Ladies Night Out

You know how you hear horror stories about mothers-in-law? They offer to clean your house, you know, to help. Offer to cook a meal, you know, your husband's favorite from when he was a little boy. And so on...

Well, I am so very happy to say that I absolutely CANNOT relate to that at all.

My gracious God has chosen to bless me with the most fantastic mother-in-law in all the land. Seriously. I love her. She has welcomed me into her family from day one. And on day one, I was the stranger she was stuck with in her own home as we rode out hurricane Ivan on 2004. Probably not how she envisioned meeting her future daughter-in-law!! I digress. But really, JoAnne has been such a blessing in my life. Knowing that I have a woman like her praying for me in every aspect of my life has lifted my heart and soul more than I can describe. Plus, it has been pretty awesome to be the only girl for the last few years!

I am telling you all of this because I had the chance to spend some wonderful time with my sweet MIL this past weekend. Her birthday was on Friday, so Adam and I drove down to celebrate with her. We kicked things off with a Friday night dinner at Cracker Barrel (a personal favorite...don't judge), and on Saturday morning we went for a walk together. The highlight of the visit, though, was Saturday afternoon and evening. JoAnne got married last year, and as a result, I got two more sisters-in-law! So for her birthday JoAnne wanted to take us all to get pedicures together (See what I mean about how awesome she is?) and then for all of us to go to her church's annual Ladies Night Out. We had SUCH a good time.

Ladies Night Out is a yearly event that includes music, dinner, a speaker and door prizes (one of which JoAnne won!). Ladies from the church volunteer to host tables and then they decorate them based on a verse/passage from Scripture.

Here is our beautiful table hosted by Deb (JoAnne's Sunday school class leader) and Shannon (one my new sisters-in-law). 

And here is our scripture for the evening. As soon as I picked up the card and read it, I had to start blinking like crazy to avoid crying. How perfect is that? Sometimes the Lord just gets you right where you need to be gotten. This was one of those times. 

And here is my beautiful mother-in-law! Not only is she fabulous, but she raised a pretty incredible guy I happen to love a whole lot! 

The whole evening was wonderful. There is something really special about being surrounded by women who love Jesus and each other. Something healing. Something calming. Something truly beautiful. 

The speaker that evening touched on several passages of Scripture, but one of them really jumped out to me. I want to leave it with you as I go. She just focused on one verse, but I have included the whole chapter for you below. 

Keep me safe, my God, for in you I take refuge.

I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.” I say of the holy people who are in the land,
“They are the noble ones in whom is all my delight.” Those who run after other gods will suffer more and more. I will not pour out libations of blood to such gods
or take up their names on my lips. Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
surely I have a delightful inheritance. I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay. You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

Psalm 16

Love, 

Baylor