It's Been A Long Time

Well Alaska Ladies retreat 2008 is over. It was a good retreat. I hope all the ladies enjoyed themselves. Our theme was "My Father's Eyes". The messages and classes had to do with seeing through our Father's eyes ourselves and others. Something that hit me hard when preparing my class "Mirror, Mirror" is that David was constantly asking God to search him and not saying he was searching or examining himself. It's too easy for us to deceive ourselves due to so many things in our lives. I first passed a mirror around and asked everyone to look in it and honestly write down how they saw themselves in it. Then we passed it around again for everyone to look in it and think of how God sees us. Than I had mirrors under each chair. Some were broken, some had saran wrap on them, some were messed up with paint or marker. "Life" gets in the way and obstructs our view as we try to look in the mirror and see how we really look, so we need God to do it for us as He sees as we are but also sees us as we can be. I don't know if anyone eles got blessed by the class but I sure did.

Sister Williams did a wonderful job at preaching on different aspects of seeing through the "Father's Eyes". She was such a wonderful blessing. Her and Brother Williams drip with geniunie love, and that is something the Church can never get enough of.

The ladies then played a get to know you game where I had a person go out of the room (first, Joleesa, then Sister Connie Peter, then Jenna, and lastly Sister Grant) while one at a time they went out, the ladies were asked their preference between two things (i.e baking/cooking, summer/winter, etc), they wrote their answer down on cards, passed them into me and then the person who went out of the room came in and had to place the appropriate card in front of the lady who wrote it. It was tough, but fun and we found out some things about each other.

We then had a craft. When you're talking about eyes, and ladies you think of tears. So I had Sister Texter hem and put lace on material to make hankies (she had her two daughters help her) and then each lady decorated her hankie with the intent that it was going to be given to another lady and that person would be our prayer partner for the year and the hankie would be the reminder to pray for them. It was a simple craft but was interesting to see what the ladies chose to put on their hankies.

All and all I feel like it was a good retreat. The facilities turned out to be great, the staff were alot of fun and real helpful. I thank God for making it come together. Their were 10 of us in attendance.

Then the Williams were staying through Thursday and we had Sister Williams preach Sunday night. The Lord truly blessed. The whole church came over to our place after service and we got our fire pit going (we had gorgeous whether all week, high 50's even) and we roasted hot dogs and marshmellows. Monday Jessa and Jody took the Williams downtown to meet up with Jenna and Joleesa to have hotdogs from the hot dog man. Before they did that they brought me Subway and I was able to give them a quick tour of the newspaper. They spent the day downtown shopping (I think they bought out the Ulu Factory of all there Ulus ~ smile). Then Sister Georgia cooked a southern meal of chicken and pastry, ocra, sweet potatoes, fruit salad, and lemon pie. How awesome to come home and have that meal put before me. Jessa worked along side of her and really enjoyed it. It was sooooo delicious and the amazing thing was that she was so humbled that we enjoyed it so much. Tuesday was my favorite day as I took off work as I got to spend the day with my husband and two of the most precious people, on a beautiful day in Seward. I was soooo relaxed. It had been a loooooong time since I've had time together with my husband and then couple it with the fellowship with the Williams; it was one of the best days I've had in months. Wednesday and Thursday they spent the day with the Grants but were with us in the evening so we had late nights of fellowship.

While they were here many of the youth were in and out of our house having the opportunity to really feel their love as well. Then I took them to the airport this morning and they took the beautiful weather with them as all day we have been dumped on with heavy wet snow. At 10 pm we were at a foot and half. Now how does that work...we bless these dear folks with perfect spring weather while they're here and how do they thank us but take it with them and give us the "white stuff" that we've had plenty of.

God has been so good to us. I can never thank Him enough for making it possible for us to spend time with these two very dear people.

All and all it was a busy and great last couple of weeks. Now Brother Nowling and I have to get both feet and everything else into the planning of camp as it's only about a month a way.

Well, I, who am not a night person have become one after hanging around these 70 year night owls, and even tonight when I'm the only one here and should go to bed, I just couldn't get there...but I'm looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow.

Everyone have a great weekend.