My Weekend At The Craft House

I don't love to cook, and I don't feel like I'm very creative...but I love to eat and I absolutely swoon over pretty things.  So, when my friends asked me to come be a helper at Craft Weekend how could I say no?  I figured I'd make up for my lack of skills by being the best dang dish washer, kitchen cleaner, margarita pourer and coffee server I could be!

So last weekend I flew out on Thursday and got to spend a little extra one on one time with Kimberlee and Meg before all the ladies arrived.

 I have to say it makes my heart happy that these two friends of mine from different seasons of my life found each other.  They make the most amazing team! There's just something about watching someone minister out of their gift mix, and these two are doing just that!  I'm blessed to call them friends, and to have the opportunity to watch them in action.

I also love any opportunity to spend time with other women.  I'm a people watcher, so it was a thrill for me to just watch these ladies create, interact, and be filled.  Hearing their laughter made me smile.  Hearing some of their stories made me feel.  Watching them in this creative environment inspired me.

And then I had the privilege to serve them.  These ladies who are wives, mommas, sisters, friends, and caregivers, each one with their own story, each one taking time for themselves, and I had the honor of giving them the chance to be served even if just for a few days.

I'll be honest in saying, serving is always WAY more fun when it involves Kimberlee's cooking! These are single serving pot pies.  So fun, right? And de-lish!

Everything she made was TO...DIE...FOR!!!!!  And she does it with such ease.  She's one of those that half the time she doesn't even measure her ingredients and it turns out beautifully...blows my mind!

I'm fairly certain heaven will involve scenes like this...

with big farm tables of amazing food, surrounded by friends, and beauty, and laughter!

The ladies crafted late into the night.  I am always in awe of those who are wired with a deep creativity.  Meg is always gracious to me knowing my creative insecurities.  I remember being captured by her artistic ability early on as we grew up together.  We are all created in the image of God, it is evident that God imparted His creative side into Meg when she was formed in her mother's womb.

She walked me through making this cuff...I have to admit, I'm in love!

The best part of these weekends for me is always the connecting.  The sharing of hearts, the listening, the telling, the encouraging, maybe even the crying (it just has to be done sometimes).  It doesn't matter to me where it happens, be it in the van on the way home from the barn, or across the Starbucks table waiting for my flight.  My heart is at home when I'm able to connect with those I love.

So, thanks Kimberlee and Meg! Thanks for inviting me, and thanks for sharing life with me, even if it does span state lines with long months in between.  You two are awesome at what you do and it's a blessing to watch you minister and serve others! Love you both!!!!!

To My Girls -- My prayer is that you will always have a friend who knows you.  A friend who brings out the best in you.  And a friend that you can do the same for in return.