Retreat To Be Renewed, Refreshed, Redeemed.
Last weekend, I attended a retreat with my daughter's church, though not with her per se as she and her friend were going together. Ladies from the Wednesday evening dinner and Bible Study invited me to attend, so I decided to go, just to get away and meet some new people.
One part of the retreat was a Secret Angel activity.
Those who wanted to participate could sign up on a sheet of paper as they
checked in and then pick names out of a basket to get the person they would
give three little gifts to over the course of the retreat. You pretty
much had to commit to doing the Secret Angel before you left, because we were
out in the hills so getting things after arrival was not a good option. I was
already psyching myself up a little because I was a tag along. Beth was
really there with her friend, so I was on my own, knowing a few of the ladies
from the Wednesday night supper and Bible study I attend there. I am more
naturally an introvert, so jumping into an unknown situation with people I
don't know is always a challenge, but where better to practice than among God's
people? So, I decided to suck it up and not worry what someone might
think and just go for it. I went out shopping for little gifts. I
started at Target and found three gift bags with big flowers on sale. The
theme was "Renewed, Refreshed, Redeemed" with a butterfly as the
symbol for the weekend, so I bought some butterfly stickers to put on the
bags. From the initial decision, I thought a little candle and candle
holder would be a good gift, so I picked up a pretty aquamarine votive cup and
matching candle, thinking that the redeemed become a light to the world, so bag
three was done right there.
The next thing I saw was a little bin of play-dough. Something
just made me want to get it, certainly not anything logical in my mind, and a
bit scary since I was giving whatever I gave to an unknown woman. My mind
started working around the idea that one way to refresh was to just play or
color, so the theme of the second bag was set. I felt it was pretty
likely that the play-dough would go in, but gave myself permission to keep it
if I chickened out. Next, the colored pens called to me, so they went in
the bag. Nothing else seemed quite right, so I moved on to Ross to just
wander their section of home and office stuff. I shuffled through aisles
of "stuff" thinking of ways to incorporate items into the weekend
theme. Halfheartedly, I put a couple of things in my basket. Then I saw it.
Sitting in the front a a bin of address books, notepads and other paper
products was a journal. Butterflies flew in a lavender background,
and unlike a similar journal in another store this one was a reasonable price.
Experience teaches me that writing is renewing, so bag one was complete.
That left me with two done and one that just did not feel complete and nothing
more at Ross.
Across the parking lot, the Marshall's beckoned, so once
again just perused the store waiting for something to look right. I put
pretty towel with butterflies in the cart but still didn't feel quite
satisfied. Then the little artist's box of pencils, pastels, and crayons jumped
out and confirmed that the renew bag would be all about being a child again,
playing with color. If I had known sooner it might have included an
grown-up coloring book. I took everything home and began wrap it in
tissue and stuff it in the bag. My insecurities finally forced me to say,
oh well, if "she" doesn't like the bag, she can regift or give it
away.
On Friday evening after drawing my recipient, I sneaked down
the hall with the bag clutched to my chest, hidden by my quilted vest.
The hall was quiet and no sound came from her room, so I dropped off the bag
and fled, hoping for the best. Saturday morning, I went to the meeting
room just a little early. Only one person was sitting at the first table,
and it was "my lady" so I decided to sit down, play it cool and get
to know her a little. She was busy recopying her notes from the night before
into her new journal. I got to visit and know her a little bit before the
morning session. Later in the afternoon, the second bag was put by her door
with a prayer that she would understand the message of the little card from my
stamping files.
Sunday morning, at breakfast was the
last gift and the big reveal. When I walked over to her table to give her
the bag containing the candles, her eyes sparkled and she said that she loved
the play bag. "I always have to have something in my hands when I
watch TV. I will enjoy playing with the play-dough and sharing it with my 20
month old granddaughter. Coloring is one of my relaxations, and I buy
grown-up coloring books regularly. Thank you; this made me smile."
On Sunday after she opened the final bag, she came again and
expressed how much each gift met a specific need in her life. We found
that we shared being stampers who are on hiatus because someone else has our
stamps right now.
I do not believe that was
coincidence, but God at work in the little miracles He does even through
us. It reminds me to be open and listening, that everything doesn't have
to be a big deal. He delights in us and delights to use us to bring joy to each
other.
Zephaniah 3:17
