which overlooked old oak trees and the golden hills of the California foothills.

I wanted to share their beautiful backyard retreat with you. {iphone photos}.

 The theme of our retreat was establishing "sacred space" in your life.  

 Not just a "place" of sacred space;

but sacred space in the sense of creating intentional time.

Time to listen. Time for quiet. Time for the unexpected blessing to fit in.

Beautiful reflecting pool.

The sense of sacred space is the discipline of purposefully NOT 

filling up to and over the edge of your day, calendar and conversations. 

I wrote about carving out "space" in one of my first posts {here}.

 It is interesting to revisit the same concept of space again from a different perspective.   

Inviting quiet space into your life so you can "hear" 

what and where you are being led.

"Space"not meaning distance--but as in a special "margin of time".

Allowing others to have and share a moment because that margin exists.

Gifting that "space" to others who need that room to be recognized and heard.

Room for God to speak into the day. 

Sometimes all it takes is for us to pause...and listen first.

Sometimes we have to say "no" to something 

that may be just one good thing too many in the week: 

activities, noise and distractions.

Sometimes it means we turn off everything that has a switch.

Gorgeous outdoor stacked stone fireplace.

He  gently reminds us ... 

to "Be still and know that I am God." 

{Psalm 46:10}

He knows how busy we get by nature.

Creating sacred spaces that we keep clear...is a discipline we must learn.

Many home blogs talk about doing this in our our homes...

...creating a habit of clutter-free zones or 

purging and clearing out old "stuff" we don't need.

...I am reminded my heart and head need the same attention....

Sometimes there is more beauty in the potential of empty space 

than there is in having it filled up to the brim.

How will you create some sacred space in this next season? 

In your home and in your heart and in your day?