Exceptional

The BUTTERFLIES reconvened today!

We landed at Mon Thong after nearly a year of not connecting and the wings were fluttering with force - in other words many words were forthcoming and we were most delighted to be together!!

This group has met for many years now and we know each others stories.
No need for much intro - we're straight into the thick of things and sharing our sadness and joy with great gusto.
We celebrate birthdays too in a general sort of way - this year all on one day so gifts and cards were passed around by those who had the energy to put something together before meeting.

These women are absolutely exceptional.
I feel so privileged to be a part of this group and to know the stories and to feel the love.
Each one is so unique and intense it's almost laughable, but I wouldn't have it any other way.
Most of us are full of many words so we have to be careful to give "the floor" to each one so that there is not a collision of catastrophic proportions. We have learned to listen quite well and there is so much collective wisdom that is given without hesitation and with great love.

I love the vibrancy and life that is exuded in such a variety of ways - they are women of excellence and I highly respect and admire them.  (Being the baby of the group is quite a nice deviation from the norm and I can look up to them as older, wiser sisters.)

So anyways, that happened today and in the midst of this cold snap, on this wintery feeling day it was almost a Christmasy event. I felt cozy and tucked in sitting at that round table, eating delicious Thai food and hearing stories that reflected the faithfulness of God in the midst of transition, pain, busyness, disappointment, and satisfaction.  We are all in different places and there was deep sadness expressed along with great joy.  Those parallel tracks of life that we run along - increasing with intensity as we age.  Deeper joys of grandchildren for some and deeper pains of lost spouses and repeated lost opportunities for others.

But oh the beauty of Jesus in these ones.
We just keep digging deeper into Him as the years pass and He is becoming more relevant and central.
We're slowly figuring out the importance of that ONE THING…