Um . . . hello?

Where did that month go? I can't believe it's been a month since I posted last. My sincere apologies for leaving a cliffhanger for some of you (I'll tell you what book I took in just a minute - go ahead and scroll down if the suspense is killing you.)

You know, being a parent of school aged kids and the wife of an educator, I know the drill. It really shouldn't surprise me anymore but for some reason, it still does. Christmas break comes and we all breathe a sigh of relief as we get a two week break. Then it seems like a long stretch to Spring Break and we get to enjoy a week of no homework, no projects, a break from sports activities . . . and then WHAM! The next couple of months seem to hit turbo speed and we're racing to the end of the school year , signing up for summer camps and planning summer activities. I know, it's a lame excuse for not blogging, but sorry - it's all I've got for now.

So, my trip to St. Louis was great. The conference was engaging and I learned a lot about multi-cultural ministry. Someone even approached me about possibly leading a break-out session next year! Even if it doesn't happen, it's an honor to be considered. I met interesting folks from all over the country working with people groups from all over the world. One of the most challenging things I heard that keeps bouncing around in my brain was one presentation on Developing Leaders in Ethnic Ministries. The presenter said that statistics say that only one out of every three leaders in the church will "finish well", meaning with productive ministries, no burn-out and no scandal within their ministries. That really shook me. I've been challenged to start praying not just for others but for myself - Lord, help me finish well.

One of my favorite parts of this conference is how they bring in performance groups form all different cultures to come together for worship. I LOVE LOVE this part. It wasn't quite as big a show as last year but this year we heard some phenomenal ethnic choirs including the host church's traditional African American Gospel choir. They were awesome! And let me just say, this white girl would give her left hand to sing like some of those women with their passion and talent. There was a Chinese choir, a couple from a Slavic country (can't remember which now) and a couple of dance troops that performed. So awesome to see people praise God through their cultural gifts and heritage.

Another of the highlights was getting together with my good friend Rene for a couple of days of sight-seeing and hanging out. We took the trip to the top of the arch with my cousins and their two young boys and enjoyed the view of St. Louis from up high. The weather was truly wacky while we were there - it snowed as we went into the arch - IN APRIL! The Mississippi River was over the roadway and has gotten higher since then. It was great to spend time with Rene and catch up without kids and husbands in tow (though we both love them very much). One of my favorite times was a truly YUMMY breakfast at Cracker Barrel! Why, oh why won't the Cracker Barrel people come out west? I guess it wouldn't be the treat it is if I could go to Cracker Barrel every day . . . who am I kidding? I just might go to the Cracker Barrel every day if they were out here! We spent the rest of that day working off our breakfast walking St. Charles and the quaint little shops and historical sites there. After a very busy fall and winter, these few days of relaxing and sightseeing with one of my best friends were like cool water to my thirsty soul.

Here's a few pictures of our time in St. Louis.












And here's what some of you have been waiting for. The three books I took on the plane were:

Safely Home by Randy Alcorn (read this one and LOVED it). I will never look at China the same way again. Prompted me to consider how I take my freedoms for granted on such a large scale.
Closer Than Your Skin - Unwrapping the Mystery of Intimacy with God by Susan D. Hill. I found this book on Madison Richards' site and I'm about half way through. It's a wonderful reflection on the author's struggles in this area and she offers some great insights on making a relationship with God authentic and leaving the cultural trappings of Christianity behind.
My daughter has hijacked the third book I brought, the sequel to Inkheart called Inkspell. I think I'm going to save that one for a summer read (she reads so fast, she'll probably get through it in about a week!)

I came home with only two new books from the conference (I thought I practiced great restraint) and I'm looking forward to reading those soon. Gracism - The Art of Inclusion and Multicultural Ministry, both by David Anderson.

Thanks to those of you who aren't giving up on me and still check my blog. I'll try to do better . . . there's a few funny kids stories that have been happening so I'll try to share those in the coming days. Have a great weekend all!