Retreat: Day 3

We woke up with a lot to do. My goal was to leave for VT at 9:30am. Before we could leave I wanted to have breakfast, load the vans, clean the lodge and have one last meeting time by the fireplace. It didn't seem possible.
We broke everyone into work groups and tried to leave the lodge looking better than we found it. I am always pleased with the work we can get done when everyone does their part. I had to manage the crews a bit, but for the most part, it all got done right the first time.
While the vans were being loaded and the lodge cleaned, Nancy and Nancy reported to me on the beach. I had not been down there to see it all weekend. They suggested having the students walk down and having one last quiet moment together. They suggested we walk to the "sign" and have them walk from the sign to the beach in silence. I had never seen the "sign" but thought it sounded like a good idea. They had no idea what I had already selected to share with the students.
We did one last walk through and the lodge looked great. With everyone waiting by the vans I said, "Let's take a walk". I followed the Nancy's to the "sign" and we stopped. We were standing in a white pine forest. Most of the trees were 6-8 feet around. The ground was a bed of soft needles. The "sign" was posted at the intersection of roads. The roads were part of the camping area. One led to the beach, one to the lodge, and two others into the woods.
As I had everyone gather in a circle in the middle of this intersection, I took out the short piece I wanted to read.
"Two paths diverged in the wood. And I...I took the one less traveled. That has made all the difference". Robert Frost
I then read two sections of scripture that dealt with choosing to either follow God or not. To not follow after God, is to be a like a tree that is planted in dry ground. The tree has difficult time surviving let alone producing fruit. It has no future. In contrast, the tree planted by the river. Its roots grow deep and strong. Even during a drought, it is still able to produce fruit. That tree, like the person who chooses to follow after God, has a secure future.
In silence we walked to the beach. The sky was blue, the air was crisp and the autumn colors created the most amazing sight. We just stood there by the waters edge. In that quiet moment, we each had a chance to choose our path.
An amazing end to an amazing weekend.