There were some other ladies from town going to the event, so we traveled together. They met us here at our house and we car pulled to The Haft. The girls, well and moms, were so ready to get the three hour drive over with. Some of us had to use the restrooms really bad and I'm sure the Starbucks drinks didn't help that situation. :/
We arrived safe and sound a little after 7 PM. All the other moms and daughters were there so it didn't take us long at all to get settled in and ready for our first session. The whole weekend was based on the title "Redefining Beautiful". The topics were all about having the beauty inside of us shine bright and not let the worlds definition of beautiful impact us so much!!! A lot was talked about being OK with how God made us and excepting the "perfect image" God made!!!
With having nine moms and nine girls, all from different families and backgrounds and even living locations, we all did great at getting to know each other. The girls all clicked fast and they had a total blast the whole time!!! It was great getting to know other moms to and hearing some pros and cons of raising our tweens. There was even other "Lori Ann" married to a "Mike" there! No kidding! We laughed when we realized our names were the same (except for the last name) and then yet both married to Mike's!!! :)
Sue Esh was cooking all the food for us the whole weekend! Boy, did she shine on in her foods! We started Friday night with a spread of fruits and a chocolate fountain. Small, finger foods were the perfect choices for us moms and girls! Everything was so yummy and we kept asking for recipes! This was a huge highlight for Hadassah and I because we both love detailed foods! For instance, Sue had individual green grapes, pocked with a tooth pick, dipped in white chocolate and then dipped in crushed nuts. These little grapes were good! It was one pretty food after the next! For breakfast she had a delicious baked cinnamon roll oatmeal! Loved it! And made little pancakes, stacked three on top of each other, stuck a toothpick in the middle with one blueberry on top! So cute!!! She had many more foods and we loved every bit!!! The girls stayed up late this night and it was close to midnight before we got to bed.
Saturday was a nice sunny day at The Haft. We had Sue's good food all day long. Breakfast, lunch, supper and snack!!! We had another session about how we are special in God's eyes and created perfect by Him! The devil doesn't want us to believe that we are beautiful. He uses those lies to make us feel insecure. God is very pleased, very satisfied with me/us. I am not an accident. Not a mistake. A work of art. I was created on purpose for a purpose! We had a spa time with waxing our hands and feet. Soaking them in warm water. Lotion and then nail polish made it all complete! Oh yeah, all the moms even got a massage from a professional for 15 minutes each!!! It felt so good!!! Then we had free time. The girls played gaga. Then Kendra had a art painting project each girl could do. Hadassah loves art and so painting her canvas was great fun for her!!! After that, we did made truffles together. Hadassah and I made the coconut ones that turned out wonderful!!!
Waxed hands ...
We had another session on Saturday after more yummy food! This time we talked about "embracing the beautiful mess we are". The Lord can take any mess and make it into a message! Maybe we can't change the external looks but we sure can change the internal! We choose to live in freedom or bondage! Any negative thought from Satan that he can get us believing ... we are fat, fearful, ugly ... stunts our spiritual growth. Satan does not want us to see ourselves as beautiful girls. But when we recognize that God loves us and that we are truly beautiful, we become dangerous! Warriors for Jesus! We can change the world!
Playing gaga ...
The Haft!
The girls ...
We finished the day with all gathering in our pj's and watching the Gabby Douglas story. Very inspiring and fun for the girls to watch together. We paused it half way through only to go see what Sue had made for us again! We all owed and awed over the wonderful foods and smells! Totally a blast! Sipping our coffee and seeing the girls have so much fun was wonderful! It was another late night to bed.
Sunday was gorgeous up there! Sunny and bright and warmer. We ate breakfast and then gathered for our last session. We talked about how it's important for us moms to be a model for our girls. "Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life." Prov. 4:23
"Hurting people, hurt people. Healing people, heal people."
We finished the weekend by praying over each of the nine girls. They were each given the opportunity to pray and release anything that they wished was different in their appearances. Some prayed that they would except their freckles. There curly, wild hair. Their "not so straight teeth". Etc.. It was a blessing to bless each girl and speak words of life over them!
After lunch, we headed back home. The weekend was great and many thanks to Rosa for heading it off and organizing the whole weekend!!!
It is good to be back home with hubby and other children!!! "Thank you Jesus for the safe trip and wonderful weekend!!! Amen!"
