This is Our Season, Lord

This past weekend, I had the wonderful opportunity to attend the First United Methodist Church's Women's Retreat at the Mission Inn in Howey-in-the-Hills. Everyone has "mountain top moments" they get to experience. For me, this weekend was a chance to rejuvenate my spiritual life and to encounter some incredible women who are facing the same fears and celebrating the same joys as we all are as women of faith. Lisa Sexton, a mother of a boy born with cerebal palsy was our key speaker and she spoke to my heart and changed me as a mother, wife, daughter, sister, and friend. Also, because we had time for fellowship, I met women who will be mentors, women with which I find common ground, women who embrace life, and not fear it, women who play a mean game of Farkle - all women who I can count as friends. The women who planned the weekend, Lisa, Jayne Rideout, the Music Angels, and the Silent Auction and Lottery organizers all came together so that we would have time to pause and know that God is here, now, today, in the moment and love and cares deeply about each of us.

I wrote a poem/prayer about the experience because I wanted to always remember it and I wanted to share my Joy.

This is Our Season, Lord.

Lord, we recognize that you are the author of our stories.

We don't always want to pick up the rocks you ask us to carry up the hill.

Or, we put too many rocks in our wagons and exhaust ourselves.

We want to tackle our problems by ourselves priding on being Marthas.

We envy the Marys.

Sometimes, we let the jealousy in.

We have fears that the water is too rough,

that the paths are too narrow,

that we are too small and broken to matter.

But, Father you have taught us to trust You.

Your arms are long.

You know our unseen limps.

You see our strength when we kneel and when we serve.

We recognize that the time is now.

For us to wash our sisters' feet.

Help us Lord to serve each other with joy in our hearts.

Help us to find joy in the present moment.

Help us to count our curses as blessings.

As opportunities to shine and not to whine.

Teach us Lord, to be still and to know that you are God.

To start each day with you and to end each day with you.

This is our season, Lord