"My cup overflows with blessings..."

Psalm 23:5...That is the verse printed on the back of my newest, coolest t-shirt. I got it at the coolest place, too! This past weekend was our church's Women's Retreat. This was our third year to do one, but the first year to have it at the church. That kept the cost down, which was good for everyone. And for those who forgot to grab pillows off her bed as well as something to sleep in, it was easy to slip back home and grab stuff. Or so I've heard. Ahem.

When I walked in before our sound check, I was overwhelmed at how beautiful everything was. Look at that pink poof!

You really can't tell how pretty it all was. Pink zebra print and polka dot tablecloths, green and pink and orange flowers, and green shirts with brown on the front and hot pink on the back made everything so springy and girlie. I loved it.

Friday night started off with our main speaker, Karin, who is a pastor's wife from a church that is very close to the heart of our church. She spoke truth to my heart, and her words were like soothing oil to my dry heart. What a wonderful way to start out the weekend!

Throughout the weekend we had small group time, breakout sessions, giveaways, and worship. I can't decide what my favorite part of the retreat was! I was privileged to be a part of the worship team, so that's high on my list of faves. Any time I get to listen to 200 or so women lifting their voices loving on their Father makes my heart glad.

Lauren, who just happens to be one of my altos, was on our worship team. Here we are trying not to laugh hysterically...it was hard.

Because this is what we had just taken a picture of...

That's what happens at 11:00 p.m. when the delirium sets in.

When I get to serve in any capacity leading worship, I count it as an awesome privilege. I volunteered to help in whatever way our Director, Kam, wanted me to with worship, and the two girls who led with me sort of delegated me as the leader. I tried to convince them we would all three co-lead, but they would have none of it. As it turned out, that's exactly what happened. We each had our part, and I don't think that the ladies at the retreat saw me as the "Worship Leader." I think they saw us as the "Worship Team."

Guess which verse I'm reading here? It's 2 Corinthians 3:18, the verse I have at the top of the blog. Karin mentioned the fact that when we become Christ followers, we become holy. We can't work up to it or earn it. The same thing I've said here on the blog before. Just like the caterpillar has the same DNA of the butterfly, we are holy and righteous at the moment we are saved. What happens is we start listening to the lies the enemy tells us so that we will live defeated lives. When we start trusting what God says is true about us, we will start living life to the fullest!

Okay, didn't mean to go off on that tangent. But I'm glad I did. : )

Our Worship Team for the weekend. I love these girls! Lauren, Jennifer Begrin, and me.

I'm sort of getting ahead of myself, because I haven't talked about Friday night's Pit tables. Have you heard of Pit? It's only the coolest game around for loudmouths like me. You're dealt 9 cards with a "commodity" like corn, coffee, sugar, barley, etc. on each card. You want to "corner the market" on one commodity, so you have to trade cards to try to get all one commodity. As soon as the cards are dealt, someone rings the bell to start trading and it becomes sheer madness!

The calm before the storm at this table...

While the bedlam was going on at our table!

You have to yell how many cards you want to trade, so the whole lot of us are yelling different numbers all the while trying to figure out what cards to trade, sprawling over the table to grab traded cards. It finally ends when someone has all one set of cards and rings the final bell. I won the last hand I played. I like to go out on top.

We had the option of staying at the church on air mattresses (we have showers in our bathrooms in our Go Center, where retreat was), or staying at someone's home, or getting a hotel room, or just going home. Well, it wouldn't be retreat if I had gone home, so my sweet friend Vivian opened up her home to me and my friends Lisa and Stacey. We stayed up talking until 1:30, having to get up at 5:3o or so the next day. But the laughs we shared were worth it.

Me, Stacey, Lisa (poor girl's shirt was two sizes too big so she didn't get to wear hers! She got it fixed, though), and our gracious hostess, Vivian. Lisa and I are very close and get to hang out together all the time, but I don't get to spend enough time with Vivian or Stacey. These three made me smile a lot this weekend. Even though they kept me up too late. Hee hee.

I have to show this next picture just because it's too cute not to. JB and Mendi, another one of my beautiful altos (JB is one of my beautiful altos, too!), were posing and suddenly JB decided they should get all diva on me.

Can you say A.T.T.I.T.U.D.E? The funny thing is, neither one of these girls is like this AT ALL!

One of my favorite things to do as a Worship Leader is just stop singing and listen to the voices of those we're leading. There were so many beautiful ladies at this retreat, and I loved listening to each one. I can't wait till next year! (But I do want to rest now! )

I'll leave you with this profound picture. It sums up our weekend where no words are needed. Enjoy....

I smile BIG every time I see this!