We Just Came Back from Retreat – What Did You Learn? Let’s Share Our Stories

Retreat Learning Experiences

I always try to learn one thing from each retreat, conference, sermon, or class. More than that and I burn out, get to overwhelm and bury the whole learning experience. Why do I dig for the lone lesson? The following quote says it well:

There is only one thing more painful than learning from experience, and that is not learning from experience. ~Laurence J. Peter

Plus, it is in the learning experience that I hear from God. And I like hearing from God. Hearing what He wants me to learn. . . . How to grow. . . . Find that next step.

Learning is not compulsory… neither is survival.–W. Edwards Deming

This retreat was no exception. I learned. Not what I expected to learn though – like something about the spiritual disciplines. Actually it was more of an unlearning. And then a relearning.

The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.–Alvin Toffler

I am grateful that this Retreat weekend was a relatively calm experience. No major upheavals other than a lost notebook and being stuck in a handicapped elevator. Plenty of quiet, alone time to reflect, wrestle, and debate my thoughts and God’s thoughts.

There are some things you learn best in calm, and some in storm.–Willa Cather

And you, what did you learn? Before I spill my beans, gather yours and share. Then I will too. Let’s see if we can collect our stories, share them, discuss them, and learn/heal/love one another through this online experience.

Here are the guidelines . . . .

1. Write a post on your blog about a “learning experience” that is related to Retreat.
2. It can be in any format you choose: humour, pictorial, anecdotal, prose, serious, bullet form.
3. Post your entry at your blog. Then leave a comment here. If you don’t have a blog, submit your entry to susan2009 (at) gmail (dot) com. I’ll post it here for you.
4. After the deadline (July 5th) I’ll compile all the entries in one post.
5. Be sure to read all the entries and leave a comment.
6. Pass on this info to everyone who attended retreat. Wouldn’t it be FUN to have a bunch of us participating in this bloggy event? Who knows, our speaker may even participate, especially if we promise her socks, smiling faces, nods and the occasional wink.

Submission Deadline is 12 midnight July 5th, 2008.

Edited to add:

If you didn’t attend CNC‘s Women’s 2008 Retreat, you can still participate in this group writing project. Simply write about what you learned at a retreat you attended.