Takes me back!

So lets start off with one simple question...

What are the things in this world/life that take you back to being a kid again? 

I'll answer this in a minute but let me give you a background on why I'm asking this... This past weekend we had our Vision/Family weekend for all the base staff and trust members to attend. The idea of the weekend was to see what God is saying our "vision" is and where we are headed as a base. As well to become closer as a family, to get to know one another a bit better. I tell you what, this weekend was just what we all needed. I was kinda looking forward to it, I'll admit though that I was tired and being selfish thinking that I'd have to work the whole weekend. Well God redeemed that. From Friday at 12pm we were on our way, I was in the van with three boys, the three boys that are the maintenance crew on base. They are really amazing guys, so in the van on the way up I had this sensation come over me and it was just this feeling like these are my brothers. God has put us in each others lives for a reason, it was so amazing. I mean I look at them as the hard working men they are but to see them in a different light, as brothers, it was b-e-a-utiful!!!! Before we left, Andrew told them they had to watch over me this weekend. Which they did a wonderful job with! So to get back on track, when we arrived we unpacked the food then rested in our houses or went on walks. I sat outside on our porch in the sun reading my bible spending some good God time. Which was truly blessed!
This house that we stayed in was one that was an old one. When you walked in you had that smell that comes with every house that's been around the block. I guess it doesn't matter what country you're in that smell will always be the same! It looked like an old farm house but it was in the city. The kitchen table chairs reminded me of the ones we had at our house when I was like 4. It's the little things in life that make you smile! The doors took me back to our house in Wisconsin, and the smell for that matter. It was awesome!
So meal time comes around and it totally felt like a family reunion. You know that feeling? When you walk in a room and the people there just accept you for who you are and love you anyway. That way you can just be yourself and you don't have to get to know anyone! Well that's how I felt when I was in this house. Everyone knows everyone and just wants to help and they know you and accept you for you! How amazingly cool is that! The crazy ladies in the kitchen that would stand and I would just soak up all the wisdom they had to impart. Good times, good times! Just like being home, all the ladies seem to be attracted to the kitchen so it's like the hub of the house and the heart for that matter. I learned so much about relationships from all these people that went! You know when you're home and you know that everything is taken care of because you trust the people that you're with! That's how it was!
So the other important part of the weekend was that we spent a lot of time praying and worshiping. It was amazing because God really hashed it out between us all so that we could all come away with clean hearts and have forgiveness and grace for everyone. It was really good because now as base staff and the trust, we are the people that really run the place and support the place. If we weren't here there would not be any schools running. So now that we are stronger as the backbone of the base, the people that come through can see how much love is between us. We can rub off on the students and they will carry that with them wherever they go. We love each other as a true family should! We stand up for each other and invest in one another. We don't have a vision because we decided that we need to work on being a family first. I am truly inspired by this weekend.
The ride home was also an interesting one. I don't know if you have brothers but riding home with four guys, was just one of a laugh. I told them all that they are my brothers and I love them as my brothers and that will never change. So I'm really glad that they took it so literally because the car ride home they were definitely not afraid to express their bodily reactions... Which made me feel right at home as true brothers do. Oh well what do you do?
I will leave you with a verse that has left me thinking as well:
"However, as it is written: 'No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him" - 1 Corinthians 2:9
A very wise woman told me this verse today, that what we are seeing today in this season is only a glimpse of what God has for us in the future. We are all just preparing right now for what is next and what the bigger picture is. She said this is why she pushes me and always asks me questions as mothers do... It's a good thing though, we need people in this world that push us to do things we don't want to do otherwise how will we ever learn or know how far we can be stretched?
So to wrap it up, God is amazing and he has so much for all of us, things that we cannot even fathom because they are so big!!!!