Change of Plans

I had it all planned out. We made the phone calls everyone was coming around 6. Matt and I spent two hours getting the house clean, brownies and coffee made, and everything set up. We were getting ready for our new small group, one that I am SOO excited about. Us and two other couples, both with kids around the same ages. We have prayed and waited for a group like this for so long. Fast forward to 5:35.

I was wrapping up some dishes so the kitchen was clean when Molli told met there was a woman at my door. Sure enough, it was a woman and her two children. They had been in church this morning so I recognized them. Come to find out, they were homeless. We spent the next half an hour trying to get her into the woman and children shelter here in town. Our friends show up with all their children and I think," ok we got her set and now we can go about our meeting." My dad then showed up and asked the three guys if they can go with the dad and help him move out of where they had been living. Now my plan was starting to unravel. I started to get frustrated. These people were messing it all up! Didn't they know that we needed to have our little comfortable meeting and learn about Jesus??!! After all was said and done (suffice to say, we never got to have our first meeting) and everyone went home and the kids are in bed, I'm sitting here. I confess that as I started typing it was to vent about poor little me and how my meeting and best laid plans got messed up by a needy family. But clearly, this was a God thing. He needed me to see that tonight we needed to BE the church, not just talk about it or learn about it. This family needed us, needed our hands, feet, vans and love. Looking back I am glad for the interruption. As I tucked the kids in tonight, I was crying. Sydney wiped my tear away and said, "Mommy, what's wrong?" I kissed her and just told her that I was so thankful to Jesus that we have a home, beds to sleep in, food to eat, clothes to wear, and family to surround us with love. How often we take those small things for granted. So I am thankful tonight for my change of plans!