Sunday night I returned “home” to Tennessee. I spent the previous 10 days back in Rhode Island (where I grew up) with my family, and hopped on the ferry to spend the weekend in Long Island, New York with my childhood best friend.
It’s been quite a while since I’ve had a real vacation. I am very thankful that I was able to fly home. Other than my love for airplanes, it was nice to have a short trip instead of drive the 17 hours from Nashville to Providence. However, my trip started off with a little turbulence.
My vacation began with a delayed flight. This wouldn’t normally be so bad except for the fact that it was delayed so much so that I would miss my connecting flight and was told that I would be spending the night in the airport in Atlanta. First shock: I was not freaked out, but a little concerned. Normally spending the night in an airport would not sound good to me on any level, but for some reason I was in a “go with the flow” kind of mood .Thankfully they put me on another flight to Detroit! That flight was also delayed. Now by this time, my former self would be in a slight panic. But I was pretty confident it would all work out. I asked the stewardesses on the plane if they could call my connecting flight to let them know I was coming, and they could not. But it turned out they were connecting to Providence also! So, we all pretty much ran across the airport together to make the flight out of Detroit. AND, I got to feel like a celebrity on flight number two as all of the stewardesses knew me, and those around me saw that I was “the girl with the guitar”.
Starting out, my journey home was a bit stressful, but as I relaxed in my window seat and watched the sun set with the clouds beneath me, I was reminded of God’s beauty and His faithfulness. He was faithful in my worry and gave me strength and calmness in knowing that He will always take care of my needs.
I was blessed to have been invited to sing and talk about my trip at two different churches while I was in Rhode Island. Sunday morning I sang at my Dad’s church, and Wednesday evening I sang at my Mom’s church. It was a humbling experience. I wasn’t completely happy with my presentation at either service, but was reminded that God can use anything He wishes and turn it around for His purposes. He used my voice, my writing, and my unpolished guitar skills to bless those who listened, and He used my less than eloquent speech to convey His message. The encouragement and blessings that I received from those present reminded me that this really isn’t about anything that I can or cannot do. I know that I will be facing more challenges throughout this ministry and I am thankful that God is using me, and that He is building my confidence in Him.
I tell you these two stories not to complain, or to brag about how well I handled things, but to show how my God showed up. While these two stories may seem like trivial things (which they are), it’s often hard to see outside of our own situation while we are in the moment. It is easy to be upset by things that shouldn’t matter in the big picture. I know that I am not the only one to ever “cry over spilled milk”, but I am guilty of it. God got into my head in both situations and reminded me to think outside of myself. He brought peace into the panic.
I think God is stretching me to be more relaxed, and He is preparing me to “go with the flow” (as I hear that is an important quality to have on the Race). Even in these last few months, I have seen a change in my attitude. I am less concerned about ‘small things’, and when I do worry, I hear that voice reminding me that there are more important things in life that could use my attention.
I am thankful for the change that I am already seeing, and excited for what’s to come. God is doing great things in my life and I am constantly reminded of that on the daily. I am very grateful for all of the people in my life who reassure me and build me up with kind words and gestures. I can feel your prayers!
Highlights of my vacation:
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Flying
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Spending time with family
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Attending Mishkan with my Dad
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Collecting sea shells with my Mom (and Gray’s ice cream!)
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Singing hymns with my Grandmother
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Watching fireworks
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Sharing my music and my ministry in two services
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Playing frisbee and football with my Dad and brother
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Walking alongside the bay with my Grandmother
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Going to T’s for brunch
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Going to the beach (several times!)
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Swimming in the ocean
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Reconnecting with old friends
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Riding the ferry to Long Island
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Exploring the Hamptons
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Spending the weekend with one of my oldest and best friends
Thank you SO much to everyone who is supporting me! Whether through prayer, donating funds, purchasing a T-shirt, or spreading the word to your loved ones, every one of you is a blessing to me! I have raised $1600 so far and I know the Lord will continue to provide!
