There Was A Weekend.

And it was good! And busy. And exhausting. And fun. And emotional.

Shani and I drove up Friday night to stay with Lisa and Ria while attending Northwest Mission Connexion. Of course, by saying that we drove up FRIDAY implies that adventures began with the driving. Not true! Adventures began that morning, a little before 8am when I drove with Shani to the dentist to find out why her lip and chin were still numb a week after surgery!

Gladly, nothing is permanently damaged from having her wisdom teeth removed, but she does have bruised nerves. I didn't even know you could bruise a nerve! She should be totally back to normal in a few months. This is good. Our first apprehensions when considering the ramifications of potentially permanent nerve damage were how on earth she would kiss her husband properly with a numb lip!

Happily, this will not be a problem.

Because there were several things that needed done that day to prepare for the trip, I drove Shani to work and school in between errands. There were far, far too many things too do. I was really stressed out. Actually, have too much to do in too little time is on the list of Most Stressful Things for Melissa. I had a really difficult time. I did manage to convince my sister Carolyn to come over and do a bit of tidying of the house for me while I raced around like a beheaded chicken. Shani helped me organize the day a little better, so I could get the things done.

Of course, her plan went immediately put the window when I got slightly lost on the way to the nearest Walmart for an oil change. Well, not lost exactly, but despite the fact that I was going to a mega Walmart, they only had one entrance to the parking lot for those of us driving in the far lane! When I saw I would have to turn around, I promptly took the first available right. Onto a highway. In my defense, it doesn't look very much like a highway where I got on. With no turn offs for over a half mile, and knowing time was ticking shorter and shorter, I was feeling pretty nervous. When a wide spot on the shoulder came up, I pulled in and turned around. The blessings of a little car! I zipped back to Walmart, and drove around the parking lot, looking for the oil change. I finally found it, but they were busy, so I gave up, and went home to drop Carolyn off in time (okay, slightly late!) for her math class. I then went to the Walmart near our house (no fear of getting lost this time!) . I spent 40 minutes waiting for the oil change. They CLAIM I could have just not heard the announcement, but I have my doubts.

Also, when the oil change was done, they told me our front passenger tire is so bald it is now illegal. This did not unstress me.

I then zipped to my parents house to pick up my STILL dirty laundry (see previous post), and load the trunk with wood for Caleb, since he is too broke to pay for heat, but his apartment has a fireplace, and my parents have free wood.

I hate loading wood. I hate touching it. I hate getting dirty. I hate dealing with it.

But Caleb is special.

By the time I picked up Shani, I was pretty much a basket case, and when we got home, I discovered my 3ds was no longer in my bag, and I started crying hard. Shani took over at that point (bless her). She enforced me lying down while she went down to the car to look for my 3ds (she found it), and then proceeded to do all the packing and things. She also gave me a quick (and intense - ow!) back rub. Thanks to my little meltdown, we finally hit the road around 9 pm. Heh. On illegal tires. (But there's no money to fix that, so ... They will stay illegal for awhile.)

We arrived safely to be greeted by Ria, and proceeded to stay up past 1am talking. Oops. But friends are totally worth it! We decided to pass on the first session the next day, and made our way to Vancouver around 10. I drove, with Intense Concentration. Portland traffic, possible ice, and high bridges - not my favorite! (Shani drove the rest of the trip) We made it too late for our session, but just in time to get the last spot in the EXTRA parking lot, and headed in for the next session!

I liked the sessions, they were really good, but my FAVORITE was the main speaker, Libby Little. She really blessed my cowardly heart. BECAUSE SHE IS A COWARD TOO! (Cowards for Christ, UNITE!) She and her husband, Tom Little, worked and lived in Afghanistan for 30 years, raising their children there, treating ocular disease and things. Two years ago, Tom was murdered on a trip to the wilderness regions to treat little villages out there, along with other people. So sad.

But Libby wasn't sad! She reminded me a lot of Shirley and Shannon's grandma Peet. She was very sweet and demure and gentle. When she was sharing stories of hiding in their cellar while bombs and shells were going off all around ... I could hardly believe it. She seemed, well, NORMAL! Not a giant of faith.

She shared that she wasn't a giant of faith, even though giant things had been accomplished through her. She had been afraid and reluctant and wanting to go home, and so scared she couldn't minister to people, only cry out "Jesus, Jesus!" as she hid from the fighting outside.

This is somebody I can relate to. I am a frightened person. I don't like to do scary things, and many things are scary to me! But I'm also ashamed of being afraid. I feel like it's a failing in my faith. "If I just had more faith, I wouldn't be afraid!" But Libby showed me that was not true. That fear ... well, it happens! And even when we're afraid in scary situations (or not scary situations), God still uses us, and most importantly to me, does not hold our fear against us, or begrudge us our humanity. It will take me so long to really LEARN that God thinks I'm the most adorable, and loveable thing, AS I AM, trembling, and shaking and reluctant and confused, and delights in my awkward attempts to obey Him, and even uses my weaknesses to accomplish His purposes.

What an awesome God. I think He's pretty cool.

Anyway, we went home, skipping the last session of the conference, to spend the evening with Lisa (twinny!). She had delicious macaroni and cheese (no, seriously, it was AMAAAAZING!) We watched an A-team, and I got a backrub, and fell asleep while Ria was showing us this very talented British comedian. I was impressed with his wit, although not with his language. Language is not my favorite. (Pity. He was BRILLIANTLY HILARIOUS. ZOMC.)

The next day, after staying up FAR too late again, we texted Caleb to see if he really, REALLY wanted to go to church. He did. So of we zipped. (I think our exit was in record time). We went to a really nice little church (different from last time), and the service was great. I was convicted and challenged. (Not fair, lord! It was supposed to be a message for CALEB! Gosh.) There were also baptisms, and quite possibly the most adorable little six year old boy with a lisp. I wanted to take him home.

After church, we got marshmallows and other groceries, went home, and hung out. It was SO GOOD to just have *time* to hang out together, and BE. It's been way, way WAY too long. We finally dragged ourselves away at 11pm, and got home around 2am. Heh. Driving home was FOGGY. It was so foggy, it looked like we were going through this thick forest! Kinda cool.

I was really glad the next day was MLK day, because I needed the extra sleeping in. Still, it was a good weekend. I just wish that my friends didn't live so far away. I really miss everybody. In my ideal world, we all live on a big farm together, with houses spaced around the edges for the introverts, and a great BIG house for us non-introverts.

Maybe that's what heaven will be like.