Retreat!

I've spent the past three days in St. Louis, Missouri away from my sweet husband and son. I haven't been blogging very faithfully lately, obviously, and soon you'll know why. I also haven't checked my "readership" lately, so I don't know if anyone other than my friends and family read this bloogle. I am going to work on being a more faithful blogger and a less faithful television watcher.

I spent the weekend with 30 or so women who I've never met but I've known for 3 years. You can catch the link over yonder (see right), I've been a member of Hannah's Prayer since January of 2004. We spent the weekend studying God's word, laughing, crying, staying up too late, and eating a tremendous amount of snack foods and chocolate (mostly the latter).

Hannah's Prayer is an online Christian community of women who have experienced infertility, miscarriage, and child loss. Although it sounds quite sad, and of course these things are, it is really encouraging and humbling to share our tragedies and triumphs with one another. Being in the real-life presence of some of these women this weekend was like spending time with some of the women I've read about in the Bible. It was amazing, touching, and life-changing. I'm happy to be home, but also feeling that let down that happens after I've been looking forward to something for a long time.

John 15:5 "I am the vine, and you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit. Apart from me you can do nothing." I think writing is more fruitful than watching America's Next Top Model, don't you?

Love.