A Special Weekend Away

My very favorite bible study author is Beth Moore. I have worked through many of her studies in two different churches and every time I finish a study, I am looking for another one! You can image how excited I was last December when my good friend Lynda let me know that Beth was going to speak in Seattle in February 2015! Lynda has been my friend for a very long time and we just never get much time together. Can you imagine how delighted we were when we discovered that we were both free on the dates! Lynda was so sweet to book our seats and our hotel room plus she agreed to drive! I am just scared to drive in Seattle. Thank you so much my friend for setting everything up for this weekend trip!

We decided to drive up on Thursday so we would be fresh for the event on Friday. We had lots of time to talk, rest, do a bit of shopping ( I will be sharing a fun blog on Thursday with you) and we even had dinner with Eric and Gina in Bellevue. We met at a wonderful restaurant called Seastar. It was so good to see my kids but I totally forgot to take some pictures~sigh.

So Friday we set out for Overlake Christian Church. It is a beautiful and very large church. Can you imagine 6000 ladies? Can you imagine the lines for the bathrooms on breaks? We all seem to get through it and it certainly was worth it.

This is the front of the sanctuary all set up before we began. Travis Cottrell leads the musical group that  is in charge of worship for these events. He has been with Beth from the beginning~they celebrated their 20th anniversary with Lifeway. He gets the whole arena standing, clapping, singing and yelling! The group is contemporary and loud at times but absolutely fantastic! I love that Travis works in those old Gospel songs too. The sound of all those women singing was like a choir of angels or a rock band!

Here we are...Lynda and Linda! We think we were very blessed with our seating! When Lynda  purchased our tickets, they told her we were in the overflow room. No, we were in the main area, about 20 rows from the front and we had an aisle right in front of us, so we were very close to Beth when she left the stage. As you can see, she is a tiny little live wire! She's from Texas and has quite a sense of humor. She moves so quickly, I'm afraid several of my pictures we too blurry.

The man off to the side would shadow her when she came out in the crowd. We are sure he was a body guard. Sad, but that's the world we live in now.

Travis and the band were rocking! I can still hear it in my head and feel the vibrations.

Lynda and I bought black bags to hold our bibles and workbook, but unfortunately, mine broke. So I purchased this cool bag at the event. They are made in India by woman who need employment to get out of prostitution. A wonderful cause.

My workbook notes. Her main message and instruction was on God's Resting Place and we worked in Isaiah. How wonderful to learn more about God's Resting Place, where and how God rests. It means that He is over us and stays with us not that He has to find a place to nap! I love to learn with Beth as she loves to teach and it's meaningful. Who doesn't want to grow in their faith?

After our break on Saturday morning, Beth came out into the audience to talk with a few women. This was a time to ask questions or just share a story about coming to the event. Several ladies didn't want to come, but found that it was just what they needed. We are all dealing with LIFE. A retreat can be emotionally draining. Everyone is going to take something away with them...soul searching, relief, acceptance, encouragement, renewed hopes and oh many more things. Lots of tears flow but it's all so good. Beth spoke about making plans and following through. This gal had been working on a book for 8 years. She was now ready to get off the internet and finish it up! She had dealt with some mental health issues and wanted to write about it to help other. I love that Beth mentioned creativity several times.

This little gal came with her mama and her grandmother. Beth is a grandmother and was so sweet and gentle with this little one. She then had all the young ladies under 21 stand and spoke to them about social media. Very interesting. She speaks the truth but doesn't condemn.

This sweet lady was a cancer fighter! She really had tears flowing and most of us were reaching for a Kleenex! Can you see Beth stroking her hair and just being to tender with this dear lady?

She would stop after each woman spoke and then she would pray over everyone. There is nothing like a group of women coming together!

I really could go on and on here, however, it's hard to cover so much information in a blog post.
When we were driving out of the parking lot, Lynda asked me what areas in my life were touched during the two days. Oh dear, more tears! I am still sorting things out and just letting some things settle in my heart. I am so thankful for this opportunity to be with my friend, to hear Beth Moore and to think over how this all plays into my life. I got a gift of being alone for awhile. Jim is in Idaho and I had two days to just rest in the Lord and let Him rest upon me. 

Life is Fragile...

It's Sunday evening and just a quick post. Yesterday my bible study and quilter friend Nancy called me to let me know that one of our sweet bible study ladies was in the hospital. Sharon had been ill most of the week and it was discovered that she had come down with spinal meningitis. The doctors had asked her husband to gather his family as it was not looking well. Nancy was calling to ask for prayer for Sharon and for her family. I was so sad all day. Sharon is just one of those people you just enjoy being with as much as you can. I had a great conversation with her a week ago and found myself thinking, I would never get to do that again. Oh, life is so very fragile and so very short.
Nancy let me know last night that they had done an MRI....no swelling or lesions. Her color was better and they even sent her husband home for some sleep. Yes, prayer is powerful. Hoping for the best and asking God to let us keep her a bit longer. Writing with a thankful heart tonight.

I Am Thankful for Freedom of Religion

Good Sunday Morning! The wind is still blowing here in Troutdale OR and the house was just shaking last night. As we move toward THANKSGIVING DAY and begin a new week, I decided to take some time and put down a few of my thoughts this week, as this has been a fantastic year for me and my family. So many blessings!

Sunday is a the perfect day to reflect on a very special right in America- freedom of religion.
I am thankful that I can choose to attend my church and am free to celebrate what I believe. I am a Christian and it has great meaning in my life. I am thankful that I can go to church and not be afraid to share my faith. Life is a journey of personal faith, one that I value and hope to grow in every year.

I have been attending a lady's bible study for a few years now at a little community church called Pleasant Home Community Church.Jim and I have decided to make this our church. It's a small church with a real commitment to community...friendly and open. My friend Nancy invited me to attend the bible study so I did! Most of the ladies are older and so sweet and mother me, which I love. We just finished a Beth Moore study on James. The book of James is a small book in the bible, but a very powerful one! We will be starting a new study after Thanksgiving on the book of Daniel. I have done this one before and it is excellent. I don't mind doing it again. If you have never done a Beth Moore study, I highly recommend them.

Take time to reflect on your blessings today. The holidays are so busy and we get so wrapped up in it all. Don't miss the real meaning of the holiday this week. It's not ALL about shopping, it's about being thankful.

Chilly Morning and Tea Time Thursday #28

Happy Tea Time Thursday on this chilly November morning! We had a couple hard freezes this week, which reminds me that fall is leaving us and winter will soon arrive. You know how I love fall and I really am sad to see it go. It is my most favorite time of the year. The woodstove is going most of the time now and I love the warmth of a wood fire.

This wooden item is called a dough bowl and it was used to make bread. I have always wanted one and Jim found it at a wonderful Estate sale filled with primitive goodies. It is quite large and looks like a baby bed! I wish I had a large harvest table, but I don't have room for that in my little home. Anyway, this is the little quilt I was working on. I wanted something to line the bowl with and give it a harvest look. Then I filled it with ornamental gourds and corn and a pumpkin...tucked in some leaves too. I like it.

Very homey and it was a fun project. I always seem to add more fall quilting goodies each year.

So for Tea Time Thursday, I am featuring a couple of my fall teapots. I have had this pumpkin teapot for years. I got it when I had my shoppe when it was hard to find fall items. I still remember the showroom where I ordered it in Seattle.

I have a lot of the blue Calico dishes and was thrilled when I found this brown Calico teapot at a thrift store about 5 years ago. I just got the little blown glass dishes you can see, also thrifting.

Jimmy and I are back into our tea time afternoon breaks around 3-4 PM. It's been nice to take a break together and enjoy a good cup of tea again. A nice habit! These are two we have been enjoying. I do like loose tea better, but these are good for tea bags.

I need to get ready for bible study. I took some pictures last week when we were working on our charity quilts. We sew the second Thursday of each month. They tie their quilts and they are just scrappy quilts. Nancy and I are trying to move them into something a bit different, but as you can see, these are older ladies and they are pretty set in their ways, but they are all so very sweet! They don't even know how to use a rotary cutter!

This is Nancy, my good friend who has started our quilting group that meets once a month. She is an excellent quilter and is helping me on my journey. She is so funny. She is learning to long arm and is really doing a great job. A fun retirement business for her.

Busy bees for sure! I just love these little ladies. So loving and so sincere.

A Rainy Day in April~

Isn't this an adorable print? It's for sale on ETSY by Sarah Jane Studios. I love the fact that this little miss is carrying her umbrella and is splashing through the mud puddles in her polka dot boots!
We have had such beautiful weather, but today, it turned to April showers that will surely bring those May flowers.

But the weather had nothing to do with the mood of the day. What a happy day I had on this rainy day. It was my turn to take dessert to bible study. I made a yummy strawberry dish that was a hit. Jim and I are trying to get back on our healthy eating this week, so I didn't want to take the leftovers home. One of the guys from the church stopped by and was drooling, so I offered him a piece. He said,"Oh dear lady, if I ate one, four other gentlemen in the next room would be upset with me!" I told him to come with me and we dished up the remaining dessert. He was so happy and I was so excited to share the dessert with others.

My bible study and quilter friend Nancy (Nice Nancy)  has been on the sub list for the upcoming retreat at the beach for months. It just seems like she wasn't going to get to attend this year. When we left bible today, I told her I had resigned myself to the fact that it just wasn't to be this year. She said she still had hope!

So this afternoon, she called me to tell me she is going AND will be staying in my room! I am still jumping up and down. The retreat starts on Sunday...not too far away! I feeling so thankful this evening.

Silly rain showers can't damper my day!

February 6th

Did my bible study lesson early this morning and ran across a nice reminder scripture~

"The mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart" Matthew 12:34

Keep you heart good and hopefully sweet words and kindness will flow out. I know I have been a little negative this week. I don't know if it's the weather or just me. Lord, I need a better attitude! I am going to work on this today. Valentines is the perfect time for an attitude adjustment....

Have a good Wednesday.

October and Teacup Thursday #75

Happy October! It's so hard to believe that the 10th month of the year is now here! I love October, it has to be one of my most favorite months. My first born Angela celebrates her birthday this month. I will never forget how excited I was when my doctor told me I was going to have a baby in October. She was due Oct. 23 but arrived on Oct. 22nd. That was almost 36 years ago....amazing.
It's still so nice and warm here in Oregon, but it has been getting a bit colder and when the sun goes down in the evening, you can feel the fall air. I decided to take some pictures of my outside decorations as the weather was so nice.

I love my pumpkin man who greets visitors at my front door! Clear Moon Frost Soon...............

I'm back to bible study on Thursday mornings and it's my turn to take treats. I decided to make spiced cupcakes with a burnt butter icing, like my mom used to make for us when we were kids. The house smelled so yummy.

Here's the finished product, ready for tea time. I made some extras for my hubby as I'm trying to be good and cut out the sugar and carbs for awhile. So hard!

So, it's my 75th Teacup Thursday! WOW...3/4th the way to # 100. My teacup for Miss Spenser's Teacup Thursday is a rather simple one with just the right colors for October. It's marked Phoenix  China T F & S Ltd. Made in England. The design is done with a raised paint.

Happy Autumn and welcome to this new month of October. What do you enjoy about October?