Skip to main content

The Wilds

I had the opportunity to attend a Ladie's Retreat at the Wilds last weekend with ladies from my church. This was only my second time being able to go, and I had so much fun just laughing and sharing with friends. It was a nice reminder of how blessed I am to be able to have such encouraging, supportive friends in the women from my church. I hope I was just as much of an encouragement to them as they were to me.

My pastor's wife, Gretchen, was the speaker for the weekend. She taught about having "intentional faith." My favorite quote from her for the weekend was personally very challenging to me. She asked us, "Are you a practical atheist (meaning we say we have faith in God that He will work in our best interest, even in difficult times, but our actions don't match what we say) or are you practicing intentional faith?" I know for me and some of the circumstances I've experienced, I have (wrongly!) doubted God and His goodness towards me. It was really eye-opening when Gretchen put it in those terms. It has caused me to really take captive my every thought and fully trust God. So thankful for the Lord's conviction in that area, and for Gretchen's willingness to teach us women how to live a life more pleasing to Christ!

Here are some pictures from my trip.

The women in the "Party Van"


The women in the "Quiet Van"


Suited up to go on the Giant Swing

*******************************************************

TJ, my boys, and TJ's dad attended the Wilds for a Father/Son campout. They had a BLAST!! Here are some pictures from their trip.


Outside their cabin

They hiked to the waterfalls (seen in the backdrop)

Ta going on the zipline

Th going on the zipline

Shooting rifles

Lookout!! ;)

Their cabin
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Thursday Thirteen #3

Thirteen Things about South Carolina Mom 13 jobs I have held. . . 1. Special Olympics Swim Coach Best job ever and very rewarding! 2. Preschool/Youth swim instructor My first job (I volunteered until I got hired on at the Y, then I was paid.) 3. Lifeguard This was my first paid job. 4. Crew Chief/aircraft mechanic on the KC-10 I loved it- I saw the world on this plane and pushed myself the farthest mentally and physically I ever have or ever will again. Of course I missed my family and friends, but if I had to do it all over again, I would in a heartbeat. 5. Debrief personnel I talked with aircrews after they landed about their flight/mission. I learned the logistical side of flying. 6. Tool Crib personnel I gave the mechanics tools for various jobs needed to fix the airplane. I also inventoried and ordered new tools, and that was fun. Until this job, I had no idea that tool companies have a representative drive around in a truck full of tools for people to use and try. It was during t...
29 comments
Read more

Thursday Thirteen #5

Thirteen Things about South Carolina Mom 13 Reasons to live in SC. . . 1. Mild winters- it only snows about 1 time per year (unless, of course, you live in the mountains, although I don’t know how much snow even falls there). The average temperature hovers around 50 degrees Fahrenheit. On a cold day, it may drop into the low 40s. On a really cold day, it may be in the 30s, but those are few and far between. 2. Hot summers- summer is my favorite time of year. I love to swim, as do my kids, so we spend a lot of time in our pool. We also like to travel to the beach (we went 3 times last summer!) 3. Friendly people- most everyone waves as you drive down the street. Also, gathering in the warm summer evenings on the front porch is common and a great way to meet new people. 4. Sweet tea- I know you can get this in any Southern state, but I live in SC and that’s why it’s on my list! 5. Peaches and Strawberries- these are the main fruits grown in the part of the state where I reside. I love fr...
17 comments
Read more

Couponing

As you probably noticed, I added a new ticker to the top of my blog. I have recently started to be more diligent with my use of coupons because of the fact that we will soon need to buy a larger vehicle.  We do not currently have a car payment and would like to keep things that way, but quite honestly, we don't have the cash saved up to pay for a vehicle in full (at least not enough cash for a newer vehicle). My goal is to save $2,000 by the end of January 2012. That equates to a savings of about $250 each month. I have always used coupons if I had one, but never really made an effort to maximize my savings potential. Until now. And it's awesome!!! I wish I had started sooner because the savings available are crazy. I love the feeling I get when I save 50% or MORE on foods and items we use every week. Our grocery bill is typically $80-$100 per week or $320-$400 per month. That seems high but considering we're a family of 7, that averages out to about...
4 comments
Read more