I’m back ringing in March, one of my favorite months of the year! The flowers are beginning to bloom, we’re getting days of sun, and I feel all the goodness of spring emerging. But before I get ahead of myself into March, let’s recap February, a chilly month that has delivered plenty of blessings and many challenges at my door. We started our month at the lake for our Career and Vocational Calling retreat! Boy oh boy did I learn some good stuff this week - rich content about work and who I am specifically made to be - all my talents and limitations included. There is real, meaningful growth happening in us as we have gotten the privilege of looking at all of the aspects of ourselves laid out, diving deep in a one on one session with Cam (professional at this), and bringing it all to God, asking him to grow in us what we pinpointed. This week reminded me of my unique belovedness while also, often painfully, pressing on the weaknesses that I need help in. Isn’t that what this whole year has done for me? I’m so grateful that we get to do this as 22-26 year olds - I don’t take that for granted.
We have dived deep into our families this month, working through interviewing our families and writing our genogram papers. This has brought the unique opportunity to really sit in the full picture of our family systems. I’m not going to lie, it's been tiring as a person who carries emotions heavily, I’ve been weary of the time spent thinking about, processing, and holding the weight of multiple generations’ “stuff”. It’s also a beautiful time to allow my family members to really tell their story. Getting to put their lens on for a little bit, has deepened my understanding and compassion for each person in my family. I’ve been able to spot virtues passed along through generations like loyalty, hospitality, independence, optimism, value of relationships and also I’ve had to face tough truths about my family as well. I might be tired and thankful to be done with this part for now, but I’m better because of the process and I will have the rich gift of this experience for many, many years to come.
Hard pivot: I love Valentine's day! My parents always made an easily skippable holiday so special growing up, decorating the hallway, cooking an extravagant dinner, and my dad walking his three daughters one by one to the table in our best dress. It has always held a dear spot in my heart, so I was so thankful when the girls let me be extra for the day and help throw a galentines at Maddie Grace’s parents house. It was the best night making our own pizzas, laughing, and gifting each other valentines. A couple weeks after, two of my friends came to visit from college - a joy!! It was so special to share this new home with friends that feel like home already. Then off to the women's retreat! Wow, what a weekend it was. I was moved many times to tears by a room of 150 women of all ages, shapes, life stages, personalities, coming together to worship our very thoughtful creator and hear each other’s stories. This weekend I felt like a sponge, trying my best to soak up all the advice and beautiful ways each woman has experienced not only God, but the entirety of their lives - it was a real blessing for me that I’ll be thinking about for a long time. February was a month full of delightful, sweet friendships - the truth that God loves women has never been so close to me!
One other reality of February is the beginning of Lent. I am learning the longing of Lent, the humility of my beginning as ashes and my eventual end, how to keep one foot in the waiting and one foot in the celebration that Christ has already won the victory over death. The Lord is always kind in his timing, he is always working redemption in my life. I see that clearly with all he has unearthed in my soul through this month right in time for Lent to slow me down to sit with it all. So I’ll be here, sitting in it, I’ll get back to you in April!
Dying to know what I’m loving? Happy to make you happy!
Strawberry flat white from Iris (Valentine’s special)
The weather in Wilmington for the retreat
Taking my friends to H-Mart and the farmer’s market (let us walk around food and we’re happy)
Blueberry matchas
Jackie sitting where Conrad sat in the Summer I Turned Pretty
Walking and learning from Kathryn (mentor!) she is so wise
My other friends coming this weekend!!!! 4 more days! (yes this is the March, but my excitement has started in February)
New benchwarmers bagels location! -
Listening to 150 women sing “Spirit of God, come like the dawn. Open the heavens on us. We wanna know you, we wanna know you.” How powerful!
Here I go and here comes spring!
With love, Reagan
