Secretaries' Retreat

This past weekbeginning (Sunday, Monday, Tuesday) I had the pleasure of attending the Church Secretaries' Conference/Retreat at Craigville Conference Center on Cape Cod. An annual meeting of women called to a common 'ministry', this event is an opportunity to connect with others who know my job only all too well. We all serve in differing capacities, from full-time office administration to part-time work in specific areas, but yet recognize and honor the common thread of our focus - service to God and our churches. In addition to attending an informational seminar on Safe Church Policy, we ate, played and worshiped together, strengthening our friendships and appreciation of and for one another.

A nature walk...

It may not have been the seashore, but it was a wonderful walk nonetheless! On Wednesday morning I joined a group from the Museum of Natural History for a pleasant trek through the trails of Beebe Woods in Falmouth. Once a privately owned estate, the densely forested acreage of this conservation area provides well maintained & marked trails for nature walking. I delighted in seeing many lady-slippers in bloom and renewed my appreciation for the beauty and rich color of the moss which skirted the trails. The kettle pond we encountered (The Punch Bowl), which was once thought to be "bottomless," enhanced and reflected the beauty of this incredible place. My thanks to our guide, Connie, for transporting us and introducing me another Cape Cod gem!

Whale watching...

Garett and I had the pleasure of doing some whale watching yesterday. We departed from MacMillan Warf in Provincetown at 10 am, aboard the Portugese Princess II of the Dolphin Fleet. The trip to Stellwagen Bank passed quickly as we traveled out of the harbor, the shoreline providing beautiful scenery along the way. Before long we were being entertained by the many whales we encountered as they surfaced, breached, rolled and flapped their tails in the chilly waters of the Atlantic. Much to my surprise, there was always a whale in sight! After about an hour of watching these beautiful creatures, we headed back to the harbor.

While on the trip we met a couple from N. Carolina who were visiting Massachusetts to attend a wedding. They were doing the whale watch to fulfill a lifelong dream...I think they got their dream's worth!!!

Well...yesterday's class with Ted Mullett was great...I learned some new techniques which I'll be spending lots of time playing with! As soon as I come up with a few creations, I'll post them.

I also started reading a new book yesterday - The Shack by Wm. Paul Young. Recommended by a couple of friends, it is already proving to be all they said it would be. A work of fiction, it tells the story of a man's face to face experience with God. Definitely a worthwhile read - lots of food for thought.

Well, off to do some needed organizing and decluttering...and more reading!