silence and rodeos

our gateway week finished off with a silent retreat on saturday. we were told it would be 6 hours of silence in a state park in east texas in the middle of the summer. i was looking forward to the alone time and the silence (having done a silent retreat in the past) but not the heat. i went into it without expectation and that may have been my problem. on my previous retreat i went in with specific expecations and He changed all of them as the time progressed. so this time, i went in without any so that He could do whatever. so perhaps i set it up for His silence as well. i found a boulder with a perfect hollow in it for sitting and sat down there by the lake and opened His Word and my heart. and just silence. it was a good quiet time but no real serious revelations like many of my classmates and not like the last retreat i did. the time didn't extend to the full six hours but many of my classmates had great thoughts of wisdom during their time. i don't begrudge them that and i appreciated hearing them as we debriefed at the end of the time. i just wasn't expecting silence.

last night most of the class went to a rodeo in mesquite. despite having lived in texas most of my life, i had never been to a rodeo before. after the evening, i have no desire to ever go again. it seemed cruel to the animals as well as we had one guy that got stepped on and could have had a serious injury. i was appalled. at least the company was good. we had a great time driving up with amy, myself and miriam in the backseat laughing hysterically about lots of nothing. and added in sam, sarah and carmen for the trip back with what surely must be made up games by sam to pass the time.

i didn't get to bed until 245 this morning and i am tired today but as the day goes i am getting more awake. crazy!