Tuesday, 31 January 2006

We had a tragedy in our community. A local well-known teenager (turned 16 two weeks ago) was killed in a car accident last night. She died at the scene. All the local youth pastors were called to come help counsel kids today at the high school. I knew the young girl but not well.  Her father owns the local Texaco station.  I scrapbook with the girl’s Aunt. She had a friend with her but she basically “walked away” from the accident.  My friend Teresa’s (where the horses are) daughter (Leslie) was very close to the girl and is very upset. Vanessa went to see her after work tonight. Please be in prayer for the family, students and community. Viewing will be Thursday and the funeral Friday. I suspect it will be a packed house. It is so sad! I know this is every parent’s fear when their teenagers begin to drive.

Doyle and I went to lunch at Baris Italian Restaurant. We wanted to talk with my friend Nancy the owner of the restaurant. Our cell group (family home group) made plans to eat lunch as a group. There are fifteen of us. We didn’t want to spring that on her without warning. She has a back room that she uses for parties. We are hoping she will let us use that. We got to visit with her and her husband who isn’t always there. They are such a nice couple. We are praying they come into the Kingdom of God. Both their children have been coming to our church and have accepted Christ but I won’t be happy until we have the parents! Looks impossible to me but with God all things are possible! As we get ready to leave the restaurant we see another couple we know. It was the couple who used to keep our horses. It is also family to “Momma Rene”. (Small world huh?!) That’s what happens in a town of 15,000! We finally leave the restaurant at 2:30PM. I got paid today so made the “Wally World” run for household items and groceries.

I wanted to share some more notes from the Ladies Retreat. These were from the Saturday morning session. The speaker talked about how we control.

Crisis will come when least expected. I don’t have any say so about how or whe it will come.

Control is an illusion. If you think you can control the crisis you make a greater mess.

Quit trying to change your husband, your children, your friends. Let them go and be who they are. I can’t make them anymore spiritual. That’s God’s job.

Be prepared ahead of time so I am ready when crisis comes.

Do you run to someone for help instead of seeking God?

We need to know who to talk to and what to say.

God doesn’t try to control me. No one can control me. I can only control myself. “Self-control” is a gift of the Spirit so I can control myself.

Pride and fear are ways the enemy controls me. Bondage is control.

Control causes division

If you aren’t intimate in a relationship, control is the problem.

Control is always an effort to avoid pain.

Need to embrace weeping and learn to cry

We control because we don’t want the pain. Hold your nose and just go under!

The antidote to control is to embrace the pain. Let go and move into prayer. Don’t preach, don’t jab, they will leave.

All the intimacy we long for we destroy because we try to control.

What are my control issues?

How does control wound? Makes you feel not smart enough. That you can’t do it right. Creates fear. Makes you shut down. Causes people to isolate. People being controlled feel abused, stupid, broken.

How does one use control? Talking, the need to be right, withholding sex.

When I release control it will hurt.

Control turns us into mothers instead of lovers.

Look for the good in people. Praise the good in people.

Needless to say I don’t control like I used to but I still believe there are areas ever so subtle that I still try to control. I am asking God to show me so I can learn to “let it go”.

 

Here’s some more pics. Enjoy!

 

 

I should hope by now you all know who this is! My friend Kelly took this.

 

 

 

 

 

Yes, we had a baby at the retreat. I had very mixed feelings. We are trying to reach this woman (the daughter-in-law of my friend Jean) but the baby wasn't very happy. She was out of her environment in a very noisey environment and she had just got her first round of shots before she arrived. It wasn't too bad until Saturday night and she wouldn't stop crying. Mom (on the far right of the picture, her name is Charlotte) burst into tears. At that point I felt like a heel for having thought bad about her bringing the baby! The baby is two months old and she is breast feeding. Holding the baby is my friend Kelly. Behind Kelly is April and the girl in the black t-shirt is Charis.

 

Not the best picture but this is Sue Allen. She too is in my family home group. Unfortunately I didn't start taking pictures until Saturday and some of the ladies had to leave early so didn't get pictures of everyone. This is the woman who has the husband and son who are both bi-polar. See the sign over her head for the "Quiet Room"?

Going through the "chow line" in the camp cafetera. I don't know who the man is but the lady next to him is one of ours. Her name is Lane, behind her in lime green is Dru, then her mom Irene, Sue Allen....it gets fuzzy after that but there are more ladies from our group behind her.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is just a pretty view of the little man-made pond on the way to the cafeteria from our cabin.

 

 

 

That's all for tonight.