especially when God is in charge.

Let’s dial this day back to a day in mid-September.
I overheard the secretary of our Scarlet Knights soccer club, Aly, say they didn’t have a church venue set for the annual banquet.  The church we normally use had experienced some changes and had some date conflicts.

I felt the Holy Spirit nudge me – “Suggest your church.”
I pushed back.  “Aly is exceedingly capable.  She has everything under control.  She does NOT need suggestions from a peon like me.”
Again, “Suggest your church.”
Me, “Our church isn’t big enough.”
The push was palpable, my voice was small, “Excuse me, Aly? My church isn’t too far from here, and we have done some dinner programs in the past.  Would you like me to see if it is available?”

She asked a few questions and I sent an email to the church from the field.  Kim, the church secretary, got back to me in minutes.

And so it began.

Early on I got NO response from anyone from church on A/V support.  This was going to be a key component.  My nature is to WORRY and want every thing set.  But I did not have a moment to work on it because Friends…. October was BUSY.  So exceptionally busy.  I had a heavy work schedule.  Marie’s soccer team played all over the county.  And there were the normal speech, Spanish, piano, guitar, orthodontist, co op, etc., etc., etc.   I think I literally threw my hands in the air and said to God, “LORD, you need to take care of this for me.  I just can’t.”

I squeezed in an appointment to meet with Kim, who was a real hero.  When I was a little stressed out early on she was SO encouraging.   When I shared with her that I was too busy to think straight, she reminded me it would work out.

A week before the banquet I had zero commitment from our church family.  The back up plan was for a dad in the SK group to lug in all his sound equipment and another dad to bring in his projection stuff. 

Then my friend Steve approached me.  While he normally does video recording he was willing to do the mic piece for us.  There – standing before me – grace.  An answer to prayer.  And even better, someone stepping out of his zone with a heart that wanted to help.  That was more of a blessing than the audio!!!  He even emailed me the following day saying he’d looked into some of the projection pieces, too.

But then things started unfolding, not BECAUSE of me, but WITHOUT ME.  We had a ton of appointments this week and my brain was really thinking more about my family and uncle, and I just really couldn’t do ANYTHING unless it was send an email from some parking lot via my phone. 

And – EVERYTHING fell into place.  AND IT WAS SO AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So many lovely ladies… but even more so – THOSE SMILES!

I mostly played barista in the kitchen.  (I’m not complaining!  I’m not much of a sitter, anyway.  I love to burn off my nervous energy by working.)  But I snuck away for a few pictures and to watch the video for the modified team (amazing!).

I heard so many cool comments. 
People sincerely appreciated the location being so much closer, and loved the lay-out; but even more than that:

“My older girls did Pioneer Girls here when they were little.”

”I haven’t been in this kitchen in YEARS,” from a former MOPS mom.

And my favorite, “I was married in this church in 1994.”

I love our homeschool community.
I love my church home.
I love that they could morph for a night.

So many connections.  People who know people who know people.   Worlds colliding.  THIS is what heaven is going to look like. 

And I having a front row seat to what God can do with our obedience. 
It all started with a nudge, and I ended up blessed beyond measure.

Luke 18:27
But he said, “What is impossible with men is possible with God.”