Reading and Writing - Again!

I really thought I was finished with "school" when I retired from public education last June. But I guess school never leaves someone who "played" school as a child, taught school from age 22-48 years old (with a few years off to raise our children), and administrated at school as a 50+ year old. It must be in my blood. Or maybe it's not school that's in my blood, but a yearning for learning. I think that's it.

Anyway, I'm hitting the books again and writing responses to the reading. It's all a part of the Growing Deeper Spirituality program I am doing through the ZOE Group in Nashville. As usual, I've been a bit of a procrastinator in getting all of my work done in preparation for a retreat/residency in Nashville week after next. Reading Marjorie Thompson's Soul Feast and Holloway and Lavender's Living God's Love has kept me busy. I need to complete my response papers to these two books before I go to Nashville. That's not really hard. I just do a lot of "marinating" over my words before I "publish" when I am required to turn something in. Also have to write a spiritual autobiography. That one is finished in my head, but not on paper.

These readings and all of the prayer, reflection and contemplation associated with this program are revealing a lack of discipline in my life. Is it ever too late to develop self-discipline? I hope not! It's not that I'm not disciplined in some areas of my life. It has just become more and more apparent to me that I need to spend much more time with God alone than I have been doing most of my life. The time I have taken to sit quietly and just listen for Him has resulted in so much more than I expected.

I highly recommend these two books. They will challenge your thinking and introduce some new ideas for many.

Need to get back to the task at hand:hitting the books and getting those words on paper. This next week I'll be gone to a mini-retreat at a lake house near Austin. That should provide me with the final drafts of my assignments as well as provide an opportunity for some quiet relaxation.

Will try to post again before I leave for Nashville. Have a great week!