Hello everyone! I received this from Beth at St. Paul in Ogden, it is an article about the Women's Day Retreat "God's Grace Filled Seasons" that they hosted for us in October. I wanted to share it with you all, God's blessings on your day! Thanks Beth and all the ladies at St. Paul for your faithful service to the Lord.

The women at St. Paul, Ogden, spent a beautiful day with Elaine Bickel at their annual women’s retreat on Saturday, October 4. The theme for this year was “God’s Grace-Filled Seasons,” Ecclesiastes 3:1-8.

More than seventy women attended the event including District President Melody Rosenwinkel and Utah Zone President Ashley Willoughby. Most guests were St. Paul members and friends but many women came from the Salt Lake area for the fun day of fellowship and spending time in God’s Word.

The day began with coffee, tea, homemade scones and a Bingo icebreaker. The women learned some interesting and extraordinary details about the women in the room. Who drove a combine? Who plays bridge? Who has a pet reptile? Who is a stamp collector? Who married her high school sweetheart? Who has a PhD? Who is a root canal specialist?

The women spent the rest of the day singing, sharing, and listening to Elaine Bickel who shared her joy in the Lord. She led everyone in a Bible study, “That’s A Bunch of Bologna!” She encouraged women to open their Bibles and read Hebrews 13:8. “What is the comfort given in this verse?” she asked.

She also shared her bologna metaphor: “Chances are you have never spent much time thinking about what a piece of bologna might feel like when it is stuck in there in the middle of two pieces of bread—knowing it is about to be devoured—knowing it must “meat” the needs of the very ones who are getting their teeth into it. It probably feels trapped—stuck in the middle—trying to keep the two sides together and yet feeling pressed and pressured. Even though we have never been a slice of bologna, or even pressed ham, many women who are in the middle of their lives feel much like that piece of bologna would feel if it could feel…overburdened! We need to remember our entire lives are in His hands. As we are serving Him by trying to help carry others, He is carrying us.”

Sandi Dellermann led the women in singing and praise music while Dina Scheifl was the soloist. Pastor Gary Trickey joined the women for lunch and closing devotions and prayer.

Cindy Cinclair (Grace Lutheran- Sandy)

sent this to me. I loved it and wanted to share it with you all. Thanks Cindy!

Have a wonderful day!

PEDAL

I used to think of God as my observer, my judge, keeping track of the things I did wrong, so as to know whether I merited heaven or hell when I die. He was out there, sort of like a president. I recognized His picture when I saw it, but I didn't really know Him.

But later on when I met Christ, it seemed as though life were rather like a bike, but it was a tandem bike, and I noticed that Christ was in the back helping me pedal. I don't know just when it was He suggested we change places, but life has not been the same since I took the back seat to Jesus, My Lord. Christ makes life exciting. When I had control, I thought I knew the way, but it was rather boring, but predictable. It was the shortest distance between two points.

But when He took the lead, He knew delightful long cuts, up mountains, and through rocky places and at breakneck speeds; it was all I could do to hang on! Even though it often looked like madness, He said "Pedal!" I was worried and anxious and asked, "Where are you taking me?" He laughed and didn't answer, and I started to learn to trust. I forgot my boring life and entered the adventure. And when I'd say, "I'm scared", He'd lean back and touch my hand.

He took me to people with gifts that I needed, gifts of healing, acceptance and joy. They gave me their gifts to take on my journey, our journey, my Lord's and mine. And we were off again. He said, "Give the gifts away; they're extra baggage, too much weight." So I did, to the people we met, and I found that in giving I received, and still our burden was light.

I did not trust Him, at first, in control of my life. I thought He'd wreck it, but He knows bike secrets, knows how to make it bend to take sharp corners, jump to clear high rocks, fly to shorten scary passages. And I am learning to shut up and pedal in the strangest places, and I'm beginning to enjoy the view and the cool breeze on my face with my delightful constant companion, Christ.

And when I'm sure I just can't do any more, He just smiles and says ... "Pedal."

-- Author Unknown

Thank You Utah Zone!

I just received this thoughtful thank you card from Pastor Krause, the new Pastor at Cross of Christ Lutheran Church in Bountiful. I thought I would share it with you all........

Our Teen LWML/Fall Rally Event...

Saturday October 18th was our Teen LWML Event. It was new and different, we have never done anything like this before. It is so important that we include women of all ages in the LWML, because serving the Lord is something we do with gladness our whole lives! We met some wonderful young ladies that day. Here are some pictures from our event.

Thank you everyone who brought hygiene items to donate!

Thank you Valarie and Tia from Mary Kay for the mini pedicures- my feet are still tingling!

Mini-pedicures.

Our Savior Jesus washed His disciples feet, then told

us all to go and do the same for each other.

Here the girls are making bags for the hygiene items they collected.

We had a drawing for prizes!

Thank you Mr. OZ (Eric Oswald DCE at Grace Lutheran Church)

Thank you ladies of Grace Lutheran Church for hostessing us,

and for the wonderful soup buffet for lunch. It was delicious!

Thank you Pastor Erickson for leading our bible study,

serving the last two years with us and reading this blog for me right now!

Multi-generaltional: Jan (Christ, Murray) and Granddaughter, and some new LWML friends!

Registration table

Another multi-generation LWML.

Mother (Cindy Grace-Sandy), Daughter (Heather) and Granddaughters (Haylee and Mckayla). Awesome!

Thank you everyone who attended, especially those who traveled! It was so nice to meet all you beautiful young ladies, keep serving the Lord with gladness! Watch for announcements and let's do it again soon!

The Countdown Begins!

Okay ladies this Saturday is our Teen LWML Event and Fall Rally! We will be having an in gathering for a Girl's Group Home in Salt Lake City. They care for teenage girls who are in state custody for a number of reasons which may include abuse and/or neglect. We thought it would be a great opportunity for the young ladies at our event to give back to girls their same ages, who maybe aren't quite as fortunate. We will be collecting Hygiene items and assembling kits to take to the Girls' Group Home, so PLEASE while you are out this week at the store (or make a special trip) pick up a few items for the young ladies at this girls' home.

Here are some suggestions:

Shampoo
Conditioner
Toothbrushes
Toothpaste
Non-aerosol hair care products
Hair Gel
Deodorant
Perfume
Body Spray
Lip Balm
Hair Bushes
Combs

Here is a link to the Girls' Group Home's website: http://www.slcoyouth.org/html/girlsGroupHome.html

Thank you everyone for your care and support, and we will see you Saturday! I hear the teen girls are really excited. Here is the info.

Teen LWML Event and Fall Rally
Saturday Oct. 18 10 am- 3 pm
Grace Lutheran Church in Sandy 1815 E 9800 S Sandy, UT
(801) 572-6375

God's Grace Filled Seasons

Special Guest Speaker: Elaine Bickel

God's Grace Filled Seasons

A Women's Retreat at St. Paul's in Ogden, Utah

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:

a time to be born and a time to die,

a time to plant and a time to uproot,

a time to kill and a time to heal,

a time to tear down and a time to build,

a time to weep and a time to laugh.

a time to mourn and a time to dance,

a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,

a time to embrace and a time to refrain,

a time to search and a time to give up,

a time to keep and a time to throw away,

a time to tear and a time to mend,

a time to be silent and a time to speak,

a time to love and a time to hate,

a time for war and a time for peace.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

Last Saturday (Oct. 4th) we spent some time together as friends in Christ. St. Paul's hosted a wonderful event and invited everyone to attend. Elaine Bickel was our special guest speaker, and wow... was that ever a treat. I had never met Elaine, but ever since St. Paul's announced her as the speaker I have not stopped hearing about her! She spoke to use throughout the day about the different seasons of our lives. Let me just say, there were a few times I was laughing so hard I was worried about what I was involuntarily going to do! She has a wonderful gift of seeing God's promises and miracles in every single part of daily life, and then sharing those promises and miracles with others.

Here is a link to Elaine's website for more information.

http://www.elainebickel.com/upcoming.html

King Solomon (possible author of Ecclesiastes) has always fascinated me. Son of the great King David, he sure had some big shoes to fill. But he knew he couldn't do it alone, in 1 Kings 3:7-9 Solomon asks this of God:

" Now, O Lord my God you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. Your servant is here among people you have chosen, a great people too numerous to count or number. So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours? "

God grants this to him and Solomon lives his life and governs God's people using this God given gift. But just like us, Solomon and David were both sinners and made mistakes. Our loving Lord showed mercy on them, just as he does us each and every day through His son Jesus. Let us all follow Solomon's lead and ask God for what we desire, and take our worries and concerns to Him.

Thank you ladies of St. Paul's for putting on and inviting us all to your event, it was very uplifting. Also, thank you Elaine for sharing your time with us.

Teen LWML Event

"Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you,

saying, "This is the way; walk in it. "

Isaiah 30:21

October 18th at Grace Lutheran Church in Sandy

from 10-3pm will be our Teen LWML Event

Teen Activities Include:

* Special Teen Bible Study given by Mr. OZ, DCE there at Grace

* Shelly Davis from Salt Lake Lutheran High will be there doing a breakout workshop especially for you!

* A Servant Event- helping others because we have been so blessed!

*Mini Pedicures

*Luncheon

* Special gifts and door prizes

*Come and hear what the LWML is all about!

Women's Activities Include:

*Bible study given by Pastor Erickson

* Fall Business

* Servant Event

* Mini Pedicures

* Luncheon

* Let's show our little sisters in Christ what LWML is all about!

Let's all come together as women in Christ on October 18th for an event centered around God's Word and serving Him with gladness! We are so excited to invite teen girls to our event this year. Ladies, start thinking about some teen girls in your congregation, neighborhoods or families to bring with you! Child care will be provided for the entire day so those of us with little munchkins can attend. We need each society's help to put on a great event, so please ask your Society Presidents how you can get involved!

Please email me (Ashley Willoughby- ashleywby2@aol.com) or the Society President at Grace (Cindy Sinclair- csinclair@gracesandy.org) with any questions or to RSVP.

See you there!