Quality Time

 

I had the opportunity to help lead a retreat over the weekend.

Overall, the weekend was very good but two moments stuck out to me more than any other. 

 

First, I asked Facebook for some suggestions on songs dealing with love.

I received a lot of great song suggestions and promptly put them on the playlist. 

What I did not expect was that the playlist would be so popular and that participants would sing-along.

But sure, enough, as we were painting rocks to give away as random acts of kindness,

The ladies all started singing, 

“Just like me, they long to be, close to you,” and 

“All you need is love, love is all you need.”

The spontaneous singing made me smile.

In general, we don’t burst into song enough!

 

Second, while doing a group storytelling activity,

The ladies cackled in laughter!

One person would say two or three words, then the next person would say something, then the next, and then the next.

I don’t remember what exactly the stories were,

But I know that they included bears and flamingos and visions of God and lots of other very random things.

 

The retreat was focused on the five love languages. 

One of the five love languages is quality time.  

Time sitting together and singing, 

Time spent listening to one another, 

Time telling stories, 

Time laughing,

Time crafting,

Time studying scripture,

Time reading liturgy…

All of that time was quality time

With one another 

And with God. 

 

May we be a people of quality time, 

Loving though our presence and intention, 

Bursting into song, and 

Living life together as co-creators with God. 

 

Amen.