True Woman Conference '08

This past weekend, 18 ladies from my church (including me) had the privilege of attending the True Woman conference in Chicago. We left to drive to Atlanta at 5am on Thursday morning where we flew to Chicago. The conference began that evening and all the traveling, lack of sleep and food, was completely worth it. Keith & Kristin Getty led in worship as 6,200 women lifted their voices to the Lord! Pastor John Piper and Nancy Lee DeMoss spoke on Thursday night and both had powerful messages about what biblical womanhood looks like. Piper especially gave us a vision for biblical womanhood in light of God's eternal plan for Jesus to redeem His church.

Friday was a full day as we heard from Mary Kassian, Fern Nichols, and Karen Loritts all before lunch! All the ladies encouraged and challenged me, but I was especially moved by Fern Nichols call for us to pray for our children. She read Revelation 5:8 and encouraged us to fill up bowls of prayers for our children. Then groups of two or three women gathered to pray for our children. I was moved to tears as I cried out to the Lord for Thomas' salvation. I do pray for him everyday, but I was convicted that I need to be more fervent in my prayers for him and remember that the Lord hears! What is more powerful than leaving a legacy of prayer for my child?

There were many breakout sessions after lunch and there is so much to say about those, that I'll have to blog about those later. After dinner, we had the privilege of hearing from Janet Parshall about the high calling of motherhood. Joni Eareckson Tada spoke to us via video about suffering and trials - such a powerful testimony from a woman who has faithfully endured while being in a wheelchair for over 40 years.

Finally, on Saturday we were encouraged by a panel of speakers to live out biblical womanhood in our marriages, homes, and churches. It was wonderful to hear from older ladies who have walked the path that I'm now walking. We had to leave early to catch our flight back so I was unable to hear Nancy Lee DeMoss's final message on Esther (Now Is The Time). However, I have downloaded it and plan to listen to it, as all the messages from the conference are available for free on www.truewoman.com.

The climax of the True Woman Conference was signing the True Woman manifesto. You can go to the above website and read it and sign it online. The goal of the True Woman Conference is to live counter-cultural lives as women and as we reject the world's standards and live by God's standards.

I'm sure many of you are wondering how did I do away from Thomas? It was hard, but manageable because I was so busy. I missed my family so much and holding my sweet boy! Thanks again to Josh's parents who graciously helped to care for my family while I was gone - they would have been hungry without y'all!

The only disappointment when I got home was that Thomas was sick. He had an upset stomach for about a week and on Saturday he had a fever and broke out in a rash! My husband deserves much credit because he had already given him Motrin and called the pediatrician before I got home. The ped thinks the rash is a result of a virus that had caused the upset stomach. It got worse yesterday, but after much prayer, more Motrin and some benadryl, he is all better today!

By the way, if you do sign the manifesto (ladies only of course), please let me know.

He is just so cute!

I, like all mothers, think that my baby is the cutest and sweetest child ever - and I even tell him that. There is even a little song I sing to him -

Who's the sweetest baby in the world?
Who's the sweetest baby in the world?
Who's the sweetest baby in the wooorld?
He's Thomas, Thomas Culbertson!

For those of you who aren't moms, I'm sure you think I have gone crazy (and my husband even thinks so occasionally). Two things he has done recently have been especially enduring.

On Sunday evening, Josh was watching the Grand Ole Opry (he likes those things) and Thomas was playing in the living room. Thomas scooted over to the television and then laid down in front of it resting on his arms - he really wanted to watch it! After I while, he sat up and started swaying back and forth. It happened so quickly that I didn't have time to grab the dvd recorder, but it was so precious!

Another thing he has been doing for some time is sucking with his mouth closed when he is really concentrating. Last night we were at my in-laws and they had given him some addition and subtraction cards to play with and he was really concentrating to get them back in the box one-by-one and you could just see his little cheeks moving! Sometimes I'll see him doing it when he is "reading" a book, but most of the time it is when something has his complete attention.

I'm just so thankful for my little boy and enjoy all the little things he does. What a great reminder that being a mom is the best job in the world!

Learning to Sew

For some time now, I have been wanting to learn how to sew. I've realized that with a family sewing is a good skill to have because there are always buttons that pop off or seams that rip or pants that need to be hemmed. I began searching for a class to take to learn how to sew (yes, I did take Home Economics in 8th grade for six weeks, but I don't remember anything and I didn't care then). Internet searches were in vain and I couldn't find anything local, until Josh needed a seam repaired in a pair of suit pants. An older lady in our church volunteered to repair his pants and I saw it as my opportunity to learn how to sew.

Thankfully, Mrs. Vynelle agreed to teach me and we began lessons in June. We went to Wal-Mart and picked out a pattern of a jumper for Thomas. She instructed me about how to read the pattern and buy all the supplies needed. I learned how to cut out a pattern, cut the cloth, how to sew a stitch line and then a seam line, and I watched as Mrs. Vynelle did the hard work of putting facing in the sleeves and neck, as well as the awful job of putting in the snap tape. Until this project, I have never realized how much work is involved in making a simple outfit!

My goal isn't to make Thomas' clothes, because it is easier and cheaper to buy from consignment sales. However, I am glad that I was able to make him something and at least I have went through the process. This morning, Mrs. Vynelle came over and showed me how to hem a pair of my pants. That was much easier than sewing clothes and will be very useful in the future. Now Josh wants me to learn how to put on buttons instead of using a safety pin!

Here are pictures of the outfit I made for Thomas (he has a white onesie on underneath). I didn't get a great picture of the whole outfit because he didn't want to sit still.