What is the purpose of this retreat and the Above Rubies Ministry?Above Rubies is a ministry to encourage women in their high calling as wives, mothers, and homemakers. Its’ purpose is to uphold and strengthen family life and to raise the standard of God's truth in the nation. The name has been chosen from Proverbs 31.10 AMP, "A capable, intelligent and virtuous woman, who is he who can find her? She is far more precious than jewels and her value is far Above Rubies or pearls."
The Texas Rubies Above Rubies Ladies Retreat is to further extend the ministry of Above Rubies, reaching women throughout the state of Texas (ladies from anywhere are welcome), who would like to hear Mrs. Campbell in person, to learn and strengthen their families in the Lord, and meet other ladies who have a desire to do the same.
Please see the Campbell Nancy
To accommodate the changes we have made in distributing responsibilities among the planning committee, we have gone to mail in registration only. You will find a PDF registration form under the “Registration” tab at the top of the website. Click on it, print the PDF, fill it out, and mail with full payment to:
Christine Salinas
c/o Texas Rubies
2724 CR 134
Kaufman, TX 75142
c/o Texas Rubies
2724 CR 134
Kaufman, TX 75142
March 1st is the date to postmark your registration which will allow to you have the lowest price available for the retreat. We will continue to accept registrations after this point, but please understand we are at the mercy of the camp allowing us more lodges since we did not commit to them on our contract. Technically, we don’t have a deadline to register for the retreat, but due to the logistics of planning a retreat with a large number of people, it is easier for the planning committee, if your registration is postmarked by March 1, 2011 .
There are three choices when registering for this year’s retreat. All retreat options will include use of the conference hall, airfare for Nancy
If you choose the full weekend option (1), your conference fee will also cover 2 nights sleeping accommodations in the lodge and 6 meals (Friday dinner through Sunday lunch).
If you choose the commuter option(2), your conference fee will cover 6 meals (Friday dinner through Sunday lunch) as well as the day use fee the camp charges for persons not staying on campus. There are several local hotels approximately 15 minutes from the camp.
The conference fee for those who prefer to come on Saturday only(3) will include the day use fee and 3 meals on Saturday (breakfast, lunch, and dinner).
Conference Choice | 18 and over | 10-17 | 4-9 | 0-3 |
Full Weekend (1) | $130 | $80 | $35 | $0 |
Commuter (2) | $105 | $55 | $30 | $10 |
Saturday Only (3) | $80 | $30 | $10 | $5 |
We will accept checks and money orders made payable to Christine Salinas for registrations to the 2011 retreat. In years past, we have accepted Paypal, but due to the costs and complexities, we will not be offering that option. We will not accept any postdated checks. Your spot is reserved/confirmed upon receipt of full payment.
Check your spam folder and add anything that may end in texasrubies.com to your address book. Email the finance coordinator on the contact form of this website.
Jeanette Watje & family – General Info, Camp Coordinator
Christine Salinas – Registration, Finances, E-loops
Each committee member can be reached via email, but in order to reduce the amount of spam email we are not listing email addresses on this site. Please use the contact form and the appropriate committee member will contact you.
The schedule for the 2011 retreat has not been finalized. To get an idea of what a previous retreat schedule was like, Click here. Please note that there are several changes this year as mentioned above.
Refund Dates | Refund Amounts |
Prior to March 1 | Full refund |
March 1 – April 1 | Full refund minus $40 per adult |
After April 1 | No refund |
Many come to the retreat with expectations of free time, fellowship, and learning new things. All of the sessions are optional. Saturday afternoon Nancy 10:00PM . The schedule will reflect all of the events at the retreat. There will not be any other demonstrations or performances, so look forward to a wonderful Simply Above Rubies Retreat!
No, the only things on display or for sale will be the book table for Above Rubies. The conference room is not large enough and in these economic times we felt it was best to only offer the materials from Above Rubies in helping further the ministry. In the past, Meadow Barrett, Pearl
I am interested in purchasing a few of the Above Rubies Bible study courses. Will I be able to purchase them there? What are my payment options?Short answer: Yes. Long answer: There is usually a variety of written books and studies, DVDs, and CDs, Evangeline's past discussion topics, Serene and Pearls music CD's, and Serene's recipe book, teaching CDs, and DVDs. Because Colin is not speaking, all of the materials he has written for men may not be available. You may order any of their products that are not at the book table and pay no shipping. So stock up and give CD's, books, etc. for Mother's day and Father's day coming up! Cash, checks, and credit cards (Master Card, Visa, & Discover) will all be accepted at the book table.
Of course! We ask that each lady remember that this is a ladies retreat to encourage women in their high calling as wives, mothers, and homemakers. Nurslings are always welcome, as are teen daughters. We provide an option for daughters 10 and up who are able to sit still and listen, help mom with a younger sibling, etc. We also understand that some ladies would not be able to attend without bringing a child(ren) that are not capable of staying home with dad or another caregiver. Due to the overnight accommodations being all dorm style (no private accommodations), we are sorry, but males over 3 are not allowed to stay overnight.
One option, which we strongly recommend considering, is to bring an older daughter, niece, or trusted teen as a mother's helper. Full payment for her registration will be required, but this may be the best option for some ladies.
If you bring your children, they will remain your responsibility at all times! We have had *several* mishaps in the past related to unsupervised children that we do not want to repeat. We have come too close to serious injury and damage to property on a couple of occasions. Children under the age of 12 will not be allowed to roam the camp unsupervised. They must be quietly seated with you during the sessions in the conference hall. We understand toddlers need to stretch their legs; we just ask that consideration be given of others in the back of the room and keep them as quiet as possible. Please prayerfully consider if your child is able to do this. Some of the sessions run a little long and, although totally appropriate, some of Mrs. Nancy's subject matter is more adult-related. There may be some topics as abortion, the birth control pill, sex within marriage, etc. Some of the content may not be suitable for young girls that have not had "the talk" so please be prepared for any questions your daughter may have concerning the material presented at the retreat.
For meals and lodging, children 3 and under are free. A child 3 or under that will be eating food at the cafeteria will need to eat from the mother’s plate, or request a plate for a child age 3 and under. The mother of a child in the 4-9 range will need to request a child’s plate when in line. Food preparations are made based on the numbers of adults and children we give to the camp. There are day use fees for children ages 0-3 that are necessary to cover the insurance required by the camp for them to be on campus. For ages 0-17, the fees are as follows:
Conference Choice | 18 and over | 10-17 | 4-9 | 0-3 |
Full Weekend (1) | $130 | $80 | $35 | $0 |
Commuter (2) | $105 | $55 | $30 | $10 |
Saturday Only (3) | $80 | $30 | $10 | $5 |
Many ladies have attended and brought grandma, niece, neighbor, friend’s daughter, etc. to help care for the children at the retreat. The cost to bring anyone is the same whether their intent is to babysit or listen at the sessions. See the table with costs in the prior question regarding bringing children.
Please go to http://www.heartoftexascamp.com/hotbe/facilities. Scroll down to the pictures. You will see the dorm picture on the left side. They are heated and air conditioned. You must bring your own linens (sheets, blankets, pillows, pillow cases, and towels). There is a common place area in the middle of some of the buildings where ladies can chat, take a crying baby at night while others sleep, etc. There is no guarantee that you will be in a lodge with this common area. In two of the lodges we have reserved, there is a kitchen with a refrigerator. Lodges will be assigned on a first come, first served basis. If you are coming with friends and want to be in the same lodge, then you will need to notate that on your registration form.
We will have a lodge for ladies only, and if there is enough interest, will have a lodge for ladies who are attending with their teen daughters. Please specify on your registration form if you would prefer one of these lodges.
We do not have the facilities to accommodate a separate lodge for each “type” of lady attending. Please be considerate and take conversations to the common place area in the middle of your lodge, if one is available. Another consideration would be to bring lawn chairs to congregate in front of your lodge in the morning or evening.
Nurslings are always welcomed and encouraged to be at Above Rubies retreats. It’s one of the major aspects that set this retreat apart from most. You can feel comfortable bringing your little one knowing that there will be other mamas with little ones there too. If someone is going to be helping you with your baby part of the time you are at the retreat and possibly just coming to bring the baby for nursing times or at night, this is not a problem. As long as the caregiver will not be on campus for more than 2 hours per day, they will not need to pay the $3 per person per day “day use” fee the camp charges. If there is a need for them to be onsite longer than two hours, they will need to register as an attendee.
There are no accommodations available for husbands at the retreat since all women staying on-site will be in the lodges. There are no activities planned for the weekend. We will have approximately 2 hours of unscheduled free time on Saturday. The rest of the weekend is filled with Nancy
Colin Campbell will not be attending nor leading men's sessions. Neither will we have a separate children's program of any sort. Children attending the retreat and sessions with Mom will be expected to sit quietly with Mom. Children under 12 are not allowed to be anywhere without an adult.
There is a $3 per person per day “day use” fee the camp charges for people who are not staying on site, but are using some of the facilities. If there is a need for them to be onsite longer than two hours, they will need to register as an attendee.
Many mothers will let their babies sleep in their lap or sling. You may also bring your stroller, port a crib, or something else that he/she is comfortable in, but you will not be allowed to leave your child unattended. The back of the conference room has some space for you to be with your child(ren), however, please plan accordingly since it is not carpeted.
You will be able to bathe your baby provided that you do not mind using sinks. If you would like to bring a portable tub, this would be fine. Or you may want to simply give your baby a sponge bath.
I would like to attend the retreat, but do not have the funds available to pay the full registration amount. Is there a way that I can still attend?We will not have scholarships available this year, due to time constraints and limited resources. Many ladies have been able to attend after their church has paid their registration fees or ladies came from the same church as part of their women’s ministry. If a friend, relative, pastor, or anyone else is paying for your registration, then each attendee must collect the checks or money orders (made payable to Christine Salinas) and mail them all together to finalize your registration. Only full payments will be accepted and will reserve your space. It is the responsibility of each registrant to complete her registration and pay her bill.
The camp does have motel rooms, however, the planning committee has not reserved any motel rooms for attendees due to the huge undertaking of room assignments and other factors involved in motel options. We understand there will not be privacy in the lodges, but it is just for a weekend and trust everyone will be considerate and Christ-like to one another. There are many hotels in the area and you are welcome to register as a commuter. We understand you must do what is best for you to enjoy the weekend.
Lodges are assigned on a first come, first served bases and you both should indicate on your registration form that you would like the same lodge. We suggest if you would like to save beds for your friend, you bring along paper to write their name on and place it on the bed.
If you have requested a lodge with a kitchen, because of legitimate dietary restrictions, we will do our best to accommodate you. Please note that the 2 lodges with kitchens will be assigned on a first come, first served basis, based on paid registrations. However, every attendee will pay the same amount for all the meals whether you choose to eat them or not. There will be a salad bar at lunch and dinner and drinks. Even when attendees did bring their own food in prior years, they missed the fellowship during meals, so we hope you understand and enjoy meal times despite the food not being as healthy as you may be accustomed. Again, it is only for a weekend.
We are excited when ladies want to bless others by paying their way! In order to ease the paper burden, we ask that you register that person and send in the full payment or they can register and you give them the full payment amount to mail in. We cannot accept partial payments from multiple people or any other sort of arrangements. If you want to be anonymous, then you may want to register them and send in the full payment and state in the comment section the circumstances. Thereafter, tell them to contact us in order to make any changes in contact info or other areas of the registration form you may not have been able to answer correctly.
If you have been to past Texas Rubies retreats, you may have come to expect one of the beautiful directories that have always been provided. Due to the great amount of time and money that is required to put this together, we have decided to bring the directory online to the Texas Rubies Yahoo Group secure webpage, as a contact database. Many ladies enjoy having contact information, interests, etc. so they can contact ladies throughout the year and form friendships by having park days,homeschool groups, etc. We want the ladies that are in the group and have common interests to be able to connect with like-minded women, even if they cannot attend the retreat. Once you are part of the chat E-loop group, you will have access to the database to add your information. The database is for fellowship purposes ONLY and NOT to be used for soliciting funds.
Personal Items: You will need typical personal things such as clothing, shoes, toiletries, etc.
Linens: You will need all linens (sheets, pillow, pillow case, washcloths, bath towels, etc).
Note taking supplies: Bible, pen, highlighters, paper, and anything else to take notes. A few pages for notes will be provided in your folder.
Baby equipment: For those bringing little ones don't forget items such as your sling, blanket for the floor, port-a-crib, exersaucer, side rail for bed (for co-sleeping, if needed), highchair, booster seat (these can be left in the dining hall for ease), Boppy, Bumbo, and QUIET toys for baby / toddler play area in the auditorium. Please be advised the auditorium where we will be meeting is not carpeted, it is a concrete floor.
Miscellaneous items: flashlight, hiking boots/shoes, umbrella, mosquito repellent, camera, scrapbooks to show others, sweater in case it is too cool for you in the auditorium, etc. and ANYTHING you might need for free time.
Extra money in order to purchase any books, study manuals, cassettes, etc. offered on the Above Rubies book table. Pay no shipping, so stock up now and buy gifts for Mother's Day and Father's Day coming up! We will also have a love offering (see question about love offering to plan accordingly).
Snacks: To ensure your dietary needs are met, yyou should bring easy snacks for you and those attending with you. However, since we have many pregnant women and small children,we are asking everyone to bring a healthy finger food/snack to share. Some suggestions are: bread, cubed meat and cheese, cut up veggies, hardbolied eggs, crackers, nuts, fruit, chips, pretzels, granola, muffins, etc. Of course we all like baked goods and chocolate, but we ask that moms limit the sugary snacks they allow their children to eat in order to avoid behavioral problems during the sessions when everyone is trying to listen. Please keep in mind we have to keep the auditorium clean to avoid ants and additional cleaning fees so please supervise your children eating and clean up after yourselves. We will provide cups, plates, and napkins, but no utensils so please bring a finger food that is easy to eat and does not require any utensils to eat or cut up.
There will be water in igloos in the back of the conference center. If you prefer bottled water, please bring your own as we will not provide bottled water.
The purpose of the Above Rubies ministry is to encourage women in their high calling as wives, mothers, and homemakers. Therefore, it is our prayer that the women attending would desire to honor our Lord Jesus with their attire. We are blessed to be able to use the camp facilities at Heart of Texas Camp for our retreat, but we must remember that there may be other groups on-site as well. There might be other ladies, men, or youth groups. Please be considerate when choosing which clothing items to bring. Avoid bringing tank tops, low cut blouses, blouses that show midriff or bra straps, low-waisted pants, short shorts or short skirts, etc. Health codes require shoes at all times.
Yes, on Saturday, we will be taking up an offering for Nancy Campbell and her daughters. Nancy
· Donations for Colin and Nancy Campbell for their living expenses are to be made payable to: Nancy Campbell.
· Donations for the furthering of Serene and Pearl
· Donations for the publishing of Above Rubies magazines are to be made payable to: Above Rubies.
The vital role of this amazing publication and ministry is in the encouragement and support of marriage, motherhood and family life in America Campbell
A 501(c)3 non-profit organization, the Above Rubies Ministry is more than just a magazine. Nancy Campbell answers literally thousands of letters that pour in each year, as well as speaking at family camps, women’s retreats, and preparing teaching materials and manuals.
To subscribe, go to http://rubies.articledirectoree.com/subscribe-to-magazine.html
