Join us on February 20

Gather your girlfriends for a day of faith, fun, food and friendship at The Bloomery at First Church Round Rock. We will laugh, love and learn together through morning and afternoon breakout sessions, a gourmet lunch, and fashion show!

Morning Keynote: Some Days a Rose, Other Days a Thistle….The Blossoms of Life by Marilee Robertson

Through an engaging self-discovery dialog, we will explore how God’s love can be found in all the blossoms, the petals and even the thorns of life. We will measure our life balance, how we might get out of balance and how to stay in balance. We will learn, we will question, we will laugh and we might cry…all through the beauty of God’s love. Marilee has been a popular speaker at Ladies Day Out for the last two years. Marilee believes her mission is to help others recognize and achieve their full potential. Marilee works with major national companies to help unleash the potential of their workforce in day-to-day operations as well as strategic visions.

Afternoon Keynote: What’s Stunting Your Growth in the Lord? by Angela Medearis

Angela Shelf Medearis returns for the second year to Ladies Day Out to share her thoughts on what keeps us from reaching full bloom potential. Angela is the author of more than 95 award-winning children’s books and 6 cookbooks for adults including The New African-American Kitchen and her newest spiritual memoir/ inspirational book for adults Ten Ingredients for a Joyous Life and a Peaceful Home. More than 10 million copies of her books have been sold in 7 different languages world-wide. Angela is the Executive Producer and host of The Kitchen Diva! television show which airs on Fox on Wednesday mornings as part of their local newscasts and on HULU.com.

What creates the blossoms in your life? What pesky critters or conditions can get in the way? Whether you need fertilizer, sunshine or maybe some selective pruning in your life, you can find it at Ladies Day Out! Check out some of the topics for the day...

Morning Breakout Sessions:

• Blossoming in Your Spiritual Gifts—Alicea Jones, inspirational author and speaker and columnist for the Williamson County Sun. Each one of us is given spiritual gifts to edify others. But how do we know exactly which gifts we possess? Are spiritual gifts the same as your gifts and talents? What does each spiritual gift look like in action? This workshop, based on Corinthians 12, will help you to identify your God-given gifts and learn how you can use in them daily living.
• Cultivating a Garden that Blooms in Every Corner—Amy Dillon, founder and steward of Souled Out!, A Ministry Imparting Freedom. What is paralyzing you today, yesterday or beyond? Every woman has faced paralyzing situations in life whether fear, shame, divorce or loss. Amy’s was the ultimate – physical paralysis. What paralyzed your past does not have to paralyze your future.
• Desert Blooms: Discovering the Upside of a Downturn—Miranda Bradley, author of Blessed Are the Jesus Chicks and owner of BCreative. Are you experiencing a crisis? Has today's financial climate left you feeling desperate, afraid and hopeless? Fear not! This uplifting talk uses first-hand experiences of those who survived the Depression to guide us toward the light at the end of the tunnel. You can find beauty and inspiration in surprising places.
• Disciple Bible Study: In the Garden with God—Chick Canet, First Church Disciple facilitator. If you’ve ever been curious about studying the Bible and learning about the transformation that follows, come and sample a class. The selections will be from Invitation to the Old Testament, a short term Disciple Bible Study class. Invitation to the Old Testament encourages participants to listen to the witness of the Old Testament to hear God's call and purpose for their own lives and respond to that call. Come and learn how bible study can strengthen your walk with God.
• Eat First with Your Eyes: How Presentation Enhances Mealtimes—Jane Wallace, a lover of all things culinary, worked at the Le Nôtre Culinary Institute as a French interpreter and participated in a variety of classes. A beautiful vase of flowers makes a meal into a special occasion, but did you know that the way you present “everyday food” can affect not only your enjoyment of the meal, but also your intake of nutrients? Learn some principles of good nutrition, along with some techniques for embellishing your food to make it more appetizing. This is a hands-on opportunity session.
• Successful Garden Planning and Xeriscaping for Central Texas—Natalie Vreeland, Williamson County Horticulturist. This session will give you all the information you need to have beautiful low maintenance gardens that can thrive in our Central Texas extremes. We will talk about design, preparation and installation of favorite plants for this area.
• Who Am I? Identifying Your Own Blooms - Jamie Shepherd, marriage & family therapist Do you sometimes lose yourself in the “busyness” of life? We need to learn to identify and appreciate our own unique skills and gifts.

Afternoon Breakout Sessions:

• Cupcakes in Bloom— Charlene Terrell, First Church UMW member and cake decorating instructor. Learn some basic decorating skills & tips during the first hour and decorate cupcakes during the last 30 minutes. No experience necessary!
• Disciple Bible Study: In the Garden with God—Chick Canet, First Church Disciple facilitator. If you’ve ever been curious about studying the Bible and learning about the transformation that follows, come and sample a class. The selections will be from Invitation to the Old Testament, a short term Disciple Bible Study class. Invitation to the Old Testament encourages participants to listen to the witness of the Old Testament to hear God's call and purpose for their own lives and respond to that call. Come and learn how bible study can strengthen your walk with God.
• Drought in your Garden: Dealing with Grief and Loss—Sally Byrom, Counseling Intern, New Life Counseling Center. We all have dry spells in our garden of life. Have you often wondered what to say to loved ones who are experiencing loss? Words can be important. They can soothe, comfort and sometimes create barriers to growth. Gain insight to what constitutes loss, how to process your own grief, and equip yourself with more understanding to assist others through their own grief. Explore what the Bible tells us about loss and how we view loss in our own culture today. Take home self soothing methods to assist in your own grief process.
• Flower Arranging - Presented by Ann Nguyen from 1st Moment Florist in Round Rock. Come and learn some easy flower arranging techniques and put together a spring bouquet to take home.
• The Long, Hot Summer: Surviving Compassion Fatigue—Jamie Shepherd, marriage & family therapist. How can I take better care of myself when life’s demands are so high? Whatever your situation…caregiver, wife, Mama, daughter, friend…Jesus said “Come to Me you who are weary and heavy burdened, and I will give you rest.” Jesus is calling you to refresh yourself! Learn ways to find rest no matter your circumstances through keeping your heart tender before our Lord.
• What Fences Do You Need in Your Garden?—Leah McDill, Christian counselor who specializes in women’s issues. Have your good intentions, kindness, and desire to not offend others led to avoidance, compliance, or just plain "worked to the bone"? Come learn about healthy boundaries, the examples that Jesus left for us re: healthy boundaries, why we all need them, and how to negotiate them with those closest to you to help create more respect, intimacy, and healthy fruit in your life.