moms and daughters in touch.

I had to go on a trip with my mom.

And yes, I kind of felt like that sounds.

You see, she was going to a conference for Moms In Touch. If you don't know what they do, click here to learn all about them.

But she was going to go all alone. Since I have YET to even get a response for my job hunt (dramatic sigh), I could say "yes" she asked me to come along.

I thought it would be all about MITI (the last I is for International) stuff, so I thought I would drift off during the sessions and could just enjoy being company to my mom. I also was kind of bracing myself because I hate only-for-women sessions, speakers, lessons, etc. They are always only about women things. That's it. Then they might mention something you may apply to everything. My thought is, you should start with the big thing, and then apply it to the everyday details - ie a revelation on Godly prayer, then examples to help women.

Well! Guess what. That's exactly what the speakers did!

But let me start at the beginning.

Just getting to El Dorado, Arkansas was going to be a little adventure. Back here in Vero Beach, Tommy and I had to go rent a car, because we only have one and the plane was taking off from Orlando. The day of my trip, I drove approx. two hours, had to find the rental car drop off, and get to the gate. That plane took me to Atlanta, where (thankfully!) the next flight was parked at a gate right across the "sidewalk" (airport hallway?) from where we docked (?). So, jumped on that flight and landed in Memphis. Let me tell you. There is very little in the Memphis airport. Who knew. And that's where my four... or five... hour layover was. Woohoo! SO I took a little rest. Talked to my loving husband. Read some. Bought another book and read some of that. And then!

Mom told me to call some airline and tell them I needed to be picked up, and that someone "in a van" would be there shortly to pick me up. Does that sound like the definition of "sketchy" to anyone else? But I did call, and a nice guy in a van did pick me up, and we drove across the street from the big airport to a little airport. And then I checked in by that nice guy weighing my little bag, and looking at my license. And then. I got on a plane. That had NINE seats. It was smaller than that one we rode in to Huntsville for Christmas, remember? AND I was the ONLY passenger. The co-pilot literally said, "So, huh, there's your barf bag, and your exit and we'll be there soon!"

So after my private flight (fancy fancy) mom and dad took me to their house to sleep until our NEXT day of traveling.

That day, mom and I drove 6 hours and 2 minutes up to Branson, MO. We got to soak up fall oranges and reds, and the roads wound around foothills and let us be jealous of the cabins' views. Quite a different feel than the beach life of VB.

And if you haven't been to Branson.... have you been to Pigeon Forge? It's like that. "Shows"... "attractions".... and please don't read into my slightly sarcastic tone. I seriously get very excited about all of these things. We passed a Titanic attraction (...?), giant faces of famous people carved into a "mountain", a chicken the size of a three story building... Obviously, everything is better when it's bigger than your house.

But the conference was at The College of the Ozarks. This place was just lovely. To be a student here, you have to work at the college for something like 15 hours a week, which helps with your tuition. They have a dairy and a mill, and a hotel and restaurant, and arts and crafts, etc. The students even built their gorgeous mini-cathedral-like chapel. So basically, students there learn to be self-reliant and hard working, while getting an education and growing spiritually, too. It was the perfect place to be rejuvenated and to re-focus on the ONE.

So, that's what happened! I learned to pray in one accord- to support the prayers of dear sisters in Christ. If you've never heard this, I would encourage you to go visit the Moms in Touch site. It's a humbling process- learning to say a one sentence of prayer, and then listen to our prayer partner's one sentence of agreeing and expanding your prayer. That back and forth seems to make prayer a conversation between two daughters and their Father- the agreeing makes it natural, like any other conversation. When we don't agree, it's like if friends were to talk like: "My child is sick. He's been throwing up." "We had a wonderful Christmas last year!" It's not supportive, humble, or "weeping with those who weep, rejoicing with those who rejoice." You take the time to bathe each request in prayer, to listen to the Holy Spirit speaking through your friend.

Getting home, we met dad for dinner. I tried to go to bed early afterwards, to be ready for all the travel the next day, which would not involve a set of flights to get back to Florida. Why? Dad was giving us his old car to use! So, for Halloween, I was in a hotel, halfway to my husband. And Tommy was doing nothing. He didn't even hand out candy! But, the next day, his wife returning with another car to use was a nice way to start November!