This afternoon Linda and I drove back from Oshkosh after attending the "Pathways to Christ" women's retreat. This is the reason I returned to WI in the winter, even though I left here in early January. Had to come back to see/hear Professor Deutschlander present in person, rather than replayed via the Internet. Two years ago Linda and I sat in her living room and watched his presentation to this same group, on his book "The Theology of the Cross". It was good, but so much better in person!
It's hard to explain just how wonderful our weekend was, but it was! I will go back through the events to see if I can piece it together. On Friday morning, Mom, Lynn, and I went to Bible study at church, designed for moms and kids. Only the pastor's wife comes with kids, the rest of us are too old for that! We studied Acts in a very interesting give 'n take-styled class. After that, we ladies all went to lunch, 6 of us total. I hope someday that class takes off and more ladies take advantage of it, kids 'n all!
I had transferred my bags and such into Linda's car at church before we went to the Fork and Knife Restaurant. There I had perch for lunch, very tasty. From the restaurant Linda and I went first to Festival for a few things for our weekend. Then we gassed up and decided the line was too long for the car wash, which was badly needed. We managed without one!
We found our way to Oshkosh with only a few hesitations on our part, and got to the hotel in plenty of time. I grabbed a cart from the lobby to off load our luggage and other stuff. Other ladies were also unloading stuff from their car onto a cart. I heard one them say they had to call back to Manitowoc because she'd forgotten her bottle of wine...I knew we'd come to the right place!
Our room was very nice, the whole place was very nice, and we got settled in. At the appointed hour we went downstairs to find the registration table which was in an adjoinging building. The retreat took place in this hall, including the meals, which was extremely convenient. We saw many people who looked familiar plus some whom we knew.
Linda and I chose a table in the front marked as a 'mixer table' which meant that others who were alone or two in number could sit there. As Linda and I looked at the NPH display in the back of the room, I saw a lady sitting at 'our' table. It turned out she was a relative of the lady who conducts the ladies' Bible studies at FG and in her home. It was our pleasure to share the weekend with Vikki B. and Kathy W., plus their mother-in-law/mother respectively, Hazel. She is quite elderly but you'd hardly know it!
Linda and I chose a table in the front marked as a 'mixer table' which meant that others who were alone or two in number could sit there. As Linda and I looked at the NPH display in the back of the room, I saw a lady sitting at 'our' table. It turned out she was a relative of the lady who conducts the ladies' Bible studies at FG and in her home. It was our pleasure to share the weekend with Vikki B. and Kathy W., plus their mother-in-law/mother respectively, Hazel. She is quite elderly but you'd hardly know it!
We began the weekend's events with a Bible study on Friday night, talking about building relationships on the firm foundation of the Word. It was done in an interactive fashion and was entertaining as well as inspiring. We had a light supper provided us, and ended the evening with a hymn sing session. Linda and I were more than ready for bed, and after having a nice adult beverage, retired.
We had a glitch, however. One of us is quite needy when it comes to sleeping and I had failed to verify that my laptop still contained the downloaded TV sitcom to lull me to sleep. Nuts! Linda assured me it was okay to keep the TV on all night, turned away from the room so the flickering was less. I felt so badly that Linda had to pile pillows on her head that I shut off the TV and then struggled valiantly to go to sleep. I did sleep some (as Linda heard me snoring!) but it was only a couple of hours' worth. Saturday night Linda again assured me it was okay to keep the TV on, and I did believe her, and had a better night. We don't want me to be cranky, do we?
The Saturday sessions were taken up with the presentation by Prof. Deutschlander, and the time simply flew by. At one break, I met a lady I knew, Marlene, who I had met at the Worship Conference in 2011. Linda and I shared our table with Marlene and her mom last year at the LWMS Convention, and now we meet again. She found me in the room by looking for my hair and my orange top! Love it! Marlene finished the rest of Saturday with us, and the other ladies at the table whom she knew quite well. Love that!
This is what the retreats are all about! More tomorrow!
