I hugged each of the six people leaving our house. As I closed the door behind them, I turned to my husband with a smile. "That was a wonderful afternoon."

From the outside it may have seemed an odd group for Steve and I to be a part of. These folks were a couple of decades older than us, most retired. We weren't related in any way, didn't live near one another. What drew us together was a family on the other side of the globe who needed our support, who waved at us as we huddled around a computer screen just a few hours earlier.

We are the board of Christian Mission for Myanmar. 

A board meeting sounds about as fun as its name. I can feel intimidated at these because I run the finances, yet I have very little experience evaluating or comparing numbers. I simply receive the money, keep track of the donating parties, send receipts. Oh, and I wire money regularly to a third-world country, which has gotten me permanently banned from using Western Union. (I'm such a rebel.)

But as much as I could feel unease by my lack of expertise, I came away from the day with a different feeling: inspiration. The stories shared as we broke bread together gave me a new perspective. These couples around my table had been to places I'd never heard of. They'd served the Kingdom in ways I hadn't imagined. And they are all determined to go above and beyond to help a family who lives a world away—all so that the family can continue sharing God's love in their home country of Myanmar. 

I've gotten to know these brothers and sisters in Christ over the past couple of years. Their consistent faith through tears of sorrow and tears of joy has given me strength. I am grateful we are now connected to one another. 

I'm fascinated by the people God brings into my path. This is just one example of the ways God adds new pieces to the puzzle of my life. Up close at times it seems like jumbled confusion, and the best I can do is cling to the interlocking pieces around me. But I step back and look at the beautiful picture He is forming. There is purpose and meaning I haven't yet discovered. 

See also Wisdom Through the Ages, part 1 and part 3.

Photo by Hans-Peter Gauster on Unsplash

There I sat in the too tiny chair at the low table, feeling like Alice in Wonderland when she ate the cake and grew too large for her surroundings. To my right was a little boy, awaiting my help to write his name at the top of his coloring page. To my left was a little girl, sniffing and wiping away tears with the back of her hand. Surrounding us was the clatter and chatter of a dozen other Pre-K children, playing with toys around the room while the two official leaders of this clan sat among them, playing, encouraging, and talking. 

I was there for work purposes. One of my new gigs as a freelancer involved a church who wanted me to observe these kiddos in order to write something for their ministry. There are two things you need to know about me:

1. My three sisters-in-law on the Carr side of the family all work in the preschool realm. My mother-in-law is a retired kindergarten teacher. One of these ladies is doing her own thing and doesn't fit with the rest of the family—that's me! Yet they love me anyway. And I am amazed by their care and skill and desire to shape young hearts. Tonight's time in the Pre-K room only solidified this great respect I have for them all. 

2. I was hesitant when my own child was this age. I sought out the aforementioned amazing women in my family when I had a preschooler in the house. It was all new territory, and I needed help navigating the landscape. But I surprisingly enjoyed that age of exploration and wonder more than I would have imagined. My daughter is now 11, so it's been a while since I've hung out with the preschool crowd. 

So I looked around, wondering if anyone else noticed my slight awkwardness in this setting. 

No one seemed to mind. The kids welcomed me right in. The little boy with the coloring page—he was more than happy to share a marker and allow my big-person handwriting to grace the top of his page. The sniffing girl? She was sad because it was her first time at this church, and she was scared. I told her it was my first time too. That didn't exactly break the ice, but she warmed to me later. And when three more kids came in as service was beginning to start, they didn't know I didn't truly belong here. They just assumed I was part of the regular crew. They started telling me about how they were cousins and they were having a slumber party that night, and we became fast friends. 

I had a blast with that preschool worship service. We sang. We danced. Cartoon critters on the screen shared some thoughts with us. Then we heard a part of God's story. It was one of my favorite services I've been to this summer. 

I went to observe, but I gained much more than research for a writing project. I was reminded of some important wisdom:

• It's OK to be silly and act crazy sometimes. It feels good. Don't worry about what other people think about you.

• Cartoon animals talking to you are pretty cool. 

• Sharing is hard, but it's not the end of the world. 

• Worshipping God is best when songs have motions you can do with your whole body.

• Everyone is welcome around the coloring table—no matter what you look like and even if you're a grownup that's too big for the chair. And if you ask the right questions, everybody at that table has a story, and they might just tell it to you. 

See also Wisdom Through the Ages, part 2 and part 3.

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

On August 1, 1998 two naive kids committed to have and to hold, from this day forward. And Steve and I have been by each other's sides ever since. 

As a young lady I was easily distracted in my interests. But somehow this man has gotten a hold of my attention and hasn't let go. (I'm as surprised as you are!) Here we are, 19 years later, and I still daily anticipate Steve's his texts or calls, his handsome face, his arms around me, and him making me laugh. That's no exaggeration—I still want to be around him (pretty much) every day!

Maybe I enjoy Steve because he makes me better. Our conversations are challenging, encouraging, sometimes spirited. With him I feel more beautiful, more talented, and more confident than I truly am. God knew he's the motivation I'd need to try new things in life. In our marriage I've experienced new situations, new places, new perspectives, and I've taken risks I wouldn't have on my own. (Plus we have this amazing kiddo together who has been a bigger blessing than I could have anticipated. Not too shabby.)

All in all, I came out ahead these many years later. My heart is full, and my list of blessings is long. 

Happy anniversary, Steve. Love you.

Taken this past spring in Paris by our daughter—we forced her to commemorate a mushy moment.

The photo above is an homage to this one taken in 2005. On a trip to the Holy Land, our tour group swung by Paris for a brief stint on the way back to the U.S.