Sabbath time In The Mountains

                                          Grandfather Mountain Swinging Bridge 2021

I need a break. 

 I am an introvert with some neurodivergence. People are exhausting, and I need to think about introducing some boundaries in my life. I plan to spend time away using an old-fashioned pen and paper journal to write down thoughts, emotions, and anything else that comes to my mind. 

Thankfully, Brian and I will join some other family members.in Western North Carolina for a full week of the Mountain Cure. Pensacola is home, but I am an Appalachian Mountain gal at heart. There is something sacred about spending time in those ancient mountains that makes my soul sing. 

During this time, I'll take a wonderful mini-sabbath from " screen-time" and ESPECIALLY social media. Since my phone lacks a huge memory card, I will dump the day's photos to Facebook daily, Yet I'll NOT post anything else, nor will I lurk. More importantly, my Direct messenger will be OFF.  I'm not posting to Instagram, only Facebook. 

Additionally, {other than a few select close friends and my priest} I'm not answering text messages or telephone calls on my phone. { I HATE talking on the phone anyway} 

I'm planning to focus on being with Creator God, the family members who will be present there with me, and myself. Everything and everyone else can wait until I return home to Pensacola. 

The details are sketchy, but I need to also use this as a spiritual retreat.  My prayer book is already packed, and I plan to read Life Together by Bonhoeffer. All of my Bibles are too bulky for travel, but our Book of Common Prayer is overwhelmingly derived directly from Scripture. 

I'm packing my ukulele and instruction book. Piano is my first musical love {of course}, but I cannot easily transport my full-sized electronic piano to the mountains. Music is healing, and I've several drills and three songs that I am learning to play on the uke. 

" The mountains are calling, and I must go." ~ John Muir 

Shalom { this word is that can be used ANYONE who understands its meaning, I use it a lot because of its universal appeal}

Sarah Beth McCarren