I woke up at 5:15 this morning. I just laid in bed very quietly since I didn't want to wake my roommate. But soon, she got up to use the facilities, so I got up, too. I stayed very quiet in the room and worked on my iPhone and my laptop with the free wi-fi from the office in the basement of our cabin. By 6:15, I figured somebody had to take first shower so I quietly gathered my stuff and took a shower. By 7, I was dressed and ready. (It always takes longer to do that when you're trying to be quiet. Every zipper and velcro opening sounds like a cymbal crash.) I went out to the dining hall deck again to reflect and write. Even though the sun is out today, it's much colder and there was a giant bank of puffy white clouds moving very quickly from north to south. Yep, there's a norther moving in.
I headed back to the cabin around 7:40, knowing that we had to be on the other side of the camp by 8am for breakfast. There were folks stirring around but I did have to wake up Christine so she wouldn't miss the taxi to breakfast. When the 5 of us arrived at the North Lodge, breakfast was well under way. Bacon was cooked and Heidi was passing out miniature pigs in a blanket (smokie sausages wrapped in half a crescent roll) that were oozing a butter and brown sugar glaze. I'd never had anything like that before, but I will certainly have it again if given the opportunity! Yum! What we were all waiting for was the pancakes that were being cooked on the griddle. . . with fresh, wild, Maine blueberries in them. Oh my! And it turns out, we had syrup that is tapped and made right on MRO property!! What a breakfast!!
After breakfast, there was a Sunday morning prayer service in the living room! How awesome is that?!! Ray and Ron are both ordained pastors and Randy serves in church ministry as well. Actually, Ben is going to Divinity School next week and Jed is a former youth minister. Marcus is a director of a Christian camp (MRO) and gives retreats all the time. Practically everyone in this family has been on one or more mission trips and served as a Sunday school teacher. It wasn't surprising that there was a prayer service. But that doesn't diminish at all how special this prayer service was. Little ones wandered around and sat in different people's laps, Marcus played guitar, we all sang, Ron had the service planned and led it but many folks chimed in and contributed. When it was time for the service to end, Ray spoke up and asked everyone to pray for Rodney's new chapter of his life, so we all stood and gathered in a tight circle. Rodney told everyone about his journey and where it's headed and Ray led us all in a prayer for his safety, his happiness, and his strength in answering the call that is taking him to Oregon. It was very special for Rodney and for all of us.
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