Message in Disguise
I shared this store with my new WOF Warrior Wives friends but I also wanted to share it here as well. I did have to modify/edit it some for the blog version since some it you needed to be there to 'get' it without additional info :)I had an amazing weekend, to say the least. I came into the weekend with no expectations and left filled with Joy :) One of the speakers at the WOF conference had specifically spoke about being happy vs having joy, after this weekend I understand what they meant. While this weekend was one of very little physical sleep it was just what my weary soul needed. Since Thursday night I had only had about 13 hours of sleep, yet while my body was weary my soul is renewed and ready to run full force ahead into whatever life has to throw at me knowing that God is right there with me.
Sunday morning the alarm went off very early at 4:30 am, especially since Christy and I were up until 1:30 am, but lack of sleep was more than worth it for all the wonderful fellowship this weekend. I made it to the DFW airport and managed to not only check myself in but find my gate as well, while some may consider this trivial it was a monumental milestone for me ;) I couldn't help doing so with a smile, despite being incredibly tired my face chose to radiate the joy that was acquired this weekend. While I was sitting at the gate waiting to board the plane with that goofy smile on my face I noticed a guy sit down near me. Immediately I had a sense that he was one of 'us' yet he also had a beard so I was intrigued because I know 'military' members do not have facial hair like that. I took Andy Andrews advice and became a noticer (Andy Andrews was an amazing speaker at the conference). I watched the guy look through some things in his bag and indeed I seen a ID card. After a few minutes he turned and spoke to me, he told me that he was more than ready to get home and sleep in his own bed. He'd been traveling for the past several days from Afghanistan and due to missed flights he had spent the past 6 nights sleeping in different airports. I learned that while he was prior military he is currently a civilian contractor, so while he is not one of 'us' in the sense of being active military he is one of 'us' in the sense that he knows and lives our lifestyle. I always feel a kinship with those who share our lifestyles as you just cannot explain the triumphs and trials to those who do not understand, and those of you who are are one of 'us' know exactly what I mean. He told me had been in Afghanistan since November and was only going to be home for 3 weeks before heading back, his job is one where he's only in the US for a few weeks at a time, then back overseas. I described it as a 'turn and burn' and he told me that really sums up his life. He was telling me that it was a hard lifestyle and that he often feels burnt out, that he was worried his dogs wouldn't remember him. Then he told me that last night at Dallas Fort Worth he had slept in a chair exactly like the one we were sitting in. It was cold in the airport and he was wearing khaki shorts and a short sleeve polo shirt, he was also used to temperatures of 120 degrees so he was freezing and trying desperately to sleep. He told me that he curled up into a fetal position on a chair and was finally so tired that he was able to drift off to sleep. I told him I did not realize that the airports were still open 24 hours, and he said neither did he but they didn't kick him out, which was good because he had no where to go. At some point he woke up in the middle of the night and found that someone had taken pity on him and had covered him with a blanket and put a pillow under his head. This really touched me, there are still good people in this world!!! On the flight I thought about it and I realized while military members often do not receive thanks I'm sure as a civilian contractor his thanks was even less. I prayed that he would make it home safely that night and told myself if I seen him after the flight I would thank him and tell him to take care of himself and not let himself burn out, others counted on him.
As would happen I did not see him after the flight, I was on a vital mission to make it to my connecting gate in the few minutes that I had before boarding. And as I think about it I realize that his life and mine are more parallel than I originally noticed. That this weekend God did for me what he did for him. God found me curled up in a fetal position trying to 'sleep' and just get through each day, he used this weekend to wrap me in a blanket of love and provide me with a pillow of mercy, and I needed that more than I even knew! Not only that the same advice that I was going to provide to the guy about burn out directly applies to me, that God wants me to take care of myself....to take time out for me to recharge...there are others here depending on me and just 'getting by' is not what He has in mind. On the flight I feel asleep for a quick nap with a smile across my face, and still now I can't help from smiling! I pray that the joy from this weekend stays with me for a long time, the world looks so much better through joy filled 'glasses.' I noticed today at the airport that Andy Andrews was right, when you smile those around you can't help but smile. As I walked through the airport with a smile on my face I noticed the smiles of others lighting up around me. How easy it is to lose that joy in the daily tasks of life, I want to not just be 'happy' but to live with joy, something I am much more aware of now.
In addition I also wanted to share how I KNEW that I should go this weekend, that God had so carefully orchestrated me being there, and I have to tell you things like this blow my mind!
In July my kids were going to VBS on base through the chapel. One of the nights it was my night to pick up the kids (Mr. B and I were rotating) and I went to the table to check them out. As I walked away a lady, who I did not know, called me back and told me that I needed to take one of the fliers. I grabbed a flyer and read it as I walked away. I could hardly believe when I read that it would be for a FREE weekend at the WOF conference in Dallas, TX. I just had to call the contact listed. She gave me some additional info and Mr. B right away told me that I should go if I wanted to. I tried to find a few local spouse to go with me but that wasn't working out. As I was sitting at the computer my friend Christy, who lives in OK, came to mind and I wondered how far she lived from TX so that maybe I could see her that weekend. I googled it and found it was 4 hours, and just mulled it over a bit. Later that afternoon I talked with the local POC again and she happened to mention that the event was not specifically for people in AL, that women from all states were coming, I immediately asked if I could call my friend Christy and invite her. I called Christy and she did not even have to think about it, she checked with her hubby and he was available to watch the kids!! I was so excited! I had really wanted to go but as I told the ladies at the last dinner I really needed a wingman for this first solo trip and praise God that he sent Christy to be that person! The only expense I occurred was the cost of the flight, and it was more than worth it!!! The hotel, food, conference tickets, transportation, ect was all taken care of by an amazing lady named Peggy and her team of volunteers. I am SO thankful that God had me at the right place and the right time to have the privilege of attending the Warrior Wives weekend, as the next night I looked and there were no more fliers... was all of it a coincidence? I think not!
posted by Mrs. B @ 1:30 PM
1 Comments:
Reading over this blog brought back that feeling that I had when I realized how God had orchestrated that entire weekend. WOW!! From the time leading up the to conference to the day that we left! God is SO amazing!
Christy
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