It’s a gorgeous day in September. Elv and I are spending Sunday afternoon on the lawn. He’s getting a nap and here I am trying to create a decent account of the retreat.
The house was full. In fact, they closed the sign up place last week a few days before the event. Two hundred twenty women showed up.
I always wonder afterwards, what it is that makes those two days so helpful and profound? There was nothing new said, really. Maybe it’s the channel… The atmosphere, or the gathering itself.
Everyone comes dressed beautifully. We all come, expectant of a nice time, a beautiful table, and we get to see old friends and make new friends.
We sang together. Connie knows how to gather up women from many different churches and get them to sing together like we’ve been doing it all week. Old hymns, and worship choruses…makes no difference. We sing and worship. We prayed together. And visited between sessions and over our meals.
We were seated at carefully decorated tables together. We were served, for a change. Honestly, this particular thing is so amazing. Mostly, we serve, as women. Being served is delightful!
And let me say this. No other group of people appreciates this more than we girls do. We know what goes into beautiful tables and lovely meals. We understand better than anyone else about shopping and larders… Meal planning and preparation. We know about the details of measured spices, whipping cream, carving vegetables, layering, sauteing, browning, and stirring.
We know that the flowers, vases, and candles didn’t materialize out of thin air. Somebody shopped. The beautiful colored glass candle holders and vases came from used shops gathered up over summer.
Somebody planned the centerpieces. Someone timed things to happen when. Delegations and assignments happened all summer, too.
Someone did the dishes when we left the table. And filled the coffee pots and water coolers. Someone counted things and filled out spread sheets of information needed for registration and banking and shopping. Someone created beautiful favors for us to take with us at the end.
Five or six ladies prayed and studied for their speaking parts all summer. It yielded bountifully, resonating with us, comforting and energizing. We laughed and cried and took notes. And clapped, a lot! That was this year’s way of saying Amen. We saw ourselves in their stories or finally found the missing piece to our personal puzzles.
It was enriching and, I happen to know, at least someone’s first step toward freedom and grace. A table in the wilderness for all of us. Thank You, Jesus.
Stone House Scribblings 
This is so lovely. Thank you for letting us see a glimpse.
LikeLike
argh. This was Luci talking.
LikeLike