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Saturday, May 21, 2011

We had our Women's Retreat last night for the church at Island Lake Camp in Poulsbo. Our community group packed the mini (van) and headed out at about 11:30. This was right after I got Chris all set up for his first 24hour stint alone with Siena. Schedule was printed out, food was made, bottles washed, milk thawing ;), and diaper bag packed. He put her in the stroller on our first 70 degree day in a long time and left to walk to Starbucks.

My ladies picked me up a few minutes later and we passed Chris and Siena on the way out. What a sweet picture of daddy pushing baby girl in the stroller. So sweet that it made me want to stay and not leave my little family. But I did anyway.

We took the ferry (I have pictures that I will post soon!) from Seattle to Bainbridge Island after picking up a few other women. The seven of us ate at a Mexican restaurant and then got ice cream at a creamery in town. I finally decided to look at my phone and saw that it had been on silent for the entire ride over. I also saw that I had a missed a call two hours before from Chris. I called him back and he began to tell me that Siena wouldn't take a bottle and was really upset. I could go on and on about the details of the little one refusing to eat but that really isn't the point.

The devil always tries to deceive us into thinking that we need to be in control. He tries to mess with opportunities to commune with God. He tries to destroy fellowship. But thanks be to God that that wasn't the outcome of this trip. After I talked to Chris my flesh told me that I wanted to go home and fix the problem. To feed Siena and to calm Chris' nerves. But I couldn't... I was hours away.

I am truly grateful that I was that far away. The teaching was so direct, applicable, and had perfect timing. Our campus pastor's wife did the teaching and she the first session was about Biblical Womanhood and the Spiritual Disciplines. I am currently reading the Spirtual Disciplines by Donald Whitney so it just reinforced what I feel like the Lord is already teaching me.

When I walked in the door this evening so ready to snuggle my baby bell who had been saying mamamama for hours and had barely eaten enough for a few hours in a full day - her little face lit up when she saw me and she began to jump and shake. I held her for the next hour, snuggling and nuzzling that perfect little baby face. I'm not sure that I want to leave her for a LONG time. It made me treasure my time with my precious family and the way that we came back together was a sweet blessing from the Lord.

This retreat was unlike any other in so many ways. Thank you Jesus for pastors and their wives that are willing to speak truth, retreats and the people that make it possible, a retreat that didn't cause a spiritual high but was just solid learning, my sweet husband who survived a day without me, my mama who held Siena today and tried to get her to eat, my friends who opened up about struggles and sin, my other friends who forgave me of sin when I asked them to, a baby who is peacefully sleeping in her crib at this moment, and a God who is teaching me abundantly more than I would have thought possible.

Praise the Lord!

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4 comments:

  1. great read. Especially since you were able to recognize the flesh being weak and wanting to correct something that truly only GOD could handle since you were away. I love your blog girl and I think that your light and love for CHRIST is what makes me read every little word and look forward to whatever it is you have to share. May the Lord bless you and your sweet baby girl and your patient husband. Poor guy. Probably had a little meltdown not being able to feed his beautiful girl... So precious!

    Glad you were fed well spiritually at your retreat too!! Sometimes all GOD wants to do is take us away and remind us of the simple truths and facts of who HE is in our lives and His love for us...

    ♥cheche

    http://www.savedthrulove.blogspot.com

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  2. loved the retreat! Glad Siena ended up doing OK.

    The book by Donald is SO good. I'm glad you're enjoying it! I read it back when I was 15 and then again when I was 21 and I think its time to read it again since its been 10 years :)

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  3. hi megan! my name is katy and i just got this email from katie about the faith blogs staff. so i was just wasting time on the internet and found your blog and just had to say hi. i skimmed through a few pages - i was on staff with campus crusade in cali so i loved your post on that. and my husband loves mark driscoll so that was cool to see that you go to mars hill. glad i found this blog. :)

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  4. Che Che... totally agree about the Lord taking us away and teaching us simple truths. Thank you for your sweet comments.

    Stef- It was such a sweet time getting together with all the ladies!! SO glad that you were there! The book is good... reading it once a year like she said is a great goal!

    Katy- I have found your blog awhile back! It is so CUTE! Thank you for sayng hi :) Where were you on staff?

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