Scraps.

womens. retreat.

woman: an adult female person

retreat: a place affording peace and quiet.

This weekend I had the priviledge of attending a ..... yep, you guessed it :

Womens Retreat.

Nebraska District Womens Retreat actually :)

Can I just tell you that this sister didnt even realize how much she needed some time away.

Which is probably obvious with my last (eh, 6 blogs?!) full of mumbo-jumbled random ramblings.

My brain has been scattered, fo real.

Its been about 3 years or so that I get to go away with my mom (and sometimes sister, but not this year... missed you blit), and meet up with some friends and aunts and just.hang.out.

This year I was asked to lead worship (for the second year).

I havent really led worship much since the well.

I didnt even realize how much I LOVE it.

I was able to hang out with some friends and hot-tub it up :) *so stinkin' wonderful*

I was able to spend time with my mom and aunt k *whom I just cant get enough of in my life*

And hear from an AMAZING speaker (and my new friend, cindy!)

Here is my mama, me and Cindy :)

The messages were EXACTLY what i needed to hear

(dont you looo-hooove it when that happens?)

she spoke on the "scraps" of our lives.

how every scrap is being used to form a beautiful quilt and how God uses every inch, every scrap...

every. single. piece.

ahhhhh.

Can i just tell you how much that, in and of itself, fills my cup?!

ya know what I'm sayin?

Every. single. piece.

really, Lord?

You are going to use.... EVERYTHING?

and somehow make it... beautiful?

hmmmm.

really?

What about those bad mistakes I have made?

God: im using it.

What about all the endless times I fall so short?

God: usin.it.

What about... that one thing?

God: used.

ya know what else im realizing?

That Satan knows my buttons.

ugh... annoying.

Can i just be real with ya'll? *or whom-ever reads this* ha.

sometimes I think the Lord cant use me because I didnt finish college.

whhheww.. there, i said it.

and sometimes I think that I'll never get married or have kids.

*which kinda sorta makes me think "what have I been doing nannying?"

I didnt finish school.

I came home and started working.

and since then I have been working average jobs with average pay.

(which i happen to COMPLETELY LOVE by the way)

This often leaves me feeling........ average.

Can you even begin to realize how it felt for me to hear that God still wants to use me?!

UN-BELIEVABLE.

You want to use me?

You want to use all that I have done and still turn it into something Beautiful?

thats some crazy good stuff.

I just want to pass the message along.

God wants to use you.

He wants to take your questions and your concerns...

the things that make you anxious...

your "baggage"...

and He longs for you to give them to Him.

To. Be. His.

and then he'll use your journey (every.single.part)

and turn it into something beautiful.

... you make beautiful things.... you make beautiful things out of the dust....

Heres a little somethin' somethin' to listen to if ya want. its good.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyPBtExE4W0