To retreat or not to retreat? The confirmation was somewhat comical, but obvious nonetheless. The header on the conference site announced the theme of Breathe 2010:
Selah- Pause and Listen
I guess it may be time to live up to my name, lol.
 

Praying Hands in Garden of the Gods, I think that's the right rock formation. Copyright 2010 Sensory BIble Experiences.
 
No joke. Apparenty there have been three other conferences, but I just found out about Breathe this year. The price was right and no air fare was involved, the fridge was stocked and the house in mostly-clean order. The timing could not have been better. Producing an event like Infuse 2010 is great fun, but is challenging. My brain was checking out long before I pulled out of my driveway for the "just right" drive south.
 

Panoramic view of a valley in Garden of the Gods.
Copyright 2010, Sensory Bible Experiences.
 
The breathtaking views of Garden of the Gods (see handy image above) beckoned to me from the road leadig up to Glen Eyrie. I needed this. What followed was one of the most enjoyable retreats my soul has enjoyed to date. In this economy, that is a very good thing. The worship was moving and intimate, the workshops informative and engaging, and I met several new brothers and sisters in the Lord with creative tendencies and better yet- most are local to the area!! It took me a whole day just to let the adrenaline drain from my brain and veins. In fact, I ended up staying an extra day. Oh yeah, it was what the Heavenly Doctor ordered. One of the highlights was singing several part harmony under a night sky with some of my new family. We shared our struggles, blessings, answers to prayer and how the retreat had inspired us.
 
 
Pike's Peak with gratuitous spot. Copyright 2010 Sensory Bible Experiences.
 
Now I want to go back for Via Affirmativa, another conference there in August. Yes, I'll make time. Some things can't wait that long again because a creative brain is a terrible thing to wear out.  Stay tuned for the review or better yet, join us there! Until then, don't forget to pause and listen to His still, quiet voice in your spirit. I promise to take my camera and actually show you what Glen Eyrie Castle and Grounds look like this time. A camera phone just won't do for this kind of beauty!

The plans are being made, the camper readied,the time set aside. And I'm exhausted. Do you ever pour so much of yourself out into something that, when you do want to create, there is little left? That was me this last few weeks. This is my chance. I may just pack all my painting supplies and just...paint. And maybe take one book besides my Bible. Sometimes you have to seize the trip for one purpose. For me it will be to rest in my love of painting; it is my chroma-therapy and my act of worship unlike any other. My heart just did a flip. That is a good sign. No, that is a great sign.

Cabin fever has officially set in. I am ready to get out of town. Where do you go when this happens to you? What do you do if budget, time and distance are slightly limiting? When I lived in California, my favorite thing to do was drive to Carmel and walk into all the great shops there. I would enjoy art, delicious food and then walk down to sit on the pristine white sand. The view of the water and sunshine on my face are a bit distant in memory now that I am in cold and snowy Colorado. It is about time for a family camping trip me thinks! Any suggestions?
 
 

I'm willing to put my wheels where my mouth is...
 
One of the best ways to refresh creativity and allow God to talk with us is to get away from our regular routine. Whether you go with friend or alone, "Come away and get some rest..." (and fresh perspective). A well-planned outing to a new location or a road trip can literally bring you back to your senses.
 
First Exit: Boulder
Some friends and I took a jaunt to Boulder in early November. Since I spent some time in Santa Cruz, California, I look forward to visiting places with a similar flavor and flair. Boulder delivered. In fact, it seemed like the perfect cross between the coastal town and the open air mall in Boston. Our first stop: the famous Daneshabe Tea House.
 

 The artwork is lovingly hand-painted.

 

 
The best part of this mouth-watering feast for me was finding Mexican-style ceviche (seh-vee-cheh), a fish cocktail made by letting the fish marinate in lime juice for several hours. Tomatoes, onions and spices complete the flavor and you scoop it onto corn chips or, in this case, crispy-sweet plantain chips. It was fresh and light! Their famous Ginger Bread Cake was another story, it was dangerously dense and rich, so we passed it around and each had two or three bites. Oh yes, the Berry French Toast I shared for dessert was delectable with my Garden Romance tea, a gentle infusion of rose petals, jasmine and other flavors.
 
 
The Tea House has all manner of tea cups and pots or sale. http://www.boulderteahouse.com/

We took a quick browse, as one Australian friend woudl say, and then walked through the farmers' market.
 
My eyes were drawn to the vibrant hues below. Can you almost taste a sweet, crips bell pepper? God really is the Master Artist and Lover of variety. Look at how the colors blend flawlessly and harmoniously.
 

 
 
Then it was onto the Celestial Seasonings plant and headquarters.
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Had it not been for my first taste of Lemon Zinger, I may never have taken to tea at all. Save for obligatory green or jasmine tea at asian restaurants, I was tea-impaired. Celestial was the first company to combine unusual flavors in such a creative way. Now I am a fan of their Roastaroma, Vanilla Hazelnut, Coconut Chai and other innovative blends.
 
 
The breathtaking artwork used for various tea box designs hangs on the colorful lobby walls. Next time you are in front of these tea boxes at the story, be sure to look at each carefully as they are truly magnificent. We were also enthralled by a whimsical collection of tea pots on display as we sampled teas and waited for our tour to begin.
 
        Skinny tea, anyone?
My favorite? An oriental art-inspired piece that could be in any world-famous gallery.
 
The various scents swirled around us, tickling our nasal passages and beckoning us to move onward. We learned about the various stages the tea leaves go through during the preparation process. The tall stacks of bins were labeled with various pure herbs, flowers and of course, the tea leaves themselves which are kept separate and are mainly for green or black though they also have white and red tea shipments.
 
    Dinosaur kettle.                                             Rusted metal barn teapot.       
 
 
I wish we had been allowed to photograph this next part of the tour, but alas, you will have to use your imagination. Picture a large gate rolling upward to reveal bags upon bags of peppermint and spearmint teas. You are prepared to meet the tour guide's challenge to enter the room and stay for at leas one minute. No problem. In you stride confidently and breathe deeply. At first the invigorating smell is amazing, waking your brain and making your toungue tingle. Now your eyes are tingling...no stinging... Suddenly your throat begins to itch and tears begin to form where the stinging started. You can't get out fast enough. The reason they close the gate on the Mint Room is that the smell is so pungent that it will pollute all the other flavors of the tea and actually be perceived for miles within one week if not closed. Now that's minty fresh!
 
 

A porcelain beauty.
 
The intricate system of conveyor belts and wrapping machines was at a non-production day standstill, yet we were astounded to find out that this modest plant produces thousands of boxes of tea each production day. To top off our tour, we headed to the gift shop and enjoyed picking up varous items to enhance our recollections later. We stocked up on favorite teas and on the special holiday ones like Gingerbread Spice and Sugar Cookie Sleigh Ride. It turns out that the company that has acquired Celestial's line of teas, the Heins company, also owns Alba and Jason natural skin products and the products were available at a reduced price. I couldn't resist and picked up some Kukui Nut Body Cream-mmmm; it smells like a Caribbean vacation!
 
After the tour and a lovely chat outdoors, we shared appetizers at a local restaurant and proceeded to Peppercorn. This is no ordinary cooking store. This is a two-story culinary resource and tool emporium chock full of every food preparation book, accessory or gourmet product and appliance you can think of, and then some.The napkin rings still sparkle in my mind's eye. The thought of experimenting with some recipes from the specialty cookbooks I perused still make my salivary glands prolific. I purchased a snazzy, hot pink, two-sided spatula for myself and we pitched in together for another to give to our group leader. Some shortbread to nibble on the ride home completed my purchases for the day, and we piled into the car, bellies and senses satisfied to our return home to our usual lives.
 

Tea kettle or modern art?
 

I promised myself that I would savor this life using my senses as teachers a few years ago. This getaway was an invitation to leverage my senses in order to push my creativity a little futher. It's time to take some risks and thnk outside the proverbial tea box. My taste buds explored an old favorite coupled with a sweet alternative to the tired torilla chip.  I tried a new tea combination and loved it. My artistic perspective was refreshed as I looked through the camera's eye for a change. Why not produce story-book, color-saturated art of high quality and put it on a box of tea? Why not take an everyday, utiltarian object such as a tea kettle and celebrate its artistic potential? How can you make a spatula more fun and functional at the same time?
 
  
Go forth, creative and faithful ones, and may the Rock of Ages make you bold-er indeed.