As soon as I came back to Canada and without unpacking my luggage, we went to Paris, Ontario, for a staff and volunteer leaders' retreat the next day.
One of the programs for the day was an hour of silence and solitude for all the participants at the retreat.
This hour of silence and solitude allowed participants to take time out from our busy schedules to pray and reflect on our services to God, at the church and for our Christian faith based community centre.
The Five Oaks Retreat Centre in Paris, Ontario is a nice, quiet place away from the noise and actions of city life.
Whenever I am in the countryside, surrounded by trees, rivers, forests - God's creations, I feel God's love and His presence enveloping me.
Today, it was no exception. God's presence was very real to me as I strolled and meditated on this beautiful retreat ground.
Enjoying such beautiful environment, I was reminded once again about God's love and His grace and blessings for me (for more than half of a century) and my family.
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| A labyrinth at the Five Oaks Retreat Centre, Paris, Ontario |
In the afternoon, one of the retreat leaders shared with us the difference between a maze and a labyrinth.
She encouraged us to meditate and seek to be close to God during our walk through the labyrinth on the retreat ground.
We learned that both a labyrinth and a maze could be a complicated irregular set of passages of paths where it could be difficult to find one's way out.However, in a maze, one goes in one way and comes out another way. But in a labyrinth, one goes in and out at the same spot. And the centre of the labyrinth represents finding God.
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Everyone took time and walked at his/ her own pace. While walking the labyrinth, I prayed to God to show me His way and begged for His mercy on the unbelieving members of my family.
After finished walking, we sat down and shared with our team members our experiences.
I thanked God once again for this opportunity so that we could be silent and quiet for a few brief moments pausing and reflecting on our spiritual lives and our relationship with God.
R.T.
Five Oaks Retreat Centre
Paris, Ontario
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