This past Sunday during the Sunday School hour, all of the ladies in our church from college-age on up were invited to come together for a special brunch hosted by the Women’s ministry. It was SO MUCH FUN! We introduced the theme for our new year, “Seasons of a Woman’s Life” (which I’ll tell you about in a minute) and we shared a new arm of our women’s ministry – a mentoring ministry we’re so excited to begin this fall. It’s called “Sowers and Growers.” We had around 150 ladies in attendance, and 24 beautifully decorated tables, each depicting various seasons of a woman’s life. I took some pics, and I borrowed some pics, and thought you might like to see some of the “seasons” creatively displayed.
We have some super talented ladies who painted, cooked, decorated, planned, organized, advertised, and a group who performed a skit, all to depict the theme we women need to hear from time to time: Every season of life is purposeful. Every season of life is beautiful… and the particular season YOU are in AT THIS VERY MOMENT is the VERY SEASON where God wants to best work in and through you today.
So often we waste our time and emotions either looking back on what was, or in dreaming ahead of what is to come that we miss today and the beauty of God’s plans to do something beautiful in and through us in today’s season. Isn’t that the truth?
In Ecclesiastes 3:1-11 we are taught that there is a season for everything – and that God has made EVERYTHING beautiful for it’s own time and season. Everything. That’s you, and that’s me… and our lives right where we are at this very moment, my sweet friends, even if we think that we have nothing worthy to give.
Our lives may be crazy busy, or slow and empty-feeling… but as long as there is breath in our bodies and we are still living on this earthly sod, God has a purpose and a work to do in and through our lives. God is with us. God is working. God is beautiful… therefore He will work something beautiful out of our Todays if we will offer ourselves to Him in this present season.
Every earthly season has it’s beauty that we look forward to and enjoy – but each also has it’s frustrations that we dread, don’t they? One of the decorated tables had a wise quote from Margaret Feinberg about life seasons, especially those times in each season that we don’t particularly enjoy:
Isn’t that wonderful?
God is up to something good and important in your “Today’s Season.” Will you be open letting Him work in and through you to make it beautiful? With NO looking behind, and NO looking ahead, let’s commit to embrace today and use it for God’s glory!!! A men!
Pictures of some of “Seasons of A Woman’s Life” Tables
(If I missed your table, I’m so sorry!!! Some tables were still being decorated or labeled when I took pics, but I tried to get something from everyone.)
BEWARE: Lots of beautiful ideas and tables coming up! 😉
A woman basking in God’s Love
College Life
Mom’s life
Mom of teens – Drop off, pick up, repeat!
Sweet 16
Grandma’s Casseroles of Life – with Aprons for chair covers!
Vacation season
Wedding season
Baby Season (notice the place chargers – they are onesies!)
Mothers of Preschoolers
Seasons of Friendship
Empty Nest Season
Children at Home and Play Season
Crazy Busy Season
Sports Mom
My Daughter’s Getting Married
World Traveler
Silver Anniversary
Seasons of Missions and Service
Seasons of Joy
Aging through the Decades of Time
Eyes on Heaven
Now this next table was mine – It’s theme was “Graduation Time.” I took this theme because that’s the season we have been in for the past two years, and I had planned on using all black and gold (our school colors) and just being kind of “ho hum” about it because that’s kind of how I was feeling. This brunch was the weekend following the week we took Abigail to college.
However, my sweet husband surprised me with a fun little trip (I’ll share about that later) that began the moment we drove off of her college campus, and it changed everything! (YAY!) I wasn’t down in the dumps like I thought I would be. 😉 SO, my graduation table turned into a happy one. 🙂 God gave me the idea to use Dr. Seuss’ book, Oh the Places You’ll Go as the theme and it was joyfully therapeutic (and just a tad wild and crazy, too).
Annuals, tissue paper flowers in Izzy bottles, pipe cleaners, photo booth props, and my own children’s hats…
I also finally made Reeces cup graduation hats that I found on Pinterest and wanted to make for my own kids, but were too busy with other graduation prep that I never got to – haha!
The napkins were rolled to resemble diplomas, and the placemats were scrapbook pages from Hobby Lobby.
This little message was something the Lord awoke me with in the night during the week before the event. It’s not only true for our graduates, but for all of us, and the places we’ll all go. 🙂
Pinterest had a ton of ideas and downloads for this theme. Planning for and creating this table was a fun wrap-up to my first week of empty nesting. I can’t wait to share the trip with you. Just one hint (in case you don’t follow on social media) Magnolia Market Silos. 😉
OK… back to the brunch. I had just one pic of our lovely food tables… but isn’t it pretty?
What a special day it was! If you are in our Cleveland, MS area and would like to participate in anything we have going on, you can find out everything and details at UnderTheSteeple.com.
This is our calendar of upcoming events. Is there anything on here in which you’d like to participate? YOU ARE ALWAYS WELCOME!!!
With love,
