Indianapolis, Indiana
Thursday-Saturday
Thursday, mom and I made our way to Lansing to pick Regina up and ready to board the bus. We stopped in Fowler for dinner, Main Street Pizza. I ordered a personal veggie pizza (was amazing) and mom ordered a salad. Our Italian dinners were delicious; we were refueled ready to get Regina.
Now, before I arrived home for my two week vacation I was very worried about this trip. Not about attending the conference about being together with my mom and sister three whole days and all day. Our personalities clash, sometimes turn into agreements. I was hoping for a great girl bonding weekend, a breakthrough to communication and opening up with one another. This is what I expected.
Now back to our bus ride to Indianapolis. We had to stop in Charlotte, MI to get on a different bus since our air conditioner wasn’t working. We waited for about 2 ½ hours. Have any of you ever had a person on a bus, train or even plane that irritated, frustrated, bugged you, kept talking, wouldn’t shut up, stunk like incents? Well, this is what we had our bus.
On the bus ride
At first, I was being nice to her thinking she hadn’t came with anybody. I had asked my mom and sister if you y’all think we should invite her to our room. They both instantly said NO! Well, Regina said, “If you want to sleep with her”. I was like, maybe not. And what a relief it was that I didn’t do that. Seeing her over the few days, I did feel bad for her, but it was choices she had made. She needed help and I didn’t know what to do. Actually, she needed GOD in a desperately needed way.
Ready and excited for the conference to begin
Bought a pretzel and had my mom take my picture with this background at the conference.
Partnered with World Vison to help Hector a 2 year old. Isn't he so cute!
Our sack lunch
My mom and I
The conference began Friday morning. Patsy Clairmont was the first speaker. If you don’t know her she is such the sweetest lady, short, cute, and godly. She spoke on relationships, here is what said:
-be an active forgetter
-Read Proverbs
-Put boundaries around your emotions
- It is not wise to go Looney Toones on others
- Our will is to be stronger than our emotions
- Harness my thoughts
Quote “We judge others by behavior but we judge ourselves by our intention”
How to improve your Relationships
-Refuse that thought
- Replace that thought with praise and love
- Repeat the process as long as it takes
- Edit my words
- Counsel relationships
- Develop healthier habits/upgrade habits
- May God use his book to change you!
Our next speaker for the morning session was Andy Andrews:
If you’ve never heard of him or scene him, he is full of energy. The camera guys had a time keeping up with him. He would be all over the stage, in the audience, up and down the stairs, turning around and back around. He said he had ADD. I think that was a given.
He was such a good speaker. He had gone through a lot in his life. Lost both of his parents at the age of 19, his mother to cancer and his father in a car accident. He was homeless at the age of 23. He has written books as well as childrens books. His book “The Noticer” shows us what he went through and who helped him during the time he was homeless.
Just finished reading The Noticer, and I highly recommend it! It is a very good book!
Then he spoke on forgiveness. Here are his procedures to forgiveness:
- Forgiveness is a decision
- Forgiveness is about the past
- Forgive myself
- Talk to yourself in the mirror
- Everything you do matters
After hearing his message, I felt God telling me it was my time to forgive my sister and mom. I had this deep gut feeling that now is the time. After the message it was time for lunch. I knew I had to talk to my mom and sister immediately but wanted to wait for the perfect time. Regina wanted to bring her friends to lunch with us, which we didn’t want her to but it wasn’t a big deal. We all walked to mall to eat at PF Changs (Chinese).
We arrived at the mall, wasn’t sure where to go so we asked an employee there at the mall. They tell us to go in the wrong direction. In the mean time moms feet are swelling were getting impatient, and were hungry. As we finally find it, the place is packed and there is a long wait. There were six people in our group, but they said if you split up you will only have a three hour wait. WRONG! We waited 1 ½ and her friends waited about two hours. The food was great; not my dish should have stuck to the lettuce wraps but didn’t think it would fill me up. We ended up all sharing our food.
Then back to the conference we go. As our way out, my mom noticed she left her credit card. I instantly walked back to the restaurant and our server gave her card to the bar. Got it and walked back to my mom and sister. Mom was relieved it was still there. Then we walked back to the conference.
The conference began Patsy Clarimont speaking and after her Andy Andrews spoke more. Patsy spoke about her family. How her family got through her son having H1N1 this past fall. He was in a coma for three weeks. By praying, having faith and having trust in others. People matter.
During our break, I felt I needed get forgiveness off my chest. This probably wasn’t the best time but I needed to tell them. I had been getting frustrated through the day and holding this in wasn’t helping. So I spotted Regina and told her I had to talk to her. I told her I forgave her for the past, that I wanted a relationship and I wanted my sister back. We both cried. She said she was proud of me loved me very much.
We made our way back to our seats and I had to talk to my mom. I had to forgive her for the past also. I told her I wanted a relationship too! We too cried.
Now we begin our new start. It’s going to be a process but it is so gonna be worth it.
Then the concert began with Mandissa, was awesome. She spoke about her weight. Said she had lost 75 pounds last year. She had given God the glory for it but she felt nervous to get on stage to speak since she gained some weight. She felt like we would judge her. We didn’t. She is just as beautiful as when I saw her last year. Love her music!
Saturday the speakers were Anita Renfroe, Sandy Patty, Patsy Clairmont, Steven Curtis Chapin with Mary Beth Chapin and Katherine Everett (dramas). Anita did her songs which I love they are so funny. Sandy, also spoke on weight, being overweight. Steven and his wife Mary Beth spoke about their family. This was Mary Beth’s first time speaking in front of a large group. She was very nervous but couldn’t tell. She recently has written a book and spoke about that. Katherine Everett did great. She did a few dramas about: abortion, labeling others, hooking others.
Mary Beth Chapman talked about her book as well as their daughter that passed away a couple of years ago and how their family is getting through it.
Some of new favorites from Anita
The conference was outstanding. So glad I was able to go.
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