Summer Dress Code

It is summertime in Chicago. 

As I have been taking my morning walks in our hipster neighborhood, I have been watching the crowds on the way to the el.

Have you ever wondered what hipsters wear in the summer?

GUYS:

*skinny knee length shorts and a tee

*skinny jeans rolled up and a dress shirt

GIRLS:

*super cute skirts and a tee

*super cute dresses and sandles

What do you wear in the summertime?

ps. The wedding is in five days. :)     
 

The countdown

The countdown is on ... only 12 days until Jenny and Daniel's wedding.

My to.do list is long.
My calendar is full. 

My heart ... is looking forward to welcoming Daniel into our family.

At the top of the John Hancock Center the night of their engagement.

Linking with the Soli Sisters, who I trust will be praying with me during this countdown. :)

7 ways to spoil your retreat speaker

It seems to be women's retreat season. While I was speaking at our home church in Seattle, my sis.in.law was also speaking at her church in Spokane. And I keep seeing fun retreat pictures from other churches on facebook.

I have always loved women's retreats. (not all of my friends do)  Much of my winter was spent with my nose in the book of Nehemiah, preparing four messages. If you have not read Nehemiah lately, it is a treasure.

As I have been processing our wonderful time together, this post has been milling in my head ...

7 ways to spoil your retreat speaker.

1. Choose a retreat chairman who is fun, flexible, godly, organized and knows how to listen to the Holy Spirit. Thanks, Shannon.

2. Choose a retreat team that loves to provide an atmosphere of love for the women from the moment they arrive until they leave. Beautiful decorations, surprises in the rooms, a delightful bar filled with candy etc. ... and super sweet spirits to boot. Thanks, Ludmilla, Tina, Kathy, Dana and Victoria.

3. Choose a worship team leader that knows how to listen to the Holy Spirit and prepare the women to hear from You. Thanks, Heidi.

4. Surround the worship leader with delightful musicians. Thanks, Emily, Liz, Megan, Hannah and Cheryl.

5. Recruit a team of women that pray for your retreat speaker all year. Thanks, Becky R., Carol, Kathy, Becky M., Sandy, Jennifer and Nancy. 

6. Give your speaker a beautiful suite, with a room to meet with women, and a fireplace and a jacuzzi tub in the bedroom. (really!) 

7. Fill the room with beautiful tulips and a big gift basket filled with your speakers favorite things. Thanks, Victoria, for being a blog reader who knows what I love. Read this post to see why Victoria created a beautiful pillow case for me. 
 
Thank you, too, to my many blogging friends that were praying for me as I prepared and spoke. You guys are the best.

ps. Another bonus of my trip was that I got to have coffee and a long chat (not long enough though) with the lovely, Jody Collins of Three Way Light.

 

Our favorite new game

Life is a little crazy at our house right now ... wedding planning on a budget, speaking engagements, travel, company, my crown falling out while I was flossing, etc. 
 
So ... we have been taking time out, here and there to play a new game, Dominion. Christy played it with her teammates in England and over Easter weekend, she introduced it to us.

It is one of my happiest moments right now ... Christy, Jenny, Daniel, Dave and I ... around our dining room table, playing Dominion. 

I am sure our downstairs neighbors are wondering why there is suddenly so much laughter coming from our apartment.

Laughter is a very good thing.  
 

The Ultimate Blog Party Strikes Again

How time flies when you are having fun blogging! This is my third annual post for the lovely Ultimate Blog Party. 

My name is Glenda. Usually I would offer you tea and my famous White Chocolate Apricot Scones ... but I am busy making piles of them for our daughter's wedding. 

Welcome to Gg, a practical blog with stories, pictures, lessons and recipes from my life as a Christian woman.  

I have the most thoughtful, sweet and smart readers. You are so welcome to join us ... anytime.
 

Remembering Edith Schaeffer ... one of my spiritual mentors

During my college years, I had a part time job working for the art department. All that money went straight to my school bill. 

But, on Saturday mornings, I got up super early, (while my friends all slept) and went and cleaned a house. Every Saturday ...  for four years.  Why? So I could have money to buy fun books and an occasional piece of pie. 

My wage for that early Saturday morning hard work was $1.50 an hour. But paperbacks were 95 cents and about 3 bucks for a hard bound.

Edith

Hidden Art by Edith Schaeffer was one of my early buys and I have read it and several of Edith's books many times over the years. She became a mentor, really a friend to me.

So Saturday morning, when I heard that Edith Schaeffer had died, I shed a few tears.  And, I thought back on just some of the lessons she taught me:

*God is creative, so I should celebrate creativity.

*Hospitality matters ... even when making a food tray to share with a hobo.

*When you bring a few special things from home with you when you travel, you can feel at home anywhere.

*You can support your husband in ministry, by using your unique gifts.

*Books and music make life more fun.

*It is never a waste of time or energy to serve people.

In Edith's own words:

"A Christian, above all people, should live artistically, aesthetically, and creatively. We are supposed to be representing the Creator who is there, and whom we acknowledge to be there. It is true that all people are created in the image of God, but Christians are supposed to be conscious of that fact, and being conscious of it should recognize the importance of living artistically, aesthetically, and creatively, as creative creatures of the Creator. If we have been created in the image of an Artist, then we should look for expressions of artistry, and be sensitive to beauty, responsive to what has been created for our appreciation."

A few years ago, our daughter, Christy wrote a letter to Edith, thanking her for her influence. She received a beautiful handwritten letter in return. What a lovely lady.

Thanks, Edith Schaeffer, for a life well lived.

*Linking with Jen and the lovely Soli Sisters.
   

     

What's on your mind? (part two)

Last week, I introduced a fun small group activity, "what's on your mind?"  I know you have been waiting with bated breath to know what is on my mind, right? 

Well ... here it is (drum roll, please) ...