Celebration - My New Friends - Part 1

Sit back, grab yourself a sweet tea because this will be the longest post in history.

It has taken me a few days to post about the SMT Celebration for several reasons. 1) I am having a hard time putting my thoughts into words, 2) I am trying to process what is 'just for me' and what is meant to be shared and 3) my plane landed Saturday night and I hit the ground running with committments that took me straight into Tuesday afternoon.

And then it hit me.

Oh, the exhaustion. I felt like I could barely move last night and went to bed really early.

So, today I'm feeling somewhat refreshed and ready to do a little recap. Instead of writing about what God is teaching me through it all, (I'll save that for a later time) and just try to talk about who all I met.

And really that won't be possible either because I met too many people to count.

But, here's the cliff-note version (that statement will make my new friends Heather and Laurie laugh. When someone would ask Laurie a question, she kept saying, "Here's the cliff-note version" and I told her I was totally going to steal that saying because oh, how my husband would LOVE the cliff-note version every once in awhile. ha!)

Anyway, I wish I could tell you I was excited when I got to the airport Friday morning, but that would be a lie. When Eric left me at the security check-in and I walked to my gate alone, the weight of the whole trip hit me. Really hit me. I had an hour to sit .... and wait. This is when the majority of you received a text message. I was not good.

I walked to the plane, found my seat and was overwrought with emotion. I think this is when I broke up with Eric and had he not made me check my bag, I probably would have ran off the plane at this point (he's a clever one, isn't he?).

A gentlemen sat down next to me and said, "Hello, Ma'am" as I smiled and prayed, "Lord, please do not let this man be a 'talker' because I am not talking!" The Lord was so sweet to shut that man up for the rest of the trip - ha!

BUT, before the plane took off I did hear someone say, "Excuse me, are you going to see Beth Moore? Are you a Siesta?" I had to think for a minute because I don't think I've ever been called that before. Sitting across the aisle was another siesta (Heather) and I think I said 'yes' and then sat back in my seat praying I didn't have to talk. The moment was just too much.

But, God was so sweet to put her on the same flight as me (and on the flight back!). We were able to introduce ourselves once we landed and plan to meet again at the hotel.

I took the bus to the rental car building where I had arranged to meet another Siesta (Tracy), whom I had never met - Cathy, aren't you proud of me?) for a ride to the hotel. While waiting, I started seeing pink boas. And NO I did not have one on. It reminded me strangely of the red hat society, but with pink feathers.

I met Tracy and we started on our journey to the hotel. We each told our stories and got acquainted and I knew I had made a new friend. She was just so easy to talk to. With 3 teenagers, I had already in that small car ride learned a lot of parenting wisdom. I wasn't nervous or anxious. Just in the moment and felt strangely calm.

I was fortunate to have one of the free rooms from LPM and God was so sweet to give us such a nice place to stay. Gorgeous. No, I don't have a single picture. Bummer. But, pink boas were everywhere and that made me laugh.

As soon as I checked in, I was heading to the elevator and met 3 ladies. Bethany and Yvonne from CA and Tami from South Dakota. What blows my mind here is that out of the 500 women attending the celebration that weekend, God would put me in front of these ladies within the first few minutes of arriving at the hotel. Bethany and Yvonne had sent me emails over the past months. Yvonne told me then how she never reads comments on the LPM blog, but once she had read mine in November, God had put me on her heart daily to pray for me. Moments like that are overwhelming for me. I thought, "Who am I, God that you are so mindful of me?" I'll never get over how the body of Christ ministers to each other and I'll never be able to explain it either.

My assigned roommate for the weekend had cancelled her trip the day before so that put me in a room by myself. I was already overwhelmed at this point and once in my room felt like I could blow off the whole thing, stay in my room and NO ONE would know. Then, my new friend Heather called and asked if I wanted her to stay with me. The fact that she did forced me to go to the event (which I don't think she knows).

Okay, remember this is the cliff-note version. Are any of you still reading? Good grief, this is long.

Friday, I went to dinner with Tracy, Heather, Yvonne, Bethany and Tami. I ate mexican! I never eat mexican and probably cheated by having a salmon salad, but still .... it had avocados in it. That's huge for me. One thing I realized while we were eating was how God was going to meet with me in the small conversations I had with His people and not just through the teaching I would hear. I learned so much about Him while just listening to people share their stories and talk about a faithful and mindful God. He's just amazing.

Heather, Yvonne, Tracy, Me, Bethany, Tami

After dinner, we headed to Houston First Baptist Church. I don't think I've ever been in a church that big, but it felt small. Basketball courts, bowling alley, beautiful sanctuary, workout room. A definite outreach to the community. I loved being there. When I walked in, I think I made up with Eric in my mind even though I'm not sure he knew we had broken up :)

Once there, we put on our name tags and here's where I'm not going to be able to explain what happened. I was approached by so many women that recognized my name from my LPM comment. I had never imagined experiencing anything like that, but to hear so many women say to me, "I have been praying for you" who had never met me .... well, that wasn't lost on me because I knew it was the reason I was there (and even able to come in the first place). It was just another beautiful way God showed me how mindful He is of me and my crazy life. There are so many people suffering and big things that are going on all around the world that certainly need God to intervene and show His glory, yet He chooses to listen to me and see my situation and bless me with other women praying. I just don't think I'll ever understand that.

We met in the room where Beth taught Sunday School for years, so it felt small and intimate which I thought was appropriate. As soon as I put my things down, I looked up and saw Traci. I have wondered since if I screamed. Out of all the people I heard from, I really wanted to meet Traci. I won't ever be able to explain that but I just felt in my Spirit like we would be good friends. Here she is ... isn't she so cute??

My only regret was not being able to spend more time with her. The weekend was just too rushed. I just loved her and her heart. What touched me the most was her telling me she had been praying for Pam's little girl, which confused me at first but I realized she had seen the picture of Pam and her niece on my blog. I was fascinated by that. (Cathy S, this is what I've been wanting to tell you - that women are praying for L. Isn't that the coolest thing?) Do I love people like that? No. I told her to keep praying! Traci, that blessed me so much. I have to believe God is going to give us another chance to hangout. One day. I just love you so much.

This post is already so long, so I'll end here and finish the weekend in another post. Lots more to tell ......