happiest place on earth

happiest place on earth. i know what you're thinking... disney! duh. and yes, you are right. that's where i was. but the happy part i'm not too sure about. 

2 year olds with sweaty hair, blushed cheeks looking all dehydrated and like they're on steroids, sunscreen dripping into their eyes and making them bloodshot. parents, just being parents, trying to do the right and fun thing for their kids. meanwhile wishing a ticket to disney came with a ticket for a babysitter and massage the next day. 

at one point, my friend said something commical. 

"do you & dave have to leave RIGHT after the wedding?"

"yeah"

"oh, dang. wouldn't it be so fun to come here the next day?"

worst. nightmare. ever

i'm not a theme park person. it was fun, but i delightfully texted dave and told him we weren't bringing our kids until they were 10. then i texted my half human, half disney friend and told her that it was great, but that it wasn't for me. 

epcot. where they have beer served by real people from the corresponding country. nice. 

this past week, the staff was at exponential conference in orlando. at the biggest church i never knew existed, first baptist orlando. this conference is for church planters. have planted. want to plant. want to do it again or just looking for info. we fall into all of those categories. 

never in my life have i felt so encouraged by these people. opposite from the faces at disney, these wide eyed christians, knowing they are about to risk everything worldly they've ever owned and loved to sacrifice it all to gain a few more for the kingdom, basically floated around the church all week long. feet not touching the ground, we were all on cloud 9. so excited to be learning so much and to be in a room with thousands of people who were on the same road as us. all suffering the same for a price that no one can name but that everyone wants. 

i had the time of my life. i learned so much. i learned the most from a workshop on, as a christian, how to engage with the GLBTQ community in a way that would glorify the lord. 

this, was the time of my life. at the end, they called everyone who knew the lord was calling them to plant to come to the front to be prayed over. one by one i watched husbands grab their wives hands and together walk forward to receive this blessing from leaders and pastors. and i cried. CRIED. hard. i was so happy. i was so thankful. 

never thought i'd be able to say that a super churchy conference would be my happy place. but to be in a room surrounded by life minded people, risking it all for the lord, is exactly where i needed to be.