My 47th Birthday

On Wednesday, September 29th, my 47th birthday...I went on a spiritual retreat. Because I think so many women need this I want to share my 2 day experience.

Red Plains Spiritual Center is run by a group of Benedictine Nuns. It is located close by in Piedmont, Oklahoma on 21 acres.

Their mission statement...to provide a safe environment where the inner journey of each person in honored.

They have a chapel and at 7:30, noon and 6:00pm they have a Benedictine tradition of lectio: reading and listening to the word. It is done by quieting body and mind, then selecting a short text and reading it slowly listening to it with "the ears of your heart" as oblate. When I participated with the Sisters we read Psalm 18.

I was given my own private bedroom and bathroom and use of the kitchen that was stocked with all good things to feed the body while you are feeding your soul. And good teas to choose from...ahhh!

There was a labryinth (a path for releasing, receiving and integrating). Unlike a maze the labryinth has no dead ends. There is only one path, and while it does have twists and turns, you can't get lost. The same path takes you into the labryinth and out again. With a labryinth you don't have to think or analyze or solve a problem. With a labryinth you just trust that the path will lead you to where you need to be.

You can sit on a bench in the middle...in the shape of a triangle which represents the Trinity.
You can just be.

I wrote a poem while I was there:

On My Birthday (9-29-10)

On the day my mother gave birth to me

On that day forty-seven years ago

I have journeyed round the sun

forty-seven times and was unaware.

I have stopped to pause and reconnect

with the part of myself that needs silence

the soul seeing the procession of days gone by

and the leaves of autumn scattered in the wind.

September holds me in her hand

ushering in a time of new beginnings

and endings of what was familiar

once more I am whirled towards the stars

...into the unknown.

I met and had Spiritual Direction twice with Sister Melissa. On retreat we step out of ordinary time, off the gerbil wheel of endless responsibilities, away from the shoulds and have-tos I burden myself with and into what T.S. Elliott called the moment in and out of time.

May Sarton wrote in her Journal of A Solitude - I lose my center. I feel dispersed, scattered into pieces. I must have time alone in which to mull over any encounter, and to extract its juices, its essence, to understand what has really happened to me as a consequence of it.

There is one bright star over the tree line...can you see it? I found myself looking for the river in my own life and am trying to surrender to its current. Contemplation is the prayer of quiet in which we are at home with God. We do not need words! We are simply being with God and enjoying God's presence.

Northwest Chamber Community Guide

Northwest Chamber Directory connecting business, people & community.
A Spot For Tea featured on page 9 highlighting Warr Acres!

The home of Putnam City Schools, the area includes portions of both historic Route 66
on NW 39th Expressway and bustling new commercial development along NW Expressway
including new hotels and restaurants.

Sandi Patty & Friends Concert

Last night my friend Jody took me to see Sandi Patty & Friends Concert at Crossings Community Church for my birthday. Sandi Patty sang with a full choir and it was unbelievable. Goose bumps....and tears unbelievable.

She sang with Heather Payne (formerly with Point of Grace), Larnelle Harris & Wayne Watson.

It was a real treat...thank you Jody.

September Birthdays/Route 66

We celebrated Blake's 15th birthday with our church youth group on September 8th.

It was a surprise after church on Wednesday night.

We celebrated Benjamin's 13th birthday Sunday after church on September 19th.
I made a chocolate cake and bought these funny little hats all because when the boys were small all the pictures on their birthdays until age 5 (you guessed it...funny little hats).

Eric and Benjamin

Benjamin had always wanted to go to POPS on Route 66

so we decided to take a little Sunday drive.

Arcadia offers on Route 66 landmark that dates back nearly 30 years before the Mother Road was routed, and another attraction that's nearly brand-new. If you're headed westbound (like the songs says you should), you'll first come upon Arcadia's old treasure; the appropriately named Round Barn.

The Round Barn was built in 1898. The round design was chosen with hopes that it would successfully survive any possilbe tornado hit. The barn is 60 feet in diameter, and 45 feet tall.

We decided to go exploring because we also had a 30 minute wait at our next stop.

A place called Pops, its a combination gas station/diner. In keeping with the soda theme, the store has an entire glass walls lined with bottles. There are 500 different flavors to choose from and local "brew" brands you never knew existed.

Flavors you haven't tasted since you were a kid, and of course, Coke and Pepsi.

I was on the look out for Chocolate Soldiers...anyone remember those?

This place is pure fun for the boys because they could choose any flavor with their cheeseburgers and fries.

Brock and Benjamin drank blueberry.

Happy Birthday Benjamin

As the sun set...I took a picture of the soda bottle standing 66 feet tall. Do you think that has anything to do with Route 66? It's the world's largest soda bottle.

And a vintage red Cadillac....you gotta love it...we got our kicks on Route 66.

Boys Will Be Boys

Blake #34 for PC North Panthers
Blake playing Defensive End

Brock and Benjamin suited up to play fall ball for Wolfpack #18 and Rockets #1

Benjamin at the plate

Benjamin on third base ready to come home.

Brock pitching

Brock's form throwing ball over the plate.


Eric and I have three sons playing fall sports....were running around in the evenings trying to make all the games.

Wouldn't trade a single moment with the boys for all the tea in China!

Integris Health Women's Forum

Integris Women's Health Forum

Civic Center - September 10, 2010

Meet & Greet

Kicking off the forum is Deepak Chopra. Acknowledged as one of the world’s greatest leaders in the field of mind body medicine, Chopra continues to transform our understanding of the meaning of health. Through his creation of The Chopra Center for Well Being in California in 1996, Chopra established a formal vehicle for the expansion of his healing approach using the integration of the best of western medicine with natural healing traditions, in both conventional and complementary healing arts. Chopra’s work is changing the way the world views physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and social wellness.

On the back stage of the Civic Center we were privileged to be the caterer for the Women's Health Forum Meet & Greet.

Light HD's - fruit, cheese & crackers and Fiesta Cheeseball

Flavored Iced Teas

Wine was served!

It was so neat to be behind the curtains for this Meet & Greet.

Over 320 attendees for this affair.

Klaribel's 4th Birthday

Sherry Sloan and granddaughter Klaribel Kirk

celebrating her 4th birthday

Rose Cottage - August 28, 2010

Sherry has worked for me for seven years and we had her third granddaughter's birthday last Saturday. Its always a joy to get to be a part of children's memories...its even more fun when the joy is shared with one of my employees who is like family. Klaribel is beautiful...don't you think?