Hello Friends!
Several of you asked for more details about our family tradition of "Girls Day." This event actually started years ago as a time for my mother and I to slip away and spend some important one on one time with each other. When I was a young momma, with nursing children, there were times we could only slip away for a few hours or a day. We typically spent our time visiting gardens, holding hands, and sharing our hearts. I listened as my mother would share her wisdom on the details of home management, Biblical motherhood, being a helpmeet and whatever else the Lord would lay on her heart. As the years progressed we wanted to add my girls to the event and take more time to mentor the girls as "older women" in the Lord. We wanted to make memories with them that would also leave an eternal impact. The girls joined our "Girls Day" events about nine years ago when my Bekah was 9 and my Beth was 5. As the babies no longer needed me to be home for their feeding time, our "Girls Days" turned into a two or three day event. Through the years topics of conversation have ranged from the practical 'how to's' to the eternal, heart changing conversations. I have seen my girls surrender themselves to the Lord, learning what it means to be girls in the Kingdom of God. I have seen them become friends and not simply sisters. I have watched as they held each other accountable as Sisters would. I have seen them hold each other, forgive each other, laugh with each other and dream together. This last year, I witnessed my youngest daughter, Sarah-Grace, truly surrender her heart to the Lord and finally understand with her heart instead of just her head. I was in awe as I watched the Lord remove her heart of stone and give her a heart of flesh. To hold her, wipe her tears and giggle with her as she finally understood the Love that has been offered to her through the blood of Jesus Christ.
On "Girls Day" we normally go away somewhere. We go away from the normal life moments such as daily duties, bills, and challenges; we purpose to make memories with one another. We share our struggles, our victories, our battles and our strengths. We don't look at this as a time to get away from our responsibilities or the men we minister too. Quite the contrary, we go away with the goal that we will return better equipped for our ministry at home. Never has there been anyone not want to go home, no matter how much fun we were having. We spend three days enjoying one another as friends. We have funny moments or sayings that seem to pop up at each event that we remember from year to year. Momma and I always share with the girls how we have watched them transform before our eyes. These "Girls Days" are creating a family tradition that we hope will be carried on for generations and shared with all the woman that join our family when they marry my boys. The Lord always seems to be teaching us a Truth that is our topic of conversation while we are out. Faith has been a huge theme over the years as well as Love. This year our theme was Biblical Love- what it is, why it's required and how we live it. The main passages we discussed this year were, 1 Cor.13, 1 John 3: 11-23, John 14:15-23, Matthew 22: 37-39. We each went away with a very real understanding of what Love is, how it operates and how we can not be called Children of God without it! The morning devotions and daily conversations were life changing! We enjoy visiting different spots in our Country. We have gone away to the simple, hidden, honeymoon resorts to the more populated grand hotels in the middle of famous tourist traps. I remember when we first started out on these 'retreats' how my mother would refuse to let me make the bed; quite a hard habit to break when you do it daily. It took awhile for her to teach me how to "be still" and learn more of the Martha Spirit and not lean so heavily on my Mary personality. She wanted me to go away and simply BE and not DO. I am thankful that the Lord led my mother to reinforce this lesson that He too was trying to teach me. If we go to grandma's house for the weekend or a five star hotel the rule remains the same, Come ready to just LIVE in the presence of Sisters making life memories and sharing eternal Truths with one another. No cleaning is allowed, No phone calls (unless from our dear husbands) are accepted. No emails are answered, No Distractions are tolerated. It is a modern day example of "Come Away with me to a quiet place..." Mark 6:37
I am thankful for the beautiful relationships that we have within my family. It has been life changing not only for myself and my girls but for generations yet to be born. I am excited to see God continue the good work He has begun in our lives and home. If you have more specific questions or comments you would like to share regarding "Girls Day" I would love to hear. You can email me at "moments with mom @ gmail .com" or leave a comment here.
I have made a slide show from photos of our "Girls Day" over the years. Many photos are not included because they were taken with 'old fashion' cameras before the time of digital cameras and Photobucket! :-) You will notice that in some of the photos there is a dear old woman, Grandma "tu tu" the children called her. She was their great grandma and died of Alzheimer's Disease. These photos are the last photos we have of the children with her before she went Home- It was Girls Day 2002 & 2003. Precious memories!
Because of His Love,
Mrs. Joseph Wood
