Retreats are such a treat

We had the privilege of attending the quad-classis retreat in Muskoka, which is a few hours north of where we live. We drove up with Trevor and Erin, some friends of ours who live in a nearby town. We had some great chats on the way up, stopped for delicious burgers and ice-cream (that's a tradition we're planning on keeping), and gazed out at the beautiful scenery. We arrived, checked in, and joined the group of about 40 other pastors and spouses in the Hub. It was a joy to meet all of these new friends. There was this insta-connection with them knowing we are all in the same boat. It was so encouraging and insightful to meet together and hear others' stories, gain wisdom, and share laughter. Our worship sessions together were awesome! There's nothing like hearing a group belt out praise and worship songs together. We were blessed to have a speaker, Dr. Tim Brown, from Holland, MI, who was incredible to listen to. On our last morning he recited the entire Sermon on the Mount to us in a way that made the Scripture come alive- it was inspiring!
Here are some shots of the beauty of the setting.




There was a shuffle board court which definitely was well used while we were there. It is such a fun game! It gets me excited for retirement age when I can play all day long.

The first morning we had the option of taking part in flower arranging or canoe racing. We, with our competitive nature, chose the canoe racing. Our team won our first heat (wahoo!) but then lost it in the finals because Zach and I accidentally sat on the wrong ends of the canoe, which, we learned, makes a big difference! Once we realized our mistake we turned our canoe around and paddled to the finish backwards. It was a hoot. We ended up with the bronze and earned the award for "the most comedic and original canoe team." Below is a picture of Ingrid and me, ready for the race.

Of course, a couple of canoes capsized- Brrrrrr!!!!

We had a lot of free time at the retreat. We spent it playing putt putt, tennis, volleyball, soccer, reading, and soaking in the beautiful weather. Below is a picture of Zach next to Goliath during putt putt. Every hole was themed around a Bible verse. I personally got my booty kicked by the Goliath hole. It took me five strokes just to get my ball through that little hole beneath Goliath's toe- Grrrrrr.

Our last night we played Survivor all together. There were a bunch of relay races and challenges to find out who could Outlast, Outwit and Outplay the competition. Below Zach is racing to help his team win.

The last challenge was one where you had to get untangled the fastest. Zach's group didn't uh...well...have a look for yourself.

What a treat to enjoy this time and meet new friends. We are very thankful that this is an annual retreat and we have it to look forward to every year. By the end we felt refreshed, re-energized, and ready to return home.