Traveling, and a crush on God

Last night I attended the monthly meeting's midweek worship. Attendance was typical: about six or eight of us, including the regular high school attender; the four regular "white hairs," and one of the two middle-age men.

I found myself smiling a lot during worship. I suspect it has a lot to do with the trip I have coming up. Plans include a week at the summer Gathering of FGC, a few days sojourning at Pendle Hill, and then traveling with a few other Quaker friends and acquaintances to North Carolina. Some of us will attend the Friends United Meeting Triennial and others, including myself, will attend the annual sessions of North Carolina Yearly Meeting (Conservative).

As I was allowing myself to be flooded with the Light, I reflected on the initial troubled course I had taken in setting up travel plans.

I had committed myself to register for the sessions in Greensboro, NC before I figured out just what I'd do with the few days between the end of Gathering and the start of the yearly meeting's activities. Options included going to my parents' place in New Jersey (but who would I talk to about the Gathering?!?) or heading directly to North Carolina and staying at a hotel (again: who would I talk to...?).

I finally hit on the idea of staying in the Philadelphia area, which cracked open the possibility of staying at Pendle Hill. A few emails and phone calls later, I had a ride with fFriends from Gathering to Pendle Hill, as well as an invitation to stay there as an invited guest on behalf of one of the staff people--meaning that my room-and-board fees as a sojourner will be significantly reduced.

I also discovered that three or four of us would be traveling from the Philadelphia area on the same train to North Carolina.

That was when I felt I had Listened well in order to understand where and how the Way was opening.

And that was when, during Meeting for Worship, I felt such love and joy at knowing God was present, that I felt like I had a crush on God, and--even better!--that God, too, had a crush on me.

Not like a teenage crush, that can burn brightly for a few days or weeks or even months, but ultimately goes out as quickly as it started. But like a long-into-marriage crush, where you fall in love all over again with your partner, just because you see a new facet of the person, a new element of the relationship, and your eyes are all a-twinkle and your heart beats a little faster, knowing that you are with the one you love who loves you back.

It makes me wonder what else might be possible; how else will God show up in my life, seen or unseen, felt or unfelt...?

Blessings,
Liz