Dance!

With the Viennese Ball only a month away, today we finally started dance practice up again. We, as in, some of the people from my church. We were all struggling to remember the exact moves and tricks that we used to be really fluid at a year or two ago, so we decided we would all try and learn a new trick this week and teach it to everyone next week.

In search of some neat swing dancing moves I came across these videos on YouTube:

I also found a YouTube channel that has some really fun tricks! It's called lovetoswingdance. (I especially like their demonstrations of The Slap dance move and the Tornado dance move)

As for the Viennese waltz I found these videos to be fun to watch and also very helpful:

The Viennese Ball is always fun and I'm really looking forward to it this year as a bunch of my good friends will be going to it as well!!!

P.S. This Viennese Ball is the 2nd largest Viennese ball in the world, (that is, of course, besides the original ball in Vienna).

Better

Better than a beautiful bouquet of arranged roses

is a vase of wildflowers that costs nothing but one's time.

Better than an assorted box of rich, dark chocolates 

is a pan of savory brownies measured with kindness and sprinkled with love.

Better than a string of pricey, white pearls to adorn the neck

are affectionate kisses laced throughout the day that say, "you are valuable to me."

Better than a classy restaurant with fancy waiters and fine wine

is the cleaned up kitchen after dinner that lessens their daily burdens.

Better than a date to the movie theater with soda and popcorn

is a stroll down the road accompanied by talking, listening and laughter.

Better than a life of riches, fame and beauty

is a life filled with understanding and acceptance.

Proverbs 31:30

For favor is deceiful, and beauty is vain:

but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.

The Mid-Winter Retreat

This past weekend was one of the most looked-forward-to weekends of the year for the Grace believers in the area. The Mid-Winter Retreat!!
It was an excellent conference this year. From March 4 to Sunday the 6th. There were friends from far and near who gathered to fellowship, share in potlucks, and learn more about God's wonderful blessings for us. The focus of the conference was The Unity of the Spirit (or the Seven One's) mentioned in Ephesians 4.

⁴There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;

 ⁵One Lord, one faith, one baptism,

 ⁶One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. 

One of the most exciting sessions was the very first on Friday afternoon. We call it the Timothy Session because our elders pick a handful of young men or men who have little experience in preaching to do short 30 minute messages. Let me just say that the people who didn't make it to the Timothy Session this year really missed out!!! Those guys had some great topics and passionately delved into the word of God and taught about so much with just the little time they were given. 

In fact you can listen to/download all the messages from this weekend on the Berean Bible Church website.

One of the events I always look forward to is Singspiration. On Saturday night a bunch of the believers gather together to sing music together or do special pieces of music for the others. It is such a fun, up-lifting time to sing praises to God! 

Then there is always the Friday night fun. These past two conferences we've been able to get into the room our church reserves for Nursery/Day Care in the hotel, the night before. I think the hotel let's us get in the room so that we don't all hang out and get noisy in the lobby (which has happened in the past).

We have a great time though! This year we played mostly Catchphrase! 

What a wonderful time!!!! I learned so much!!! I've been enjoying studying off the notes I took and I'm looking for some openings in my busy household so I can listen to some of those excellent messages again. 

I think the main point of the conference was this:

This life is not about you and I, but about our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ and that we should live for his Glory!