Victorious Secret

Since I have been off work for four weeks recovering, I have learned a few things. I learned how to manipulate through Facebook, started blogging, participated in a Bible study/book study online, created a website for my husband's business, prepared thank you notes for flowers sent to my Grandmother's funeral, and have started driving. These four have been rejunivating. I think everyone should have a sebatical periodically. My goal is to work on the house a little so I can scrapbook a little next week without guilt. I still have to pace myself and rest during frequent breaks, but being at home during the day by myself has been quite fulfilling...like a mini-vacation.

I also started working on material for a women's ministry weekend called Victorious Secret based on women putting on the armor of God. As of right now, I have nine possible groups for women to rotate between. They are the following based on Ephesians 6:10-18:

1. Strengthening the Core -- Spanx and Girdles. Some women choose to exercise their faith and find their source of strength in God while others would rather play the tug-of-war with a Spanx or Girdle in order to contain the excess and smoothe out the areas we don't want others to see. 2 Corinthians 12:9-11 is totally opposite of what women are told to do in order to be strong.
2. Gravity Issues -- Grave issues affecting our lives and families -- Cross Your Heart Bra. There are things entering into our homes and workplaces that we have allowed and they are straight from the devil. For we fight against principalities...how many of us have dealt with or know someone who has dealt with infidelity, poor self-esteem, pornography, financial difficulties, complacency in our spiritual growth or lack there of, dysfunctional relationships. So, where do we find the support we need? How do we fight against these things?
3. Weathering the Storms -- Standing your Ground -- Trench Coat and Umbrella. Endurance. What battles do we choose to fight? It's okay to say "no." Steele Magnolias come to mind. And we have to do all of this while under God's umbrella protection.
4. Belt of Truth -- Accessories -- I may use the Behind Those Eyes book as the background for this room.
5. Breastplate of Righteousness -- Bras -- coverage, sizes, fitting, etc. Afterall, what does the breastplate do? Protects the heart. So how do you protect the heart every day? Quiet time. This will be a "How To" class.
6. Shoes -- Gospel of Peace -- stilettos, combat boots, house slippers, sneakers. Nothing sounds like peace like a warm, fuzzy pair of slippers.
7. Shield of faith to extinguish the flames -- What can a woman protect herself with? A bag of course. What's in your bag? Is your faith the size of a clutch or one of those big-momma bags? It only take the size of a mustard size to move mountains.
8. Helmet of salvation -- Different Hats -- What's its purpose? Fire insurance only -- then any old hat will do? Salvation is the beginning of the relationship with Christ Jesus. The helmet is to protect the head where our thought-life occurs.
9. Knee pads -- prayer. Like compression hose, knee pads just are not fashionable. But knee pads aren't meant to be fashionable, they are meant to be worn as protection.

I have an outline of two skits. One to kick off the weekend, and one for the Sunday morning Sunday school class of all women in the church. Just a hint on this one, I'll have someone dressed incorrectly -- a rather large bra on backwards under clothes, maybe some underwear on the outside of the pants, spanx around the knees. A sales person makes a fuss of the mess this woman is and issues her into the changing closet while the sales person reviews the lessons learned. When the woman reappears correctly dressed, she will talk Victorious Secret -- are you wearing your faith for others to see or underneath? Are you improperly wearing your armor? After all armor is worn on the outside one's clothing and God is to be our armor. This speaker will talk about applying these lessons to victorious living -- peace, strength, prayer, faith, righteousness.

This is just a touch of what I have laid out. I still have to clean up the class concepts before I present my proposal to my worship pastor. I want this to be a fun time for women with laughter and fellowship, so some of it may be very tongue-in-cheek, but I also want it to be well-worth their time.