One of the things that's keeping us so busy is the "While We're Waiting" ministry. But that's a good kind of busy. We absolutely love hosting WWW events. In fact, we wish that was all we had to do, but we have these pesky jobs to keep us busy! :)
This past weekend, we hosted the third "While We're Waiting Weekend" for Bereaved Parents. I know I say this every time, but it was amazing! We had a little bit smaller group this time because two couples were unable to come at the last minute, but what a great time of fellowship we had!
As always, I feel that the story of the weekend is best told through pictures. So, here we go...
Friday afternoon and evening brought a downpour of Biblical proportions...
But Saturday morning dawned bright and clear, if somewhat chilly for late April...
After a hearty breakfast and a time of sharing, we headed out to the barn to help Daddy May feed the animals...
Who doesn't love puppies...
And bunnies...
And miniature horses...
There's just something therapeutic about spending time with the animals...
We came back in for lunch and spent some more time sharing our children's stories...
And then it was back outside for more fun activities, like the Family Farm carousel...
And riding the zip line over the pond...
Don't try this at home...
Just in case the weather didn't clear, we were prepared. We set up a "Pickle Ball" court inside the Lodge, and Janice taught us all how to play. And play we did ... until about 11:00 on Friday evening, and off and on throughout the weekend!
And finally, the pictures of our delicious gourmet dinner, prepared and served by our own private chef. (He wrote these descriptions for me...I could never have come up with these on my own!) First, the appetizer, which was "English cucumbers with great Northern bean fondue, essence of truffle oil, and drizzled with verde sauce..."
Our salad was "Vine ripened tomatoes with fresh goat cheese and a basil vinegarette..."
The intermezzo was "Mango and mandarin orange spritzers." Absolutely delicious...
Our entree -- "Smoked Gouda potatoes with double smoked beef brisket, along with a medley of vegetables..."
And finally, the dessert -- "Lemon pudding cake with hot raspberry and strawberry fondue, with vanilla bean ice cream, fresh cream, and mint..."
Doesn't it all look amazing?
You know, the animals, the fun indoor and outdoor activities, and the food are all wonderful ... but that's not really what a While We're Waiting Weekend is all about. The times of fellowship, encouragement, and prayer we had together over the course of the weekend were indescribable. Those are things I can't capture in photographs.
This weekend together gave us an opportunity to talk about our children with people who genuinely wanted to hear about them, to share our struggles and our victories with people who truly understand, and most importantly, to discuss what God is teaching us through our experiences. Our discussion was rich, and our bond was deep.
We ended the retreat on Sunday morning with a time of praise and worship. Let me tell you, there is nothing like the sacrifice of praise that rises up to Heaven when a group of parents who have lost children sings "It Is Well With My Soul" together, especially if you know the history of that song.
We also had a special couple come to share with us on Sunday morning. These folks lost their teenage son to a single strike of lightning thirty years ago. He was mowing a neighbor's grass, trying to earn money to go on a mission trip. If anyone would have a reason to question God's goodness, it would be this couple. But instead of abandoning their faith, they have spent the last thirty years applying their faith. They assured us that there is life after the loss of a child, and not just life, but abundant life. They reminded us of what it means to truly live well while we're waiting to be reunited with our children in Heaven one day.
So, here we are, a group of bent, but not broken, parents ... determined to serve Him while we're waiting for that glorious reunion!
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