My heart is set on keeping your decrees.

I am spending the weekend at the fabulous Widerness Edge retreat & conference Centre, here in Pinawa. It's about a 2 hour drive from where I live, and it absolutely stunning here! The retreat centre is about a stone's throw away from a beautiful lake, and there are so many trees changing colours it takes my breath away. I think fall is the best in Pinawa. And there are tame deer around here! The residents hate them, because they actually are so stupid tame that they eat out of peoples flower beds, and when cars drive by they don't even bat an eye. So you really have to be careful when you drive out here, because you could hit a deer that was coming to say hi. I think I've seen like 10 already, at least.

I'm here on the Empower Ministers retreat, which my church does a few times a year. This is my first time coming, and I was so nervous to come that I almost didn't. And then when I got here I wanted to leave. I came by myself, which I'm starting to realize is a stupid idea when I come to retreats (this is the second time I've done so) because everyone else has their groups that they came with and I have to cling to anyone I know even remotely. I'm pretty much the most outgoing person - when I'm in my comfort zone. If I'm out of my element, I revert back to my 4-year old super-shy self. (Yes, at one point in my life I was shy, and this surprises anyone that knows me now) But as a result, I got to have supper with my friend's mom, and at the table was my pastor and his wife, and another couple who was kind enough to sit with me during the session as well.

The session was good. It was an introduction to the spiritual gifts, and at the end we took an inventory quiz of what our spiritual gifts are. It's not a fully-comprehensive list, but it was pretty extensive. My highest score was in Service. I smiled when I read that because I never would have realized it but it's completely true! Every time the church calls me to help out somewhere, I say yes with hardly a second thought. The next 5 were all the same score, so they're my "secondary" cluster, but they kinda fit with my first one. Helps, Hospitality, Exhoration, Teaching, and Leading Worship. To those of you that know me, does that sound about right? I think they do.

Well, I think that's all for now. My roommate is trying to fall asleep, so I don't want to keep her up with too much keyboard clicking. Have a wonderful weekend, my friends!

xoxo