Happy Birthday Sweet Friend....

Most days it is still hard to believe that Karlena is gone. Today would have been her 37th birthday...and it is sad for me not to be able to celebrate it with her.

I think one of the hardest things for me still is that I miss so much that bond that we had. She knew me, all of me and loved me in spite of all of my faults. I still have one of her messages on my phone and I got to hear her voice again a few days ago when I was checking my messages.  Her voice always had a smile in it.  No matter what she was going through...she was positive.

I loved that about her!

As a side note - it seems as though I am pregnant in just about every photo I can find right now of us together! :)  She was SOOO excited when we found out we were having a girl, and that she would carry on her name. Oh how I wish our girl could know her in this lifetime. :(

I guess days like this are just a little harder than some. For me I wish things were different...I am certain that she is having a wonderful birthday in Heaven. But I would love to celebrate with her here too!

I have said it before that Karlena had such an amazing legacy...she taught me so much about loving God despite your circumstances, trusting in His plan for our lives...even if it is a hard road to walk.  I am so grateful that I have those memories of her to hold on to...and pass down to my kids.

The picture below is Karlena with Elijah. She loved him something fierce too. She was their Auntie Karlena!  I have a picture of her in our girls room...hopefully she will love her memory like I do and realize how special it is that she carries her name.

Karlena it is safe to say that you will never be forgotten. Today especially I celebrate you, your legacy and the gift of friendship that you gave to me for so many years. Happy Birthday Sweet Friend.....

WOF, Bloggy Friends and Michael Jackson!

We just got home from our weekend at Women of Faith!! And what a weekend it was!

This was both a difficult and yet blessing-filled weekend for me. Over the past several years Karlena and I attended WOF in Denver together. Last year when she was too sick to travel we bought the DVD's and had a conference in her home together. That weekend together was the last time I saw her alive.

And while her absence was felt strongly for me this weekend - God is so good to me that he took a time of what could have been felt as great loss and filled it with new friends! I have made several friendships through blogging and this weekend I got to meet and spend time with a few of those beautiful women and my mom! Mom, Kami, Trish, Jess, Tonya, Sharon and Angela....you helped make this weekend extra special for me and I am SO grateful! (Proof that good relationships can be formed through the www.)

Oh and to top off the fun - Kami got a call from WOF about a week before the conference and they said that they were moving us from our really high up seats to some AWESOME seats on the floor! God is SO good!

After being led in worship by the talented worship team and singing "You Are God Alone"...one of my favorites..and then to sing with 10,000 other women - AWESOME!!.....

Dr Henry Cloud and Shiela Walsh started the weekend off for us.

Sheila reminded us that there are over 3000 promises in the Bible and one of my favorite things that Sheila said was "One place where peace is always available is at the feet of Jesus."  Then Dr Henry talked about "pruining" and that "to get to the Promised Land there is ALWAYS a death before the resurrection."

Lisa Harper talked about having a "colander heart" when any good that came in always leaked out.  But that we can fill that hole with Jesus and that "God Sees You".

One of the things that Luci talked about was when she took a trip with World Vision. She shared that she had already decided she was NOT going to sponsor a child....but now after her first WV trip so many years ago she is sponsoring 14 children!

14!!

 Pretty inspiring to find a way to go out and give back or as she said "Live Every Moment Fully"!!

Angie Smith was the highlight of the conference for me. I have been reading Angie's blog and praying for her since she started blogging 4 yrs ago. Her books are God-breathed and she has such an amazing testimony.

She was talking about her Audrey and when she said that after 2 1/2 hrs she went to be with Jesus I heard this audible gasp throughout the audience. And I was shocked. I guess I assumed that everyone "knew" about Angie's story.

And then what I realized was that there in that moment Angie, in your brokenness and transparency, fear-filled or not - an arena full of women were brought to the feet of "Kyrios"...Divine Son of God, Lord Jesus the One to whom I belong.

I didn't take any pictures of her because I was bawling the "ugly cry" during pretty much the entire time she was speaking.

I had one of her books with me and planned on staying afer the conference to have her sign it. When I raced up to get in line when it was done I was told that her line was closed and I was out of luck. I felt like I had been punched in the gut - I was SO hoping to hug her in person and just tell her thank you for all she has meant to my walk over the past few years. Let's just say some tears were shed at the end :( Next time I know better to skip the end and get in line early!

And finally one of the coolest things I have ever seen at WOF in the past 12 years.  Oh but if you are reading this and will be attending another conference you MUST stop reading now because we all promised we wouldn't tell....right Mary?! :)

Little Elliott...I mean Michael Jackson did a performance for us to the song "I'm Bad". I have never seen a 5 yr old dance like that. I am not even sure how he got his legs and hips moving that fast...but I am telling you it was so great and he had the crowd on their feet! I got a picture but it is a lot blurry and pretty dark...those quick moving legs were amazing!

He has a future in music for sure! :)

Except for the book signing disappointment, this weekend was so wonderful. I left filled and refreshed and focused. God is SO good and He does so many amazing things in my life. Truly more than I can imagine.

Thank you WOF for all the work you do in putting these weekends together. It is something that I look forward to every year!