a good weekend, lost sweatshirts, and familial minefields

This weekend was the acacia retreat, and oh baby...it was awesome! It's been amazing to see God showing us his presence and goodness through the studies and discussions. Do you remember in grade school science class, how we'd get a bean in a cup with some soaking paper towels? We'd take it home and put it on the windowsill, and in 4-5 days the bean would begin to sprout and grow. ringing a bell?? (i hope so :P )This simple little experiment provides something no amount of words and pictures in a textbook can give: the experience. When that bean sprouts out of that cup, that's not a science lesson, that's science. Well that's what I saw this weekend at retreat (not beans growing out of cups obviously...). I witnessed people experiencing God working, not hearing about it. Even though we'd call them individually as bible studies, but the whole weekend was most definitely not a lesson, it was an experience; a bean in a cup, not a blurb on botany. There was something we could take home, something tangibly applicable we could put into practice and watch grow into something beautiful. This weekend was definitely something else.

After an interesting car-ride with Alex, Sylvie, Geo, and Lisa to Stinson beach on sat (I know...one way ticket to 5th wheel city), I left my sweatshirt in Alex's car. **btw the drive was actually pretty fun, chock full of everything from google voice-recognition fails to awkward questions (for both sides). Anyways, on sunday since I was in the bay, I went over to their place to pick it up. Since I didn't take my car down, it was time for a family minivan adventure. Of course by family minivan, we're talking a 1999 white toyota sienna with a small dent in the back left pillar and a pink bunny slinky keychain hanging from the rear-view mirror, so in other words, a total chick magnet (no not really). Now you have to understand, I’m not used to driving a car this big, so as you can imagine the first few miles were what I’d like to call, the guinea pig miles (don't worry... mailboxes were safe this time). Since I forgot my GPS in Davis, finding the place was an adventure in its own right. After 3 u-turns a missed greenlight and by the grace of God, I made it there. 5 minutes later, after a quick visit to Silvie and Alex, I came home wearing the sweatshirt, a little wiser and a lot warmer.

So my aunt was in town, and of course, there was much catching up to do. How's work going? How's Kathy (my cousin) doing? How's ministry at church going? and a whole slew of other questions. Then she'd get a half turned smile on her face and i knew the next question that was coming. You know in those movies when you know something bad's going to happen, and all of a sudden time will slow down? Basically all you'd be able to do is say nnnooooooooooooooo in slow motion? Yeah that's how it felt as the question was coming out...so, you got a girlfriend yet? oy. I supposed if it weren't for extended family, awkward moments might just be an endangered species (unless i take some more car-rides like saturday's). No, i'd sheepishly reply as my mind goes into overdrive trying to figure out a way to change the subject: so how was your weekend? Unflappable. **sigh** I suppose it could be worse, but at this moment…sinking a little in my seat seemed like the most viable option.

You know…no matter how much we can plan a weekend; God’ll come by and turn it into something beautiful. Now it’s 2am and I’m still sitting in my bed with a burning hot laptop and a tired look, wondering if He will turn the rest of my week the same way…