What do you get when you combine a beautiful lake/mountain setting with good food, good weather, 20 female, adult women and a gifted facilitor? This past weekend, my experience at Camp Cross Episcopal Church Camp, was just that right combination of ingredients. What did I get? A spirited, warm, invigorating experience of fellowship and reflection.

Even though I have experienced this setting before, I wasn't so sure that I wanted to attend this time. I've had a busy summer and maybe it would be just nice to sit at home for a weekend - but a sense of duty to the Camp and to the facilitator drew me there even against my wishes.

I grumbled a bit about the book that needed to be read in advance, I grumbled a bit about the props that needed to be in my backpack, etc., etc. After the first evening session, which was very "nice" I went to the labryinth before breakfast and talked to God a bit about the way I was feeling.

I prayed at the labryinth entrance and then found myself giving a quite stern scolding about my attitude, asking that God forgive me for carrying a grumble into this beautiful place, with other Christian women, good food, etc. What did I expect? I should be entertained? I should be given everything to make ME happy? I turned that around and suggested firmly to myself that I should be looking at what I could offer to the sessions, rather than what I could get out of them for me! I think God agreed with me on that subject and upon leaving the labryinth I felt a weight lifted - a weight I didn't even realize that I had been carrying.

It was a wonderful weekend, fellowship, reflection - the kind that women, I think, can engage in more readily than men - that truly female style of open, unafraid, trusting sharing.