Favorite God

I have returned to Missouri.
I can't say I was excited to step foot onto the un-snowy ground. I can't say that I wanted to be here. I can't say I was optimistic or positive. And I certainly can't say that Missouri noticed my return.
But God did.
He stood on the airport tarmac in the biting wind, the humid cold, and the grey air, waving a bouquet of yellow roses, lace, and cheer. He reminded me that Missouri is my home away from home and that having a 'home away from home' is okay. After all, He picked it for me last March and then He found me an apartment. He showed me good churches and introduced me to wonderful friends.
Yes, I can call Missouri home, and that makes all the difference in the world to my attitude.

Suddenly, with my Jesus-bouquet in hand, positives charged around every corner with bursts of confetti and surprise: I was picked up by one of my favorite people. We laughed about some of our favorite memories. He gave me Christmas/birthday presents from one of my favorite stores.

The presents were two of my favorite things. Then we chatted over one of my favorite hot drinks. Then to add a cherry to my sundae of encouragement, God gave me my favorite weather...snow.

All of these favorites crammed themselves into a few late-night hours when I was flying with numb toes, a sore throat, a lost voice, grouchy flight attendants, and I had just bid farewell to my family. The result?

It felt good to be back.

I'm ready. I'm ready to tackle the new semester. I can't help but think how lucky I am. How lucky that, when there's only one real God in existence, He just happens to make first place on my 'favorites' list. Good thing our world didn't get stuck with a grouchy, black-flowered, pessimistic God. Otherwise, this journey back to Missouri would have gone so differently and I wouldn't have had Someone to wave to on the tarmac when my plane landed....