Home Again

I got back yesterday from a great week in the Michigan upper peninsula. The foliage was gorgeous, even if the weather left something to be desired. I was at a retreat for young 'uns 23 and older. Besides inspiring speakers, there were lots of fun activities and good fellowship. I connected with some people I knew and met some new people. One night was a 1940s theme dinner, for which you've already seen my outfit. The next night was a semi-formal masquerade. My mask was pretty conservative compared to some other feathery wild ones! Here's a picture. During the elegant and tasty dinner, a lady gave a very apropos message about taking off the masks that many try to wear in real life. She encouraged us to be real and honest.

So I'm back again catching up on life again, very tired. Hopefully I can sleep some more tomorrow.

The Lord really blessed my traveling, though the 45 minute line through security in Seattle was annoying. Thank God for Starbucks on the other side! It's times like those at airports when I feel deep anger at the radical group of jerks who changed aviation history forever for the rest of the world. Grrr. Talk about the power of one, or something like that. But meanwhile, I got an exit row seat on the way to Las Vegas, with tons of leg room in front of me. I think they generally make plane seats for people about 5'3." Discrimination, I tell ya. So I did a little gambling in Vegas, then hopped on the plane to Chicago. Ha ha, not really! There were slot machines right there and people using them, but it all looked rather silly, I thought. I had just given my boarding pass to the attendant and was going down the ramp when she called my name and eventually communicated to my astonished mind that I was being promoted to first class! Yes, please! So I got in a nice, cushy seat and was treated with drinks, good food (no $5 box lunches there!), and friendly service. Man, I should fly that way every time. The only downside was this older, roughish (but pleasant) gentleman next to me who smelled rather unpleasant, drank several alcoholic drinks, and was half blind to boot. But I enjoyed the flight, nonetheless, and finished the Karen Kingsbury book I'd brought along. And I basked in the knowledge of God's incredible love and goodness to me!

Speaking of love and goodness, I figured out that 10 of my local friends have either married or gotten engaged in the past year! Every Christmas I have a big party of friends, which at one time were mostly single, but now, I'm afraid the singles are starting to be the minority, including yours truly! Of course I'm happy for all the little love birds, but it is astonishing how quickly things happen sometimes. For instance, my friend Erika just called to inform me she's engaged. She's been corresponding and talking to this man since January, but he just flew out to meet her last week and that's when he proposed! But God was obviously in it, they were both yielded to Him, so what was there to wait for? She's 31, so I'm absolutely thrilled for this gem of a young lady who has waited patiently for God's best and suffered some very hard things. She and her fiancee both have a heart for Israel (she went with me in '99), so they'll be heading there as missionaries soon after they marry in February.

Here I go rambling on and on and I really need to go to bed!!