The rest of my week

Today after lunch I'm driving a bunch of ladies to Karuizawa, north-west of here. Yesterday they had 50+cm of snow. Yes, Karuizawa is in the mountains.

Our venue: we visited Megumi Chalet in Karuizawa at Christmas time.

We're going to a women's retreat. It is run by the Japan Evangelical Missions Association (JEMA), the same group who publish the magazine I work on as an editor. This is the third time I've been to this event down here. I also went to a mini version in Hokkaido for four years. It is almost always a wonderfully encouraging time and I'm certain it will be this time. We have a great speaker: Jane Rubietta. She spoke last time I went to this retreat and it was fantastic. A speaker who's willing to be transparent and even joke about herself. And who urges you to pursue Jesus with all your heart. Wonderful.

However I'm feeling nervous. I haven't been behind the steering wheel on this drive without my husband next to me giving me directions. Even though we've been to Karuizawa a number of times, I'm still liable to get lost, especially between our house and the expressway. Thankfully I'm following someone.

Then there is the small matter of snow. I'm hoping the roads are well cleared! But I know that I'll have to put the chains on the van between here and there. Even if the roads are cleared, I'll need the chains to get up the hill at the retreat centre. I've never put chains on before and being a women's retreat - there are no men to lean on. My husband gave me a hands-on tutorial last night in our living room. It was too wet and cold to do it outside and I was in my jammies. It looked easy enough. In fact they were sold to my husband by a tiny sales woman who said she could put them on. It seems that no matter what I conquer - there is always a new challenge around the corner!

Karen putting together gift bags.

The event doesn't actually start until tomorrow, but I have a small responsibility as one of the the gift bag coordinators. My friend Karen and I have been working on assembling small bags of goodies to give to each of the attendees. We have a little more work to do before everyone arrives tomorrow.

I also designed the programme for the event. The printing of that hasn't gone as I'd hoped, so I'm a bit disappointed and embarrassed, but everyone reassures me that no one will know that it isn't as I'd envisaged it. I'm hoping so, but it doesn't change that cringe factor inside me that will not be happy carrying around the program that doesn't quite look like this:

Nonetheless, I hope and pray that it will be a good time away regardless of the practical details that might not be perfect. 

So, lots of things to pray about: safety, that my family will manage while I'm away, practical details will be okay and especially that the Holy Spirit will be there - blessing abundantly all who come.