I am amazed, stunned, dumbfounded. Something big is happening! Last week a group of ladies at one of my yahoo groups for Tapestry of Grace started talking about meeting each other in a city in Texas, about 5 hours away from me. I asked my husband if I could meet them for the weekend, but he’s not keen on letting me travel out of town by myself. For many reasons, that I cannot go into right now, I was really, really saddened by this. In a way, I think my husband was surprised. Being an introvert, I am rather content to stay home and nest.  =)  But this was an extremely special group of ladies in my life that I would love to meet personally.  Nevertheless, I wanted to honor my husband. So I submitted, although I quietly shed more than a few tears over this.

Then we saw the movie, "Facing the Giants."

www.homeschoolblogger.com/teacupsinthegarden/454995/

Well, this was one of my giants. I decided to give it to God. I put this desire of my heart on the altar. I found myself often taking it off the altar, when I would get teary-eyed and depressed. Accepting the challenge presented in "Facing the Giants", I committed my desires to God and chose to honor my husband and cheerfully submit. I had also committed to keeping a thankfulness journal and pursued that despite my feelings.

www.homeschoolblogger.com/teacupsinthegarden/453961/

In a few days of consciously practicing this, the joy returned. In a few days I was able to laugh and rejoice and be happy for the ladies who would getTOGether!, as this event has come to be called. One very special event will be at one of the lady’s houses, who lives in the area. She will host a Sunday brunch and we will sit around the piano and have a praise and worship time!

I couldn’t help myself; I’d joyfully share with my husband all the special things that were building with this event! Last Sunday my husband told me to check into the details of the event. Then he said I could go! I couldn’t believe it! This was amazing! My husband has never told me to do such a thing before!   And he is now at complete peace with it, looking forward to spending special time with the children.  I felt like I was holding a fragile gift in my hands. Carefully, lest it fall apart, I made the announcement to my friends that I was free to come!

We have shed many tears at our group, as we hear of other ladies who are surprising us with the news that they will be able to come. I am now anticipating news on whether my Secret Sister will be able to come.  She thinks she will!  I am so excited to meet these ladies. I am also joyfully tearful. Some of the ladies have expressed their joy over my announcement of my getting to come. This is almost incomprehensible to me. I am not used to others hoping for my presence. I am usually quiet, in the background, unnoticed. This is a group of ladies with whom we have shared our joys and sorrows, our prayer requests and homeschool journeys, our successes and defeats…now many of us get to meet face to face. The excitement of meeting face to face in Texas,  has fueled discussion on what it’s going to be like meeting in heaven!

Tonight I was telling my husband of the latest information. He was so happy to hear of it all. Then he told me what changed his mind about my going. Do ya’ll remember my talking about my quilt friend? www.homeschoolblogger.com/teacupsinthegarden/393547/

I will get to ride with her to and from this event. She has been very special to me and dh is thrilled with how she has been so kind to me. He did not want her driving alone and he knew it would be very special for us to spend time together on the drive. =)

Each moment, as I hear of more ladies announcing the blessing of being able to make the journey for our getTOGether, I think of the coach in "Facing the Giants." Like him, we have felt overwhelmed with God’s blessings for the impossible. Who would think that a bunch of moms who use the same homeschool curriculum would travel from the far corners of the country...Alaska, Hawaii, Washington DC and points in-between  to meet face to face in Texas!  Stay tuned for the rest of the story, after our getTOGether in March! =)