Homeschool Moms' Retreat

Last Saturday was our 1st annual Lighthouse Moms' Retreat at the beach!  Two dear ladies, Michele and Ingrid, planned and hosted the one day event for 11 of us at a beach house on Topsail Island, about 2 ½ hours from Raleigh.   A few of us decided to go down the night before and stay at a motel on the beach, to make it a bit more of a getaway, and allow us to arrive by the start time of 8:30am without having to wake before the sun!  It was a wonderful day of fellowship with both old and new friends, glorious worship on the beach, encouragement from scripture, creative activities, good food, and emotional refreshment.

Ingrid reminded us that we are not just moms, wives, teachers, home managers, etc, but we are  daughters of the King, and beloved by him!   Our WORTH comes not from how well we teach spelling or clean the house or manage our budget, but our worth comes from the fact that we are God's creation and  his precious children.  Michele taught that our BEAUTY isn't measure by our weight or our haircolor,  our wardrobe or our words, but from our relationship with Jesus Christ.  This was a very good reminder for all of us women. 

Late September is a PERFECT time for a beach retreat!  The weather was gorgeous.

Ready and waiting for us to arrive!

almost there!

Singing along to praise songs and worshiping with scarves and flags on the beach!

We made all-natural skin care products from coconut oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, salt or brown sugar, cinnamon, probiotic powder...

We were a wonderful mix of brand new homeschool moms, seasoned homeschool moms, and even a couple of retired homeschool moms.  

One of our activities involved choosing 5 stones or shells and writing 5 words that the Lord was impressing on you to release or embrace.  Later, we had some time to do something creative involving those words, or even to just rest and meditate. I chose to spend that time with watercolor. 

New Homeschool Moms Celebration Brunch

Even though I have closed my homeschool after graduating my youngest child, I still plan to remain involved in my support group and in the homeschool community.  One of my roles in Lighthouse the past couple of years has been Mentor Coordinator, and yesterday a group of us hosted a New Homeschool Moms Brunch to celebrate the end of the school year with some fellowship and encouragement.  It was a small group, 6 mentors ("seasoned" homeschoolers) and 5 ladies in their first year of homeschooling.  My friend and fellow mentor, Becky, opened her beautiful home and served as hostess, and the mentors all provided items for the buffet table.

Everyone ate and chatted for a while, and then we gathered in the living room for introductions, since our support group is quite large and everyone doesn't know one another.  Irene shared a devotion and we gave out 2 little gifts.

I gave everyone a Homeschool Survival Kit, based on one someone had made for a homeschool meeting years ago.  As I told the ladies, this is a visual reminder to sit on your windowsill, bookshelf, kitchen counter, etc, so that when you see it, you are reminded of the messages and Scriptures that go along with it. 

 

Becky then gave out little scented candles that were labeled "Romance"!  She encouraged everyone  to pay attention to their marriage relationships and make time for romance.  Homeschooling can become overwhelming it we let it, and start to take up all our time and energy.  We must not lose sight of the importance of nurturing the relationship that is the foundation of our family - our relationship with our spouse.  

We spent the rest of the time just talking and answering questions. It was a sweet morning spent building relationships with and pouring encouragement into some new friends.