This weekend I was invited to join a friend at a homeschooling conference in Seattle. Tim cheerfully sent me on my way (no doubt plotting to get his hands on the blog) and off I went. It was a lovely time of fellowship with an old friend; long conversations about parenting, faith and marriage; homeschool shopping, instruction and encouragement and of course some pampering.
We found this wonderful little spa during our travels. The decor was lovely and I was especially drawn to the mirror in the back.
Between us, Martha and I have 11 children. That’s quite a collection of little (and not so little) voices and messes and concerns and needs and hearts in our care. I hardly need say that finding time for quiet and rejuvenation is pretty rare. How much more precious to have an extended length of time in which to reconnect with a friend and be away from the responsibilities of life.
To make the whole weekend all the more delightful, Martha treated me to a birthday pedicure.
We don’t usually look to feet for beauty but dark pink polish certainly helps. More importantly it is where my feet take me that reflects beauty – do I serve my family, do I walk toward the needy, do I live out the gospel in the steps I take?
A little bit of pampering was the perfect way to start the weekend. No one in the salon asked me to get them a drink or find their lost sock or punish their brother or wipe up their spilled ketchup. Not once. It was actually very quiet.
Thank you for the lovely birthday present, Martha!!
There is great beauty in relationships that have been tested in the fire and redeemed through God’s faithfulness and healing.
As I return from the homeschooling conference and a weekend away from my duties and responsibilities as a wife and mother, I am challenged to think about what I look for in my children and my husband. Do I look for the beauty in them or do I only see their faults and failures?
I want to look for the beauty of God working in my children and my husband. I want to see their hearts grow more and more in love with Jesus. I want to notice the laughter and joy more and the mess less. I want to encourage purity and innocence and integrity and faith and LOVE in my family.
I am going to look for the beauty that comes from the Lord because I know that He is faithful and will complete the work that He has begun in my children, my husband and myself.
It’s good to be home.
Kathy
Kathy, how come when I look at my feet, I think about callouses and little hairs and blah, blah, but you think lovely Biblical thoughts? You have such a gift for writing.
Back to the feet (!). I agree, I think polish almost always makes toes look better!
How wonderful! What a great time away. You’ve challenged me, too. I love that.
OK, I’ll have to paint my toenails, your feet really do look pretty!
What a great reminder to intentionally LOOK for beauty, like looking for God…it takes effort.
I’ll be posting pictures of our camping trip tonight, talk to you soon!
Hi, is that really our Cindy/Mamie commenting above?
I love you, dear Katherine. In my view, you DO seem to look for beauty in others. I am always inspired by your joy and spirit.
But thanks for longing for more-and challenging me to, also!
Pretty toes. Love you, Aunt Kate
What a treat, Kathy and a great time of refreshment with a friend.
Bessie loves to do my toenails. She’ll give me a nice little Mary Kay treatment then polish them. She is such a sweetie!
I love your little sweater/shawl thingy you are wearing in the picture, very pretty.
Kristine – thanks for your kind words. It was a very intense weekend with lots of discussion about faith and parenting and being real in all of those areas. I think my mind was already turned to serious thoughts.
Jennifer – can’t wait to see the pictures of your camping trip.
Debbie – how fun to have someone in the family who will do toenails. A friend gave me the white shawl. Isn’t it cute. She gives me fantastic hand me downs which I accept eagerly. Ha!
Amen.
I had a pedicure recently and I sure didn’t think of the importance of my feet and where they go. I was only thinking of my cracked heels and how good they would feel after the pedicure! I’m continually amazed at how you guys weave these thoughts into every day life. I think I need to think more (LOL).
I don’t think I have ever heard such beautiful words when talking about a pedicure . . . see why you need to write a book