 |
| Honeymoon picture... on the "sky tram" at the zoo! |
A funny story about how God is working in our lives.
The week of our Honeymoon … side story—
{We went to San Diego for our honeymoon and loved it. Everything was perfect. We stayed in a historic hotel, went to Sea World and the Zoo, walked up and down the streets every night, stayed in the Gas Lamp District, saw many homeless people, did a little shopping, ate great food, took the public transportation, and did not take enough pictures. But we loved every moment of it… except the part where Hubs wanted to get a picture of me standing with my feet in the water at the ocean and water splashed up and got my jeans wet… if you know me you know I hate 2 things… the ocean and getting my clothes wet. So minus that small mishap, everything was great!! We loved it!! It was full of fun memories that we will cherish as long as we have our minds to hold them.} –
 |
| Take the picture... |
 |
| One more... |
 |
| See my feet... they are wet!! |
 |
| Now my feet & my jeans are wet... and you my love are DEAD! |
 |
| OH you want to buy me a new dress and take me out to a good dinner with an amazing sunset view? Wow... you are forgivin. |
 |
| This is from a different day and a different beach (same ocean :)); but I want it to be clear, we kissed and made up! |
--OK back to where I was. The week of our honeymoon, it might have been on the plane ride there, I announced to Hubs, “I love that we have a church to go to where we feel comfortable and know many people, however I don’t feel like we need to get too involved. Let’s just do church for the first year we are married!” I said this with finality and determination in my voice. I was ready for PC to argue, I had prepared some good points to support my argument. He said, “Well, let’s pray about that and see what God has to say, but if that is where He leads us, that is great.”
SUCCUSS!! He didn’t argue!! I had WON!! This is what victory feels like!! Oh I love it!!
Now fast forward about 3 weeks.
We are invited by a precious couple, who happens to have taken us under their loving wings, to play Bunko at their house. If you know me at all you know that I’m ELATED!! I LOVE game nights, I love food, I love talking, and I love … friendly competition. So I agreed quickly and was assigned to bring dessert. I made some yummy cake balls and an alright fruit salad… but the game night was great!! (Another time in life that I wish I had used the camera that I had in my purse!!) Hubs was the big winner!! YEAH my husband ROCKS!! I’m glad I’m on his team in life… I’m typically the looser in most games. But ohhh I lose well!! I lose with pride and with honor… naturally by trash talking ALL the other participants!
Anyhow, a week or so after our wonderful Bunko night, we received a call from a sweet woman at our church that was also at this Bunko game. The message went something like this, “hubs, we had so much fun playing Bunko with you guys. OH by the way, we are looking for a couple to host a Newlywed’s Small Group this fall, and would like you to consider hosting. Will you and Heather please talk about it and get back to me.”
Hubs let me listen to this message to which I replied. “Awww wasn’t that sweet. She is precious. I hope we can hang out with them again soon. It was nice of her to consider us for the small group. Can you call her tomorrow and let her know that we have decided to not get involved?” Hubs responded with “Ummm don’t you think we should pray about it?”
“FINE!!” I said with frustration!! “I THOUGHT we had agreed not to get involved.” Hubs reminded me that perhaps we just need to pray about it. If God clearly tells us no, then we will not do the group. But, let’s give it a couple of days to pray and see how we are lead. I agreed, knowing that I felt for sure that we did NOT need to be involved.
As the next couple of days went on and we continued to pray about it, I started to feel this tug in my heart. Shortly after we got married I began praying that God would bring us to some friends that are young, involved in the church, newlyweds without children. We have many friends currently in our home town; however, most of them have been married several years and have families. We love spending time with them and hearing about their joys, and struggles that have come with their families, we also feel like we need to have some people in our life that are going through the same struggles we are. As the days passed I found myself excited about hosting this group. I thought of fun things that we can do as “friends” and not just a Bible study. Hubs and I discussed it and we decided that YES, we would host the small group. The next Sunday we went to church and found our names listed with the other host families. That is when it became real and I started my small panic… a panic that lasted up until this past Sunday at 5:55 pm. We had cleaned the house (or the bottom floor) till it sparkled and shined, I had made two types of tea un-sweat and mint and a tall pitcher of lemonade; I was putting the final touches on the brochette, chips and hot sauce and brownies when I looked up and realized the time 5:53… ACK!! PANIC!! MELTDOWN… almost!! Hubs was lucky enough to be in the kitchen with me at this very moment. Here is what it sounded like… “What it the dogs potty on the floor, what if our house stinks, what if the bread burns, what if there isn’t enough ice, what if they don’t like the food, what if they don’t like us… WHAT IF NO ONE COMES!!!???” PC does his thing … and listens to my borderline meltdown, and assured me that everything would be fine. At that very moment we hear “Knock, knock, knock!!” (We don’t have a doorbell.) Hubs casually walks to the door, not wanting to seem too anxious, and there they are … the first couple for our group. I panic and stay in the kitchen … everything had to be JUST right!! I hear more and more and more voices fill our little house. I’m in a panicked sweat now. I put the last few things on the table and at the last moment I, with all the grace I could manage, walk out into the living room. There are 11 people standing in my living room!! Smiling, talking, getting along, no one is making discussed looks at my house, no one is looking at my dogs like they are aliens, and everyone is PERFECT!! I quietly thank God for His promise that He will provide who I need, when I need them. The night went perfectly!! We ended right on time and then… people stayed a little bit longer… they stayed and chatted. We got to know each other. We started building relationships! My favorite part of the evening was … when I heard all of them say “we will see you next week!” My heart jumped for joy… if I wasn’t fat and out of shape I would have done a back flip!! (If I could do back flips in the first place.)
This week we will meet again at our home. We will spend Sunday cleaning and preparing for our guests… our friends! I am most certain that a time will come during that day where I have a temporary panic attack… however; Hubs, with his wonderful calming attitude will reassure me that everything will be ok. We are having a Salad and Baked Potato Bar!! OHhh I’m so excited!!
About a week after agreeing to do the small group, we were contacted by another couple that was at this Bunko game night. They were interested in us being on the prayer team at church. They left Hubs a very similar message on his phone and he let me listen to it one day after work. I responded with this remark this time, “Well, call them tomorrow and let them know we already have committed to do small group!” Shewwww that was easy to get out of! Hubs gave me the same response as he did last time. So therefore, we prayed… and in the back of my mind I thought “I got this, we already committed… God wouldn’t dare ask us to do something else when clearly we aren’t to do anything in the first place.” Well as God would have it, we are on the prayer team as well.
I am so excited about the adventures ahead of us. God is providing us with so much to look forward to. He is doing so much in our lives as a couple and personally to push and grow us in Him. Some days it is hard to see the God’s goodness through the clouds… but somewhere in the day I try to find a rainbow, a promise of hope and protection.
I’m sorry this post was so long, but I just had to share it. I needed to document it before I forgot the events. Enjoy the story… I hope it gives you courage to take on that thing which you least want to do.
Blessings sweet friends!!
