Sitting here in Starbucks, I am looking back on my Sabbatical, which was a deeply spiritual experience for me. With limited resources and an aging, diabetic dog, I chose not to go too far away or for too long a period of time. I made several trips to the mountains of New Hampshire and the Adirondack. After all, the Bible says, “The mountains shall bring peace to the people.” And the psalmist declared, “I lift up my eyes to the mountains-where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of Heaven and earth.”

It is also important to mention that The Basin in the Great North Woods is my #1 outdoor prayer spot. I have been committing things (big and small) to God there since 1975.

I was very blessed to have attended the Rhythms of the Spirit retreat at Canonicus, our very own camp and conferencing center. I also attended an all-day workshop there on Preaching from the Gospel of Matthew. And, I scheduled a two-day personal retreat at Motter hoping to ‘be still and know that God is God.’ I only lasted a day and a half with that experience but just as I was walking out the door to leave, my eyes fell upon an old book by a seminary professor I once met named Maria Harris.

The title of her book is, JUBILEE TIME, Celebrating Women, Spirit, and the Advent of Age. JUBILEE TIME is written with the verse from Leviticus mentioned above at its center.

The book is described as a work shimmering with wisdom and joy as Maria brings a special gift to every woman facing who she is now and who she may become in the years and decades ahead. It starts with the Biblical teaching that the fiftieth year marks a time for celebration and refection as the embarkation point of a new journey. Harris helps women enter the second half of life with refreshed spirituality, an increased freedom, and a richer sense of themselves.

The book was my constant companion during my Sabbatical and continues to be. There is so much from the book, I still need to learn such as: How to embrace my inner elder, how to discover the freedoms of growing older, and how to become my most authentic self.

I guess you could say I am still learning to keep the Sabbath holy. It is my prayer that you, too, are finding ways to honor the Sabbath and to celebrate your personhood, the Spirit, and the advent of age.