A kindred spirit

Do you know what is crazy interesting?  Although I have been married to my best friend for nearly my entire adult life, and we both have traveled around the world, he more than me, we have only been out of the country together one time, when we visited Grand Cayman to celebrate his completion of college.  Since, he has been to Singapore, Australia, India, and England without me.  I have traveled to Germany and Poland without him.  Now I am embarking on a trip to another continent without him.  I guess we don't believe in both leaving this good ole USA together. *giggle*

I have had to come to terms with a few of my anxieties while preparing for this missions trip.  One is the fact I could not convince my husband to go with us, to carry my luggage (see first post in blog).  I hope one day we will have opportunity to do ministry together, but this trip he is sending, while I and Megan are going.  

As the trip was being planned and others were committing to go, it initially looked to be a small group of 4 - Meg and I along with our Pastor and another man from our church.  Fabulous men that I am honored to travel and serve alongside.  But, I wondered how the dynamics would be with two men and a mother/daughter team.  I am delighted to travel with my daughter, but I was concerned about how these men would handle a rather emotional woman on the trip with them.  Let's face it, life is just different for men and women.  

Another discussion I broached with God, I told Him of my concerns and desires for another lady and kindred spirit to go along on this trip.  He came through in a fabulous manner.  Kim, fellow committee member, coffee addict, and neighbor had a strong desire to go on the trip, but did not believe she could leave her job during the time of the trip.  She and I prayed together for her boss to 'let her go.'  Our prayer was answered shortly, and she is going with us!  How wonderful to have this kindred spirit going with me.  We both share concerns of finding coffee to wake up in the morning, how to fit all those necessary items in a suitcase, cope with 'roughing it' in a foreign land, and other 'girlie' issues.  

Now we were a group of five but soon we learned of a sixth member.  Another lady, who is a delight, joined our group.  Four ladies and two men, the guys will be overwhelmed with female hormones.  Thankfully they have each other while we women will take turns crying and holding each other up.  Ha ha.

I am not sure why I am always surprised that God answers my prayers.  But I usually am surprised at just how much He cares about my silly anxieties and desires.  It is incredible that the God, who created the entire universe, every human, is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, takes the time to know the number of hairs on my head, has the time to hear me among the trillions of humans, listen to me whine most of the time, and give good things to me.  I am not worthy.  I constantly fail at living a righteous, sinless life; I am selfish, a worrier, and not always faithful in my relationship with Him.  And yet, He always loves me, listens to me, and continues to lavish on me.  I need to remember this as I encounter difficult things.