Ladies Retreat 2018

There is no single event I look forward to more in the fall

than the annual Ladies Retreat held at Southland Christian Camp

in Ringgold, Lousiaina!

It is always a time of spiritual and physical refreshment,

a time to catch-up with long-time friends and to make new friends,

and a time to just unplug from our hectic, daily routines and stresses

and to get recharged for the super busy season just ahead!!

My family has noticed a pattern of "catastrophes" happening

while I'm gone on this weekend the last several years,

but there was a break in that pattern this year for which we were all thankful!

I was still struggling to navigate through some brand new vision issues

that were really distracting to me,

but the Lord knew what we all needed that weekend

and in His gracious kindness provided joy, rest, and gladness to

refresh our weary hearts and minds!!

One of my favorite Bible sessions was on Knowing the love of Christ.
Our speaker pointed out that you can use John 3:16 to understand

just how immeasurable God's love is for each one of us:

What is the breadth of His love?
"For God so loved the world...."

What is the length of His love?
"...that He gave His only begotten Son,"

What is the depth of His love?
"that whosoever believes in Him should not perish..."

What is the height of His love?
"...but have everlasting life."

When God accepts me --> Grace

When I accept God --> Faith

When I accept me --> Peace

When I accept you --> Love  

So this guy above would show up during meal times to play the part of "Russell" 

from the movie Up.
It was the perfect character for our Wilderness/Nature Theme happening this year.
He was so much fun and worked so hard 

to earn his Helping (the Elderly or whoever needed help) Badge 

as a Wilderness Explorer.

Because of some confusion in registering this year, we had a group of 4 ladies

from our church attend this very same retreat the previous weekend.

They just adored "Russell" and all his antics so much

that one of those ladies went home and created her own "badge"

for Russell on her embroidery machine.

She gave it to me before our group left for the following weekend,

and asked me to please be sure to present this to Russell.
It was the perfect ending for the perfect weekend!!

Retreat 2017

Every year, in January, as I'm putting things on my calendar, 

this one event gets penciled in first!!!
It takes high priority for my whole family,
and my husband looks forward to taking time off to stay with the kids 

and have some fun time with them!!
Ladies Retreat means so much to me,

and I always come away refreshed and ready to advance back

into what God has called me to do with my life.
This year was no exception.
I had absolutely no idea what was about to come down the pike

into our lives!

It has become a bit of a running joke in our house that every time I go away

on ladies retreat, no matter how much time I spend planning and preparing

for those left home, some kind of "disaster" happens.
It has always been something that my husband could usually handle on his own.

Things like a son's poison ivy swelling his face up like a pumpkin requiring

the dad to make a trip to the pediatrician and pharmacy for a prescription.
 Terrible storms blowing through and knocking the power out for two days

requiring the emptying of freezers and refrigerators.
I've come home to stories of infected tiny toes that needed to be lanced,
and the dog getting out of the house, racing through the neighborhood,

with all six of my children running behind her trying to catch her 

before she bit another dog or small human!!
But nothing in this world could have prepared us for what would happen this year,

and the phone call I would receive while I was nearly 250 miles away.
God knew.
And He knew I would need to hear the theme song several times
to be constantly reminded of this truth in spite of what was about to change our lives

in a drastic way!

You Are Always Good
by Jonathan Hamilton

"Looking back, I can see Your fingerprints
Upon my life, always seeking my best.
There were times when Your way would make no sense,
But as You said, You have never left.

You are always good, You are only good;
You are always good to me.
Though my eyes can't see, help my heart believe
You are always, only good.

Looking in, I can see my frailty;
My sin is great, and my strength is so small.
Still You stay, and Your mercy shelters me;
You hold my hand, and You hear my call.

You are always good, You are only good;
You are always good to me.
Though my eyes can't see, help my heart believe
You are always, only good.

Looking up, I can see Your sympathy;
I doubt myself, but I'm sure of Your love.
Lavish grace was poured out at Calvary,
Securing me for our home above.

You are always good, You are only good;
You are always good to me.
Though my eyes can't see, help my heart believe
You are always, only good.
You are good."

Ladies Retreat 2016

The annual Ladies Retreat at Southland Christian Camp in Ringgold, LA is one of my favorite events of the entire year.

I try to make this a priority every year because I need it.

That body and soul retreat......refreshment.

And what a retreat it was!!

God met us there and spoke to my heart about some changes I need to work on!
Sometimes the constant noise of our little worlds just drown out

the Holy Spirit's voice!
We need a place of quiet .....

......a place to retreat from all the demands, 

the responsibilities, the mess of our lives.
Isn't that where He always meets us.....right in the middle of our mess?

 

A place to spend leisurely hours catching up with friends

 who we normally run past on Sundays, 

or getting to know new friends that we've just met.

A place for unexpected adventures and fun!

A little slice of heavenly harmony. 

What a blessing this place has been in my life!
I'm always challenged to keep on keeping on, to stay tender to God's

corrective direction in my life, and to pour our the love of Jesus like

it has been poured into mine!!

Come apart, before you come apart!

One of my favorite things to participate in every fall is our

annual Ladies Retreat with my church lady friends!

Oh my goodness!

What a blessing it is to get away with long-time friends to refresh and relax,

and to make new friends.

My spirit is always revived and I my heart is always encouraged.

I come home a better person, a better Mom.

The road to the retreat is often challenging and difficult.

The days just before it are always incredibly busy with meal, laundry, transportation, 

and school preparation.

Sometimes the stress of it makes me want to just say, "Forget it.  It's not worth all this."

And many years there has been a minor catastrophe at home while I'm away that requires

my husband's intervention no matter how much I try 

to make everything as simple as possible for him.

This year it was this:

Garrett had somehow gotten into some poison ivy and Wednesday morning he

woke up with a mild rash on his face.  I had treated it with all the poison ivy treatments we

had in our home (since we've learned that Abby is highly allergic to it as well) including

oils, creams, and benadryl.

I left Thursday morning for the retreat and left instructions on what to give him and to watch

for his eyes.

The above picture is what I received on Friday morning.

Fortunately, my husband "just happened" to get that day off (which he never gets in the middle

of his shirt and on two day's notice) so he ran him to our pediatrician.

Daddy always handles the crisis like a hero!!

My roomie!!

My sweet friend who I don't get to see enough who also made 

this lovely candle for me!!!

A sweet new friend

These ladies are long-time, very dear friends who I only get to see

but once or twice a year!!

Our speaker this year was Beth Lynch (pictured in the middle).

Her multi talented musician husband came also and the two of them performed

a lovely, sacred concert of piano and voice!
What a treat!!

They are pictured with my amazing, homeschooling, piano playing, vegan cooking

Mama extraordinaire friend from my church!!

Mrs. Beth Lynch reminded us that everything we do today is preparing for something in the future:
"This day for that day."
Our lives are more than just a journey.

We have a purpose and there are "precepts for the journey."

"When I obey what I know to be God's precepts today,

He will reveal more of His will tomorrow."

One of my favorite nuggets she gave us was:
"When you get into "Pity Party Pit"

the best thing you can do is go find somebody with a need

and help them!"

Our hearts were filled with scripture and joy by the end of our retreat

and we returned home with renewed courage and hope to

staying faithful to our individual callings and walks with the Lord!!

 Ladies Retreat with Worth Baptist Church 2015