I attended my second Holy Yoga Soul Care Retreat the first weekend of June. It was in Nashville at the Scarritt Bennett Center. My friend Jill asked me to be the event photographer again, plus I had seven women schedule individual photography sessions with me. Here are my favorite photos from the weekend, after many hours of organizing and editing. I hope you can see God in these images and women’s faces, like I do!
Tomorrow, Katie turns 12. Two days ago, she wrote me a letter in a special journal we use to write each other back and forth. This blog post is her letter, and my response. [Note: We just spent five days at our church’s youth camp. I wasn’t assigned to Katie’s small group, but I got to spend some time with her and hang out and watch her with her friends.]
Dear Mommy,
I had so much fun at YC Camp spending time with you! I enjoyed the blob and spending time with all my besties! Thank you for caring for me when I hurt my foot, and offering a piggyback ride. I am so lucky to have you! I want to do this again next year, and I hope that it is at Lake Williamson! I am thankful that we can continue to grow in our love of Christ TOGETHER! We are going to keep calm and worship on! I love your love for Christ, like how you raise your hands and sing like nobody is watching. I have a desire to love Christ just like you! I love you so much! We are going to have so much fun telling D & J about our adventures! ~Katie (Ketchup)
Here’s the letter I wrote in response:
Oh, my Katie girl!
Your letter was better for me than any jewel or gifts or awards or prizes. Having you as my girl is like winning the grand prize championship of life! Nothing compares to the joy you shine into my life. Thank you for telling me how you see me – that you see Jesus in me. That is my life’s mission: to reflect Jesus to others. And I love that you, my daughter, can see Him in me!
Here’s something really great too: I CAN SEE JESUS IN YOU! I see Him in the way you sing about Him when you’re hanging out at home. I see Him in the way you light up around friends you love. I see Him when we have quiet pillow talk moments and you ask some of the hard questions of life. I see Him in you when you help out around the house or at Outreach or with a neighbor. Oh, Katie! The Lord has set you aside for a deep, loving work throughout your life. How exciting is that?!
Tomorrow is your birthday. It makes me think of the first day I met you, when nurses placed you on the hospital bed beside me. I looked in your eyes and saw an entirely new unexplored world opening up for me. You have shown me new paths of life that I never knew existed. This life isn’t always easy, but having Jesus beside me, God above me, the Holy Spirit inside me, and my magnificent family (you included!) with me makes it one fantastic life.
I love and adore you,
Mommy
