Retreat highlights...

Our women's Retreat on the weekend was very, very good.  The theme was "Construction" or being constructed or how we continue to change from one faith moment to another throughout life.  A few of us had an opportunity to talk about that and it was good to hear others faith journeys.

It was a rare time for me, in that I was not able to physically do anything at all, to help out.  I did manage to get my bed stuff together and keep my belongings in order but to help out with cleaning the place up at the end (which is required of us), and to help out in the kitchen cleaning and preparing food, I was unable to do that.  Crutches somehow are just not conducive to those kinds of close quarters.  These are times when you witness friends being friends.  They carried my bags, brought them downstairs...and back up again when it was time to go home.  They drove me to the retreat, held doors, carried food plates, brought items to me at the table when I had forgotten something or other.  They offered to help me at every turn, but sometimes I simply HAD to make a messed-up but concerted effort and do it myself.

It was a difficult Retreat in many ways.  Our speaker attempted to bring to our attention the fact that nothing stays the same and we must be about moving forward in the ways we minister to people.  It means giving up past thinking and moving on to be more inclusive and relational with each other.

But working together to accomplish these things will bring us even closer together as a group of women.  If God has new things for us to consider and to make happen, then we must be prepared for necessary changes to occur.

Here are some highlights of our weekend together.  Many thoughtful conversations, loads of laughs, great food and beautiful scenery.

Sharon and Tracy having a fireside chat.

L-R...Guest speaker Jenelle, Linea and Marian

Marian, Sandy and Sharon...in listening mode.

Birdie and Jenelle participating in worship.

"The foolish man built his house upon the sand....and the wise man

built his house upon the rock" was portrayed in song and skit.

 since the theme was "Construction"!

MaryJane (wise woman), Pastor Stacia (narration) and Virginia (foolish woman).

Constructing puzzles!

Our very own, Pastor Stacia!

Who says women don't get serious playing poker....hahahahaheeehee

Jelly bean tasting contest with resident dentist, Linea, pondering

how all this sugar will affect our poor teeth!

One meal was lasagna...yum....

The finished puzzle project!

One game was having us attempt to reconstruct various children's puzzles,

and fitting the right shapes into a children's shape block....all timed!!!

Pamphlets to get us thinking.

Scenes fit for a queen...or king.

Then, today was supposed to begin my physio exercises on the machines.  Not so.  Knee not yet ready.  So I'm doing strengthening exercises at home to at least  prepare my leg to walk properly at the end of all of this.

Time to throw these crutches out and see what happens.....well, perhaps not totally throw them out, but at least go to one crutch and see what happens.

I'm game....hope the knee is.