A Lot To Live Up To

Okay, so I just read Inkling's post from last night after she read my first post. I hope I'm as fun to read as she makes it sound like I'll be. Anyway, I'm glad she clarified who everyone of my family is, maybe now it's clear as mud!! She's an awesome girlfriend to have ( even if she did up and leave the country just as I finally moved back up to the midwest after being in AL for many years).

This past weekend was definitely one to remember! On this weekend for the past few years, Smart Guy, myself, and several other members of the youth sponsor team in our church have packed up and headed to the Youth Specialties National Youth Workers Convention. For the past couple years, Inkling has blessed us and come to stay with the Sara Orange Gang (yes, they are my children) so Smart Guy and I could go. This year, because Henry David has now taken the #1 spot in her heart, she unfortunately could not be here. We missed her. I always loved staying up late to talk the night before we left. Last year we stayed up half the night discussing the possible next chapter in her life....Henry David. What an amazing story. It was last year on this weekend, that I gave her my blessing ( she didn't actually ask for it, but I gave it anyway)and told her to do whatever she had to get this guy. It's meant to be!!! When we came home from the weekend, the Sara Orange Gang all knew who Henry David was and I think Bee had even talked to him on the phone!! They were all awaiting the moment when they would officially be asked to be the ring bearers and flower girl in the wedding!!

yadda, yadda, back to this past weekend....Smart Guy left with two other youth sponsors on Thursday afternoon. Bee had her first school program on Thursday evening, so I talked two other sponsors into leaving late with me on Friday morning. She was cute, she spent half her time looking around at everyone around her, she's a bit nosey. We arrived at the Hilton in Cincinatti around 11:30, plenty of time to make it to the first General Session at 1:00. It was awesome!! The worship was amazing. There is something so amazing about worshiping with 4000 other people who are all on this planet with the same calling....to understand youth and find ways to bring them to Christ. The David Crowder band did the worship for the first half of the weekend and Starfield lead for the second half. The speakers were great. They not only talked to me as a youth worker, but also as a person. For myself, I go to these weekends not only for training as a youth person, but also as refreshment for what is commonly a tired soul and sometimes "kicked in the butt" spirit. God has a way of knocking me upside the head at these things and saying "forget everything you've got stuck in your head and be open to new things". The theme for this years convention was "Reveal". For me, that meant, strip away all the crap that I've let build up, so I can let God reveal his true plans for my life, as a mom, a friend, a wife, a youth sponsor...as His child. What does that mean exactly? I'm not sure right now, but there's more I need to be doing somewhere on this planet.

So, here's the crazy part, I was sick half the weekend. I mean the kind that doesn't let you out of your room. The fun part?......I was rooming with two other women that I've only known since June. It was a small room, the door to the bathroom actually opened into the room instead of the little hallway like it does in most hotel rooms. We had to get comfortable with each other real quick. It took everything in me just to get to the the sessions all weekend. I didn't make it to everything, but I did my best. It's weekends like this past one that make me ever more thankful that I live in a country with such a dependable plumbing system!!!

I'm home now and back to everyday life!! Bee and Billy Boy (the little guy that I babysit) are busy playing. We worked on their letters for awhile this morning, it was quite fun watching them try to outdo each other!!! Right now as I type, I hear the very distinct sound of Hershey kisses being removed from the Christmas bowl on the table. I better go make sure they leave some for me!!