Ladies Retreat.

Friends - Who needs them?

We do!

I attended a less-than-24-hour Ladies Retreat, but there was so much packed into that time period! The theme of the retreat was friends and each message blended together with the previous one. It was an added blessing to have two missionary wives speak at the retreat. The most practical message was the one that touched on T-TAGS:

• T-ime
• T-ouch
• A-ffirmation
• G-ifts
• S-ervice

Each person has their own T-TAG; something to which they respond to the best. For instance, mine is affirmation followed by gifts. The one I least like is touch. I'm not a touchy-feely type person (Katina - the one who talked about the T-TAGS - isn't a touchy-feely person either!), so you wouldn't get very far with me on that one!

But I thought about what normally happens after a retreat/conference/camp is over. Usually we go home, and promptly forget about what was talked about. But since this retreat was on friends, I want to make sure I continue to build and maintain my friendships. Now that can get a little hectic at time, since it seems I don't have any time! But there are little ways I can maintain friendships. One was mentioned by one of the missionary's wives. She mentioned how discouraging it could be when an e-mail update is sent out from a missionary and how sometimes they wonder if it's being read. She then mentioned that by just hitting reply and saying "I'm praying for you", that could really make their day!

When I got home from the retreat, I checked my e-mail and read one from a missionary to Chile. I was about to go to the next one when I remembered the missionary wife's words, and I hit reply and said "I'm praying for you". It didn't cost me any effort at all, and perhaps it did encourage the Chilean missionaries!

Of course since a bunch of ladies got together, that meant staying up late, doing foot spas, playing games, and eating junk food:o). It was a lot of fun, but I think I'm ready for bed now!