Christian Women Retreat Preparations– A Recipe For Success

When Christian women retreat for a weekend of renewal, they hope to come back refreshed and rejuvenated.  Unfortunately, many problems can arise before and during the retreat, which can negatively affect the impact of the retreat.  However, many of these problems can be avoided and prevented.  With a little forethought, the Christian women retreat can be a very positive experience.  The following are 5 preparation tips to ensure a very rewarding Christian women retreat.

1. If you have small children, arrange for childcare well in advance.  Sometimes a household budget does not take into account a large sum for an extended babysitter fee.  If this is the case, consider bartering with another mother.  You can swap childcare for a service such as housecleaning.  Or, perhaps you can swap a few homemade casseroles in exchange for babysitting.

2. Prepare some meals that your family can reheat for themselves while you are at your Christian women retreat.  A few great suggestions are meatloaf, mashed potatoes, spaghetti, tuna noodle casserole, a large tossed salad, and of course, cookies in the cookie jar.  Be sure to also stock the refrigerator with some fresh fruit.  Prepackaged snacks are a favorite for the little ones.  Be sure to take a few of those snacks and some fruit, and pack them into your own suitcase, too.

3. When packing, bring along a small amount of various over-the-counter medicines.  Essential medicines include pain reliever, cough medicine, cough drops, allergy medicine, antacids, and anti-diarrheal medicine. Also bring a few band aids and tissues, and don’t forget the earplugs to insure your comfort.

4. Check the weather forecast for the area in which you will be staying at your particular Christian women retreat.  You will want to be sure to include a jacket, a warm hat, a scarf and a pair of gloves.  Sunglasses and sunscreen should also go into your bags.

5. Leave emergency phone numbers at home for your family’s use.  While you are at your Christian women retreat, you will want to feel at rest that preparations are in place for minor incidences that occur at home.  You may want to bring a cell phone, but turn it off for portions of your weekend, checking- in only now and then.

—

Mark Dubler is the Executive Director of Otyokwah Camp & Retreat Center and a Women Christian Retreat expert. Check out our great discounts for first-time groups at Camp Otyokwah.

About the Author

Mark Dubler has been a leader, host, and participant in camps and retreats for the last twenty years.  He holds an M.A. in Educational Ministries from Wheaton College and is the Executive Director of Otyokwah Camp and Retreat Center, a Christian facility with a rich history of providing personal, life-changing experiences.

Creamy Tomato Tuna Pasta – Easy Tuna Penne Pasta Recipe

America’s Test Kitchen: The Complete 2nd Season $20.98 AMERICA’S TEST KITCHEN SEASON 2 – DVD Movie…

Giada’s Family Dinners $14.60 Fans of the Food Network’s Everyday Italian with Giada De Laurentiis will love Giada’s Family Dinners an even more accessible (if this is possible) cookbook designed to help families enjoy easy, delicious, authentic Italian meals. Simple and elegant, the recipes range from the quick fix to the family feast, and include plenty of desserts. And, those of you who felt that the only flaw in Giada’s fi…

Everyday Pasta $8.33 Collects Italian cookery recipes that range from classic favorites to innovative new dishes and are accompanied by simple instructions for making fresh pasta and a selection of side dishes.Title: Everyday PastaAuthor: De Laurentiis, Giada/ Pearson, Victoria (PHT)Publisher: Random House IncPublication Date: 2007/04/03Number of Pages: 240Binding Type: HARDCOVERLibrary of Congress: 2006028774…

Mario Batali Simple Italian Food: Recipes from My Two Villages $11.40 Sure to excite lovers of the best Italian cooking, Mario Batali Simple Italian Food: Recipes from My Two Villages reenvisions classic home cucina with enticing results. Batali, known to fans as “Molto Mario” from his Television Food Network shows, and as chef-owner of Manhattan’s much-loved Po and Babbo restaurants, presents nearly 250 of his favorite recipes, traditional and innovative, for…

Cuisine a Latina: Fresh Tastes and a World of Flavors from Michy’s Miami Kitchen $30 At Michy’s, acclaimed as Miami’s best restaurant, Michelle Bernstein is building a national following for her fresh new take on Latin cuisine. Born and raised by a food-loving Argentinean mother in Miami, Michelle grew up fluent in Spanish and steeped in the city’s cosmopolitan, Latin-influenced culture. She explored South America, the Caribbean, and Mexico. Using the freshest ingredients and the French training she went on to acquire, she has blended all these traditions into a cuisine that is uniquely hers.Cuisine à Latina introduces us to Michelle’s world. Her Latin food is unlike any that you’ve probably tasted. Full of flavor, it is familiar but exciting—vividly seasoned but not fiery hot, with touches that reflect the casual vivacity of Miami. You’ll find many appetizers to light up a gathering: Fried Calamari with Chile-Coconut Sauce, irresistibly flaky Ground Beef and Tomato Empanadas, and bright Peruvian Mixed Seafood Ceviche. Or start off with Michelle’s cool riff on a Spanish classic, White Gazpacho with Almonds, Grapes, and Cucumber.Michelle gives you plenty of great party dishes with Latin flair, like Beef Tenderloin with Creamy Horseradish, or the colorful Fideua, bursting with seafood and herbs, which is similar to paella but much easier, and made with spaghetti instead of rice. You’ll also want to try her sensationally simple grilled steak with chimichurri sauce, the Argentinean version of salsa. Her Cornish game hens, marinated in garlic-lime mojo, with chorizo sausage-bread stuffing, are perfect for Thanksgiving—or a summer evening—and she shows you how to make the same recipe with turkey.Michelle’s uncomplicated “Mama cooking” will spice up your everyday repertoire: Mom’s Arroz con Pollo (chicken with yellow rice), Tuna Schnitzel with Cucumber Slaw, Pork with Prunes and Apricots. Her side dishes and salads beg to be at the center of the

Easy Italian Cookbook: The Step-by-Step Guide to Deliciously Easy Italian Food at Home $7.98 Homemade pasta, Saffron risotto, Spaghetti with prawns, Ice cream with espresso and Frangelico—if these are all dishes that you’d love to be able to cook and enjoy at home, the Easy Italian Cookbook is for you. Showcasing the ingredients and techniques used in Italian cookery, this book takes you, step by step, through the processes involved in creating tempting, genuine Italian dishes. Each recipe is divided into clear stages and techniques, to enable you to quickly master this colorful and diverse cuisine and realize that making the perfect al dente risotto is as simple as stirring hot stock into rice.PART 1 of the book introduces you to the world of Italian cooking, explaining ingredients, equipment and methods of preparing basics such as stocks and sauces, fresh pasta, polenta and pizza dough.PART 2 gives you delicious recipes for antipasti, first courses, second courses, side dishes and desserts. Try bruschetta with tomato and basil, for example, followed by tagliatelle with asparagus, then sea bass with salsa verde and baked peaches stuffed with amaretti biscuits; or tuna carpaccio, followed by spinach and ricotta ravioli, then pork fillets with white wine and rosemary, finishing off with a helping of lemon ice cream or strawberries in balsamic vinegar.PART 3 shows you how to put the recipes together to create stunning meals, whether you want a simple rustic meal for a weekday evening or a sumptuous feast for a weekend gathering of friends or family. With 12 menu plans, giving clear instructions and invaluable tips on preparation and timing, Easy Italian Cookbook enables even the novice cook to prepare the perfectmeal for any occasion.

Simple Italian Cookery $1.99 Aldo Zilli, restaurateur and Italian cooking authority, demonstrates 40 delicious traditional and modern Italian recipes, from Tuscan Bean Soup with Pasta and Spaghetti with Cherry Tomato Sauce to foolproof desserts, like Pannacotta with Fresh Berries. For something a little different, try Seared Tuna Sicilian Style or Rump Steak Paillard Grilled with Radicchio, Olive Oil and Lemon. With clear color photos to accompany each stage of the recipe, Aldo’s instructions guarantee even the novice excellent results every time.