"You're my sister! You're my friend!"

"You're my beginning and my end!" (Yes, we changed the lyrics to this song for our sorority. Haha. We sing just the chorus, and have motions to go along with it :) It's wonderful.)

This weekend was SAO retreat, and I had such a lovely time of fellowship with my amazing sisters at Lake Anna :) Relaxing on the dock, taking silly pictures, Catch Phrase, singing terribly and loudly, painting nails, dying hair, Bible studies (and accompanying activities), worship sessions, heart to hearts, and staying up until 4 AM talking with each other... It's all so marvelous to me :) My sisters embody so many aspects of Christ that I need in my personal walk, and I really want to use this year as an opportunity to really learn from them and apply those strengths to my life. The grace with which they love, the scripture-deriven manner with which they speak, and the understanding with which they express in communication are just a few ways I see God working in them. I am beyond blessed to have them in my life!

Bible passages from this weekend:
"¹ There is a time for everything, 
   and a season for every activity under the heavens:

 ² a time to be born and a time to die,
   a time to plant and a time to uproot,
 ³ a time to kill and a time to heal,
   a time to tear down and a time to build,
 ⁴ a time to weep and a time to laugh,
   a time to mourn and a time to dance,
 ⁵ a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
   a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
 ⁶ a time to search and a time to give up,
   a time to keep and a time to throw away,
 ⁷ a time to tear and a time to mend,
   a time to be silent and a time to speak,
 ⁸ a time to love and a time to hate,
   a time for war and a time for peace."

{Ecclesiastes 3:1-8}

^"12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. ¹³ For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. ¹⁴ Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.
 ¹⁵ Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. ¹⁶ And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. ¹⁷ If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? ¹⁸ But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. ¹⁹ If they were all one part, where would the body be? ²⁰ As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
 ²¹ The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” ²² On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, ²³ and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, ²⁴ while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, ²⁵ so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. ²⁶ If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
 ²⁷ Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. ²⁸ And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues.²⁹ Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? ³⁰ Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? ³¹ Now eagerly desire the greater gifts."
{1 Corinthians 12:12-31}



Our worship set:


I hope to post some pictures later :) I'm waiting for Hannah to upload hers so that I can steal them... I'll be giving her full credit, of course :)

We got back to JMU this afternoon, and this evening there was a candle lighting/memorial ceremony on the quad in honor of our nation and everyone who lost their lives/loved ones on September 11, 2001--just 10 years ago. Despite the dark clouds, wind, and rainfall, hundreds of students gathered together for this time of rememberance. It was truly something to see.

{Photo cred: Matt Merritt}

And on the Festival lawn, there were flags placed in front of the spirit rock, one for every person whose life was taken on that day. We have not forgotten.

{Photo credit: Sara Wigglesworth}

Goodnight my loves. Sleep well.