Last weekend I went to Virginia. I had planned the trip months ago as I knew I would want to head up to Virginia and spend time with a few of my Holy Given family members to help me process this whole Africa trip and discuss all the details. There is nothing greater than being able to explain your heart to others who know you well and know the situation. This is the case as Mama Deane, Travis and Terra were all with me in Africa and can easily relate to the challenges and pleasures. I must admit that I was a little frustrated with the timing of the whole trip. I still felt like I had JUST gotten home and now was off again. Also, I have now officially signed up for Second Year School of Ministry. Eric Johnson was speaking last week and I was going to miss him. Also, Uncle John and Aunt Phylis were coming to visit and our BSSM Retreat was this past weekend, leaving me no time to see them. But then, John and Phylis invited me to just come out and see them! So I am going to get to go to the 2009 Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta next week! Hooray.
I packed for Virginia in a huge hurry, having worked that morning and ran home at lunch to throw stuff in a bag. Sweet Betty came and picked me up and dropped me off at the airport. By the time I got through security I was starving, having skipped lunch to pack. I walked the terminal and surveyed my options. I walked into a restaurant and found it to be crowded and hot and the menu was not vegetarian friendly, so I left. I walked and pulled my red Brics bag behind me and scanned faces and talked to myself and to God and attempted to devise the perfect plan for the perfect meal. I suddenly remembered I had a granola bar in my bag and that it would be the perfect little bite to tie me over and would go great with a hot cup of coffee. I checked my walled and discovered I had one crumpled dollar bill and 34 cents. I can always charge it, but was a little bummed at my lack of cash and a life of discount shopping and water with lemon and granola bar lunches and began to dwell on my overall financial situation and feel sorry for myself. I was suddenly zapped out of my self pity when I saw a familiar face. In my deep fog my first thought was, " I think I see Martha Stewart". I am famous for my celebrity spottings. If you are a celebrity and you are nearby I will spot you. But instantly I realized that it was not Martha, but my very own Aunt Phylis who reminds me of Martha! She was preceded by a hot, sweaty, rushed Uncle John. We ran side by side as she informed me they were running late and trying to catch their flight. I ran alongside them and we arrived at their gate, only to learn the flight had just left and the next one would be leaving in two hours. So we were able to sit and visit and Phylis had packed yummy snacks, like Larabars and pears and nuts and Uncle John bought me that cup of coffee I wanted.
I boarded my flight undone by the Kindness of God, a God who saw my heart and blessed me. He knew I wanted to see my aunt and uncle and arranged it in the world's busiest airport. He saw my anxiety about missed opportunity and showed me that He can make all the "connections" that I need happen in aninstant. He saw my anxiety about finances and sent someone to bless me and show me that He cares and He provides. 
The minute I landed in Virginia I was whisked away by Deane and Travis in the white pick-up trucked named Corn Row. We all squeezed in and Travis drove and we headed over to Mrs. Shavro's to pick up a chair. Deane told us Mrs. Shavro's story on our way there. Turns on this woman is Greek, 85 years old, lives in a tiny house and sews for the public. When she is not sewing for the public, she makes tiny uniforms and once a year boards a plane and takes those uniforms to poor little orphans in Africa. She is leaving for Tanzania next month. She gave us baklava. She was making slipcovers for this chair seen above. On the way home it started to rain. Deane pulled over and handed Travis a garbage bag and asked him to slip it over the chair and then throw himself over the chair to protect her new investment. I laughed. Really hard. It rained. Really hard. I think this is illegal. I am still laughing. Travis is a trooper. Not only can he protect your vintage accent chair, he can discuss all realms of systematic theology and became our Sunday Morning Minister.
The minute I landed in Virginia I was whisked away by Deane and Travis in the white pick-up trucked named Corn Row. We all squeezed in and Travis drove and we headed over to Mrs. Shavro's to pick up a chair. Deane told us Mrs. Shavro's story on our way there. Turns on this woman is Greek, 85 years old, lives in a tiny house and sews for the public. When she is not sewing for the public, she makes tiny uniforms and once a year boards a plane and takes those uniforms to poor little orphans in Africa. She is leaving for Tanzania next month. She gave us baklava. She was making slipcovers for this chair seen above. On the way home it started to rain. Deane pulled over and handed Travis a garbage bag and asked him to slip it over the chair and then throw himself over the chair to protect her new investment. I laughed. Really hard. It rained. Really hard. I think this is illegal. I am still laughing. Travis is a trooper. Not only can he protect your vintage accent chair, he can discuss all realms of systematic theology and became our Sunday Morning Minister. 
The next day Terra arrived and we cleaned out our ears, per her request. We did it while at Mama Deane's two years ago and were impressed with the results. We had a steel cut oat breakfast out on the dock every morning. We came up with solutions to global poverty and we swam in the river and we shopped at the Outlet Mall. A good time was had by all.
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