Hot Fun in the Summertime!
Updates from Ronnie and Cindy...
Three years ago this week (how in the world did it pass so quickly…) my last “Keeping the Faith” syndicated column one to press. For new readers, I wrote that weekly column for some 15 years, and it was published in now nearly extinct instruments known as newspapers (I really miss newspapers, by the way). Here’s a few words from that last column:
“In the blistering heat of the 2006 summer, thousands of protestors flooded American streets calling for immigration reform. Israel was in an armed conflict with her neighbors. Nuclear tensions were high with Iran and North Korea. Tainted spinach was going down the garbage disposals of homes far and wide. It seems that little has changed over the years (except for the bad greens), yet there have been massive changes…And here’s one more: After a decade and a half of weekly deadlines and more than half a million words spilt onto paper and screen, this is my last ‘Keeping the Faith’ column. Oh, I still have faith to keep - and I’ll have plenty of future words to speak, write, and put into book form - but following the pandemic, months of recovering from “Long Haul Covid” (ongoing), seeing my now adult children launch into the world, and my wife downsizing her career - I know these changes call me to concentrate on other things, things that might go undone without my full attention.”
My attention (when not directed toward the work of A Simple Faith) turned to ReNew, the non-profit Cindy and I founded back in 2017. We moved ReNew from being singularly focused as a “physical relief” organization to being a “spiritual relief” organization. We want to help others recover emotionally, spiritually, and holistically from trauma, exhaustion, and the difficulties that are far more challenging to rebuild than a storm-damaged house. “The Rusty Goat,” our coastal farm and retreat center under construction, has been the centerpiece of this work. And the work is paying off.
Later this summer we will hold an open house for you to visit and see the retreat for yourself, as it has been completely refinished with a new kitchen, an additional handicap-accessible bathroom, new electrical and lighting, significant upgrades to the pool area, and so much more. Please stay tuned for that exact date (after Independence Day but before Labor Day), and make plans to be our guests. In the meantime, contact me directly if you would like to volunteer at The Goat. We have a flooring project that remains unfinished, and on the outside of the retreat house, a porch to replace and pool fencing to build. We also have a large unexpected expenditure: The 50 year old well is failing, and a new well will have to be installed at a cost approaching $10,000. Any help you offer is appreciated (current financials are below).
Cindy is still collecting bricks for our honor garden (all the pavers and supplies have arrived!), so if you would like to purchase one in memory or in honor of a loved one, contact her directly at cindylmcbrayer@gmail.com. She will get you the forms and facts.
Thanks so much for staying connected. All our love - Ronnie and Cindy
“The Rusty Goat is a place of renewal for helping-professionals, care-givers, and those who would benefit from much needed rest and reconnection: Reconnection with nature; with quieter, unforced rhythms; and reconnection with one’s own soul in an unhurried rural sanctuary. We offer space for short-stay, no-cost sabbaticals and retreats serving individuals, families, and groups - with priority given to those who would not otherwise be able to financially afford such a time away. Our guests include teachers, clergy, healthcare providers, parents and care-givers of special needs children, recovering veterans, first-responders, and those who have been or who are on the frontlines of providing the most challenging physical, emotional, and spiritual care for others. When available, time and space is also be provided to artists, writers, and other creatives in search of respite.”
