The Power to Lift Up

What an amazing Women's Retreat!

JoyDad deserves a great big hug and shout-out for this. Despite severe sleep deprivation and a way-late gig on Halloween night, he sent me up to the northwoods anyway. Another big hug and shout-out to our pumpkin-patch friends (they really need aliases!), who not only provided playdate for Rose for most of Saturday, but then came over and helped JoyDad make dinner that evening.

But I didn't know about the dinner till later. Too busy being uplifted up in the north woods, with twenty-some other church ladies. Each participant got one of these greeting cards -- would you believe, the artwork is called "Dancing for Joy"!

You can buy these greeting cards online at Fellowship of Reconciliation.

The weather was stunning. I went out by myself and walked/jogged the third session of my first week of Couch to 5K training in the woods. Then on the way back I fell in with a party of walkers from our group, and walked and talked with a friend... who turned out to be looking to start a 5K training program herself but hadn't found one yet! And, her goal definitely had to do with actual race-running, something that Auntie RatM was encouraging me to do but I hadn't quite committed to yet. Well, now I've got a racing partner. Talk about your just-in-time blessings!

I got back from the run/walk just in time to do the uplifting craft project. If you weren't curious enough to click on the link last time, I'll just say it right out -- we were making purses out of brassieres! I had bought a fun polka-dotted padded confection at a thrift store, but then found out that the organizers had brought along a bunch of extra bras for anyone who needed one to work on. There among the extras was a much smaller bra, with smaller polka-dots in the same color palette as the one I'd brought. The coincidence simply cried out for a mother-daughter set of purses. So I made one for Rose. (She loved it, and proudly took it to church on Sunday, carrying a teeny-beanie-bear in it!!)


So many uplifting words, both in conversations and in our more formal time together. I'll share three quotes here. First, the words to a song from Sweet Honey in the Rock, inspired by a Chinese proverb and performed by a trio from our group:

Where there is light in the soul
there will be beauty in the person.
Where there is beauty in the person
there will be harmony in the home.
Where there is harmony in the home
there will be honor in the nation.
Where there is honor in the nation
there will be peace in the world.

Then, from a translation of Psalm 91, from a book called Psalms for Praying by Nan C. Merrill:

Those who dwell in the shelter of
Infinite Light,
who abide in the wings of
Infinite Love,
Will raise their voices in praise:
"My refuge and my strength:
In You along will I trust."

And finally, our sending hymn. The song is called Benediction, composed by Patty Shelly, who happens to be a friend of our family. She led this song herself as the sending at my mother's memorial service three years ago... I'll leave you with these words today.

The Lord lift you up,
The Lord take your hand,
The Lord lead you forth
And cause you to stand
Secure in God's word,
Seeking God's face,
Abounding in love,
Abiding in grace.

Amen.