"Watch out! Weeeeowwww"

Whew.

I just had an amazing weekend and I want to share it with YOU, oh world of the interwebz.  Well, mostly with whatever kinds of people read this blog and in order to recollect my thoughts.

Friday morning, I did not work.  A first in almost a year (minus that one week I was in Montana, but that's beside the point).  Instead of my usual Friday hecticness at the Cuda, Michelle and I ventured to Spokane.  Now, this wasn't just any old "girls weekend out"--we don't really do those...sadly.  This was in order to attend the Women of Faith Conference.  Going in to this weekend, I expected it to be mostly boring with a huge helping of Bible thumping and Christ cheese (<-is that blasphemous?).  Those expectations were only the beginning of me being completely and utterly and pleasantly wrong for the following 36 hours.

I would liken it to Ghormley even (as a student, not as a counselor), minus the games and overcrowded cabins and delicious food--unfortunately.  The line-up of women speakers and lone man were completely down to Earth, real people with some sort of weird side-gig in stand-up comedy.  Not that they did stand-up, but some of them definitely could have.  Their talks were not weighed down with scripture as some Christian sermons are, but instead stories about their lives and about their families, how they relate to and connect with other people, seeing the good in everything, trusting in God's mysterious wisdom and how to be a better friend and woman of love and compassion.  I was deeply touched with laughter and profound thought at each of their words.

Michelle and I were already planning to go next year by the time lunch rolled around on Friday.

I'm encouraging my mom and any other woman of any amount of faith I know to go as well.  Seriously, that weekend did me more good than a year's worth of Sunday preaching.  Not that Sunday preaching isn't important, it just doesn't always seem as applicable as a modern woman of God living in a world wrought with brokenness.

I'm going to post some videos now of what could be expected at this conference as opposed to the cold and disconnected, memorized Bible verse touting preaching that I ignorantly expected going in.

The ever amazing and my new role model of old age, Patsy Clairmont:

And for those American Idol watchers, finalist Mandisa was there as well.  I had no idea who she was, to which Michelle had a nice little chuckle, but I definitely know who she is now.

As always,
-KL

P.S.  There are still a few more conferences this year, check and see if there are any near you, yes you.  If you can't make it this year, consider going next year.  Srsly, I will go with you.  Then the magic will be even more spectacular. 
P.P.S.  With 7 or so speakers, I never heard a single "where we're at".  Grammar is especially important to Women of Faith.