Spa Day!

Forgiveness: Setting Your Captives Free
Ephesians 4:32 "Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you."

We gathered tonight for a "Spa Day" to relax, rejuvenate, and to set our captives free. What a challenge! If you have ever been held captive by not forgiving, then you know the burden and unrest that your soul has. Why hold yourself captive, though, when Christ has set you free?

Our evening began with "Silky hands" which was wonderful to feel hands soft and silky after a hard day of work. Then we went around and shared two services we would receive if we went to a spa. Most ladies would do a massage and a pedicure, but here are some that stood out (I'll probably mess these descriptions up)...

Laurie would have an earwax removal by candle.
Juanita would bath in chocolate:)

After we all started dreaming, we came back to reality with a devotional led by Karen on Forgiveness. This is a GREAT chapter...if you would like a copy, please let me know. Karen shared with us a quote from the opening story..."I realized that God takes all sin seriously an that for me to judge one sin to be greater than another was...well I was playing God. God is not partial, and He hated my sin just as much as He hated my husband's sin. I am a sinner saved by grace, nothing more. If I truly accepted who Christ is, then I had the ability to forgive."
Jesus shared the parable of the king who forgave his servant's huge debt, but then his servant would not forgive the small debt of his fellow servant. The king, in his anger, delivered the servant over to the jailers. "So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart." Matthew 18:23-35.
Joseph, too, Karen shared had to forgive his brothers. Joseph could have resented his brothers and used his power to harm them, but he remembered that God is sovereign over the hurts that were inflicted on him and that God used them for redemptive purposes...saving his entire family.
God has forgiven us through Christ's blood, we too should forgive those who have sinned against us. "To forgive is to set the prisoner free, and then discover the prisoner was you." Author unknown.

The Holy Spirit truly worked during this time at PEARLS.

Next, we set about rejuvenating our bodies (ok, our feet, but that works its way up our body). A woman is often on her feet all day, whether it is chasing after children, cooking meals, cleaning house, doing laundry, walking around the office, the list goes on... Our feet and our bodies get tired, so how about a little pampering! Karen & Felicia showed us how to pamper our feet. We headed out to the deck to enjoy the beautiful, yet chilly evening. As you can tell, Stephanie was a little cold, but we quickly warmed up with some really HOT WATER! The first thing we did was to soak our feet, but it took most of us a few minutes to actually submerge our feet because the water was SO HOT! Once in, though, it felt GREAT! Then "foot fizzes" were put in the tub to help us thoroughly enjoy the soak. After that we had to rub lotion on our feet, place them in plastic bags, and submerge them again. Once we allowed them to soak for awhile, we them put a foot scrub on them rubbing it in really well, and then rinsing it off in the foot tub once again. Finally, we were given another lotion to finish out the foot bath!
It was a lot of fun, VERY relaxing, and we now had silky hands and feet!

We topped the evening off with HUGE ice cream sundaes!

What a fun, challenging, relaxing night! I was very blessed by the evening and I hope many others were too! Thanks to Karen & Felica for sharing this great tip with us, and for Karen in allowing us to meet in her home! Also, thanks to all who provided food.

Our next PEARLS is Tuesday, October 6 at Felicia's home! This will be an Accessories Swap. More details to come! Hope you can make it!

As a reminder....PEARLS Freshwater Retreat is October 30 & 31...save the date! You don't want to miss an opportunity for God to work in your life!

Garden Party

Clear Conscience: Dealing with Offenses Toward Others
Acts 24:16: "Herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men."

What a gorgeous evening God gave us! 20 ladies gathered for an evening of elegance, laughter, good food, and most importantly to glorify God!

What a beautiful group of ladies, inside and out! God has blessed my life with all of you!

Our evening began by taking in God's beauty that surrounded us and the creativity of the ladies who "hosted" tables. Special thanks to Linda and Felica for decorating tables! They looked marvelous!

Felicia themed her table "He is the vine and we are the branches". She was very creative!

Linda had a birdhouse theme with a gorgeous centerpiece.

Felicia led with a hilarious ice breaker game. Each table had a package that was to be passed around every time Felicia used the words "left" or "right" in a story that she told. Her story included directions to walmart, trying samples of Right guard there, leaving her windows down during the rain, and her attitude being right with God. Some ladies played pass back and forth while others barely touched it. In the end, the winner was the lady holding the package.

Stephanie won the chocolate bar at her table.

Rhonda & Linda were also winners!

Julie H. led our challenging devotional for the evening. (She gave us all a laugh when her skirt got caught in the chair and had to be pulled out in order for her to move! )

As the above verse states, we are to have a clear conscience before God and man! In Samuel, the prophet Samuel asks the people if he has ever done anything to wrong them, if so, then he will restore it. The people answer that he has "not defrauded us or oppressed us or taken anything from any man's hand." (1 Samuel 12:1-4) That is how our life should be as well. We should live in such a way that our slate is clean. Jesus teaches that in Matthew 25:37-40. He answers the righteous, "Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me...As you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me." Sometimes it might seem like an impossible thing to do...keep you slate clean with others, but listen to the Holy Spirit as He nudges you. Remember it is through the blood of Christ that we have been brought near...For He Himself is our peace...and reconciles us both to God in one body through the cross, " Ephesians 2:12-16. Christ's blood reconciled us! He saved us and we should have a clean conscience with Him and those around us. Our devotional book "Seeking Him" asks you to make it personal. Start by 1. Make a List of each person you have wronged or with whom you have an unresolved conflict. 2. Seek God's forgiveness...every sin against another person is first a sin against God. 3. Purpose to seek forgiveness from every person you have wronged...listing names does not clear your conscience; seeking forgiveness will. 4. Choose your words carefully. 5. Where necessary, make restitution. 6. Pursue reconciliation of the relationship. 7. Face the hardest situations first. 8. Don't stop until you have finished. 9. Determine to maintain a clear conscience. (and Julie added) 10. Listen to the Holy Spirit as He nudges you!

Not an easy thing to do, but a challenge and command from God. Matthew 5:23-24 says, "So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift."



Once again the patio and deck were graced with corn tassel bouquets. They add a nice touch of green!










A great time was had by all (at least I hope!) The food was wonderful. Julie M. will you be kind and share your chicken salad recipe! It was great! Thanks to Abbie, Amy, Heather, & Julie for providing wonderful food!

Our next PEARLS is Tuesday, September 1 at Karen's home. It is a "Day Spa" to refresh both body and soul!

Our PEARLS Freshwater retreat is quickly coming! October 30 & 31! Hope you can make it!

Packaging Freshwater

Obedience: The Acid Test of Love
John 14:15 "If you love me, you will keep my commandments."

We had a great night putting together care packages for our troops in Afghanistan. We will never be able to do enough to thank them for serving our country.

Our night started off by writing down one interesting thing about yourself. Then the cards were passed around the room and if that statement also applied to you, then you initialed it (we didn't know that until after we had written our statement). Rhonda and myself had the most initials. Sorry Rhonda, but I can't remember your statement. Mine was I love chocolate! Great one to put in a room full of women. Felicia awarded us with these beautiful petunias. Thanks, Felicia!
Next, Sue led us in a devotional on Obedience. There was a story in the book that talked about a business man learning God's obedience. In a couple of cases, he was challenged to do the right thing even though the wrong thing was not looked down upon in his business. He said, "When the choice between right and wrong is obvious, I have to obey God and do the right thing." Jesus told the parable about the "Wise man and the Foolish man". He begins each description by saying, "Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock....And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand." (Matthew 7:24-27) We have to obey God and do the right thing unlike Saul who disobeyed God as told in 1 Samuel 15:1-3. "Thus says the Lord of hosts...Do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel, and donkey." Saul disobeyed and took the king alive and spared the best of the livestock. God was unhappy with Saul's disobedience and He rejected him as king.
One of the questions that Sue asked was what blessings or consequences have you personally reaped from some act of obedience or disobedience in your life? We all need to do the right thing and obey God's words.
Sue was triple stacked...she hosted, she led the devotional, and she was in charge of the service project. Thanks Sue, for all of your hard work!

Sue was in contact with a man who will send our boxes to a chaplain in Afghanistan. He requested certain items that the troops needed or would help encourage them, so that was our goal. We boxed up 8 boxes of toiletries, snack foods, coffee, and a whole bunch of other things and then we wrote notes of encouragement to put in the boxes. We prayed for the troops, their families, and the members of the military that are involved in our church. Our prayer is that these boxes will encourage those overseas and show them the love of Christ. We also made up a few backpacks that will be given to military children. These included a throw away camera, journal, and a few toys to help their time pass quickly while mom or dad was gone.

Thank you to all who helped by packaging or sending needed items. Please continue to pray for all of our military and their families.

Our next PEARLS is Tuesday, August 4 and will be our GARDEN PARTY.

Herbal Essence

Holiness: A Heart Like His
Hebrews 12:14 "Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord."

WOW! What a great night if you left empty in anyway then you weren't there! It was a great time of food, fellowship, & Freshwater! A very special thank you to Issa, Mary, Heidi, & Hannah for opening their home, fixing great food, and cleaning up the huge mess we left you. It was a wonderful time!

The evening started with an ice breaker led by Mary H. She quickly discovered that we know very little (ok really nothing) about Herbs let alone cooking with them. She had 12 different herbs for us to smell and touch to try to figure out what they were. There were 16 of us there and Felicia scored the highest with FOUR CORRECT! We have A LOT to learn!
Heidi and Mary realizing that we know nothing.
Abbie trying to determine what the Herb is.
Juanita "tasting" ginger.

Gail and Amy using their sense of smell.
Our winner, Felicia trying to figure this one out...I think she put down the same herb 3 or 4 times:)

We were then led in a devotional by Tina on Holiness. She began by asking us wedding preparation questions. As women, we all know how important the BIG DAY is and there is a lot of planning that goes into it. Well, as Christians we have a wedding day approaching...we are the BRIDE OF CHRIST...shouldn't there be a lot more preparation that goes into that day than anything else we do? She asked three questions in regard to "getting ready for the Wedding"...
1. Are you preoccupied with life here and and not spending time becoming holy or getting ready to meet Christ?
2. Do you give it some thought and effort, but often find yourself distracted and consumed with things on earth?
3. Do you love Jesus and are excited about His return and are actively seeking to "get ready for the Wedding"?

Ask yourself those questions...where do you fit?

Tina also challenged us to not only "put off" anything and everything that is part of our old, corrupt flesh, but to "put on" those qualities of the Life of Christ. Don't live like the pharisees...live like Christ.

Since this was Tina's last PEARLS with us before she moves, we were led in a time of prayer and blessing for her as she begins a new chapter in her life. Thanks Tina for leading one more time. Your wisdom and encouragement will be missed.


Next, we headed upstairs to Issa's kitchen (at least for the night). Pastor Jeff had come along for some manly encouragement for Issa...I guess there were too many women:) I am in no way going to be able to fully share what we were taught, but I will do my best. Here are some of the highlights/tips that I remember.

1. Only keep spices in your cupboard for 6 months and then THROW THEM OUT!
2. When cooking with herbs, add them to your food in the last few minutes of cooking to keep their flavor.
3. At the end of summer, cut up any remaining herbs, put them in ice cube trays, add some water and freeze. Pull out and use when needed.
4. Find the right combination of herbs...sometimes combinations make a bad flavor.
5. Crushed pepper and "store bought" pepper do not have the same smell or flavor.

It has been too long since Tuesday night and I am not doing this justice. If anyone remembers anything else, please comment at the bottom of this post or email me and I will add the comments. There was so much information to take in for a non-herb cook like myself, that I didn't retain it all. So, please help me out!

Our herb guide for the night who made us excellent chicken, shrimp, dip, and tea all with herbs! The food was delicious! I think Pastor Jeff really just came along to eat:)
This is Saffron (I'm clueless about this one). I guess it is a really, really expensive herb that Issa bought especially just for us to see. If I remember correctly it costs about $3000 a pound!

Here Issa is explaining all the herbs that he uses and grows.
Stephanie, Felica, and Heather are discussing....what are they discussing?

Gail and Lori smelling crushed pepper...I think.

Issa then took us out to see all the different herbs he grows. He has an herb garden, but a lot of his herbs are part of his landscaping. He grows sage, oregano. rosemary, basil, spearmint, chives, and many more. It was extremely interesting to see and to hear how easy it is to grow herbs. Once again, a big thank you to Issa and Mary for the wonderful evening.





I'm sure I left a lot out...to truly experience it you needed to be there. So, don't miss out! Join us for the next PEARLS on Tuesday, July 7 at 6:30PM! Our theme is Packaging Freshwater and we will be making up care packages for our troops. A list of items should come via email shortly.