A Daughter’s Gift
Author: Robert Sexton

When I imagine
the life you will live,
I think of the pleasure
your presence will give.

I see the joy your smile will light
and the wonders you’ll weave
when your dreams take flight.

I feel the hope
that will grow with your grace,
and the difference you’ll make
to each heart you embrace.

I imagine your life
as I know it will be;
for, my daughter, you’ve given
all this to me.

Deck chairs outside the cafeteria.

Loved how the colors turned out, this is a cute little bird.

We didn’t stay in a cottage but this was the stained glass windows on one of them.

What started as a weekend retreat with the women of my Church, turned into a mother/daughter retreat for Sydney and I. We had precious times together. Lots of talks. I won’t go into the sermon series, but I will say it was about unfading beauty. Beauty that is inside. Beauty that is spiritual. Beauty that is in other things besides outward appearance.

What an incredible message for a teenage girl, yes? Let’s just say our “talks” were because all the main prizes that were handed out – or the big ones I should say – were on laser facial treatment for your wrinkles. Spray tanning, mineral make-up, laser hair removal. You get the idea. Um. Yeah.

So we talked about what unfading beauty REALLY MEANS. I thought the message was pretty loud and clear, but then it got muddled a bit. Luckily for us, we are on the same page. My mom was a beauty queen, but she did not teach me outward beauty. I truly believe beauty shines from the inside. All that outside stuff you do is just pursuing what your inside already knows. You are BEAUTIFUL.

That was our weekend. It was entirely too short, but I treasured it. Happy Monday!