working in the sun: not a bad gig

so about a billion years ago i had the pleasure of heading to florida for 'work'.  where it was 75 degrees.  and lots of my friends from all over the country were celebrating.  hmmm what are the chances?  it is really fun to sell to the ministry that we love and lead and this little venture was no exception.  unfortunately i only took 3 pictures.  all on an airplane.  the clouds looked just like land and i couldn't help myself as i watched the sun come up.

it's trying...

::there she is::

here comes the sun do dum do do

when i got to town i rode in a shuttle with a sweet canadian couple to my hotel for the weekend.  jules greeted me which was lucky since the hotel was about the size of an airport.  it had wings and towers and i had no idea where to go.  i changed out of my nasty airplane clothes [don't worry, i learned my lesson from last time] and into some sunshine attire.

when we went down to the pool i ran into about a gillion friends, many who i haven't seen in months or years and it was such a blessing.  visiting in the warm sunshine, toes in the pool.  ugh.  so good.  just to hear about people's lives and where God has them, what they're learning.  that was a huge blessing to me. 

i may or may not have snuck into the last session of the all staff conference.  shhh don't tell anyone.  there were lots of open seats and they were all but begging for me take them.  i laughed, i cried.  you know...the usual.  i especially loved hearing from a girl who heard the gospel through the love of a young lives leader.  it wasn't that leader that got me, just the story of a girl going from death to life, from hopelessness to eternal hope.  it was so sweet.  secondly, i loved watching a video about the most precious man who's on young life property staff in minnesota.  he takes care of the grounds and all the landscaping.  he was relating his job to the picture of the last supper.  he said [in different words] "in that image you don't see the people who set the table or the people that cleaned it all up, you just see the people communing with Jesus - i feel like i'm called to set the table."  it was just such a humble and awesome way to look at our roles. when it really comes down to it i think we all want to do big things for the kingdom, but what could be greater than setting the stage for someone to encounter Christ?  nothing.  i loved that guy.

i also was able to read through most of the fuel & the flame [its over on my sidebar].  its about campus ministry and while i do high school ministry nearly all of the principles overlap.  there wasn't much 'new' to me in that book but it definitely lit a fire in me.  an excitement to seek hard after the Lord with all i've got and a passion to see my friends become disciples and disciple-makers.

ironically enough, i'm finally posting this and i get to go back to the sunshine state TONIGHT!  i can't wait.  we're having a mini-family reunion down there.  i'm so excited to see my fam and have my pale, see-through skin out in the sunshine [glistening like a vampire] once again.  i'm in some desperate need of vitamin-d.

ps.  i almost had a breakdown packing for this trip.  it seems i now have nothing that fits my body.  on my bottom half i'm down to 2 or 3 options and all of them need tops that work with them.  all my shirts still fit my bump nicely but don't all look nice with the one pair of pants i own.  of course i do have leggings but they are getting a little snug and well, i just don't have that many long shirts, especially that are florida appropriate and not made for winter.  all that complaining to say...i'm gonna look like a hot mess.  watch out world!