I thoroughly enjoyed my 3 days off! On Friday I did some planning and preparing for the Girls Conference, did some painting at the house of a girl from our class at Highland, and went to Brownwood to watch the Abilene Eagles wax Weatherford in a play-off game.
Saturday the West Texas Girls Conference started around 10:00. The classes Tamara and I taught went really well. We talked about setting goals for our future, and thinking about spiritual gifts so we can develop and use them to serve and glorify God. We had the girls do a spiritual gifts inventory to show them what their strengths are. I assumed mine would be teaching since that is my profession, but found that I was stronger in exhortation (encouraging, giving advice) and giving. I think it's important to remember that with spiritual gifts, just like with any other talent, it needs to be practiced and exercised. And just because we're gifted in something, it may not always be easy to do. God calls us to use our gifts sacrificially which often involves doing something that is inconvenient or out of our comfort zone.
Kayci Ross did an incredible job as the keynote speaker! God has definitely blessed her with public speaking. She stepped back from the podium and her notes, walked around the stage, and spoke from her heart. I was so proud to be her friend! I felt like she was talking to me as much as she was talking to the 6th graders.
Today my students are taking a TAKS Benchmark test, so I have some time to catch up on grading (and blogging!) at my desk. And after this week, Brandon and I are headed off to NYC with his parents! I am so excited about the trip! We're going to see The Odd Couple on Broadway with Matthew Broderick, go to the Christmas show at Rockefeller Center, and see the sights and the lights!
