The Restory Retreat Centre

  A Christmas Story “Stay alert. This is hazardous work I’m assigning you.  You’re going to be like sheep running through a wolf pack,  so don’t call attention to yourselves.  Be as shrewd as a snake, inoffensive as a dove.” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭10‬:‭16‬ ‭MSG‬‬                       CAROL OF THE FRIENDLY BEASTS Jesus, our brother, strong and good Was humbly born in stable rude And the friendly beasts around him stood, Jesus, our brother, kind and good. I, said the donkey, shaggy and brown, Carried his Mother uphill and down I carried her safe to Bethlehem town, I, said the donkey, shaggy and brown. I, said the cow, all white and red, Gave him my manger for his bed, I gave him my hay to pillow his head, I, said the cow, all white and red. I, said the sheep with curly horn, Gave him my wool to keep him warm, He wore my coat on Christmas morn, I, said the sheep with curly horn. I, said the dove, in the rafters high, Cooed hi...

Advent: Hope   "Simeon holding Jesus" Painting by Russian painter Andrey Shishkin (2012) Luke 2:25-35 The Conversation Elements From The Conversation Music “Oh! May the God of green hope fill you up with joy, fill you up with peace.....” Rom 15‬:‭13 (The Message) ‬                     With our love. George & Matilda

The furniture I am making for our new granddaughter fascinates and puzzles Skhumbuzo. His two nephews living with them in the house are almost 3 years old and they are still sleeping with their mothers. No cribs or special chairs or cupboards. While I am making the rocking chair he looks at the components taking shape and the plans lying on the work table. “This is so beautiful. And strong! But what do you use this chair for?” “The mother sits in this chair with the baby in her arms and when it goes backwards and forwards, the baby goes to sleep easily. It is a rocking chair.” “That is so clever. I think it will also help with the feeding. Every time the chair with the mother goes forward the milk of the mother will flow quickly into the baby’s mouth.” I haven’t looked at it that way. Nowhere did I take the theory on the momentum of mother’s milk into consideration.  Perhaps I should have designed the chair with a brake of sorts. After all, a pitch...

Photograph by Elliott Erwitt, New York City 1953 We cannot attain the presence of God because we're already totally in the presence of God. What's absent is awareness.                                                                                          David G. Benner In a previous post ( Klein Kaper ) Matilda wrote about the new arrival in the household, the kitten named Patat (Patat being Afrikaans for sweet potato and commonly used as a term of endearment especially where children are concerned). Lately he is often called Tappet as well (Tappet is an English word used in Afrikaans to describe a person somewhat rough around the edges. For some reason “tappet” just does not have a similar meaning in English). Since Matilda introduced him he has g...