...Rome, Kansas Part II

After dropping off the boys at the villa where Greg's sister and parents had stayed, we drove away and I sobbed. I was just devastated that we had a full day to do something, our last full day near Rome, and we couldn't go tour what I had so meticulously planned and prepared to see.
It was then that the Lord, my caring precious Lord, spoke to me. He brought that beautiful, melodius, unforgetable Rolling Stones song to mind - You Don't Always Get What You Want. I even began hearing Mick Jagger tauntingly sing these words in my head, over and over. What? But I've worked so hard to get here, have planned every detail (except the train workers strike...), and now I can't go? But I'm so close!!!
God was so good to me and forgave me for my HUGE pity-party. I heard Him speak in an audible-inaudible voice: you'll be back some day. You'll be back. It was then I could stop crying and tell my husband, who was totally shocked, dismayed, and confused by my weird behavior, what was going on in my head. We ended up going downtown Campagnano di Roma (see me in the red blouse, to the right...) and found a coffee shop (what a surprise), a clothing store, and some beautiful medieval architecture, which included a church that was under restoration. It really turned out to be a beautiful afternoon, walking through these old city streets, with my adorable and eager-to-please husband. A truly sweet, memorable moment!
So when we returned home to Fort Collins, Colorado, two weeks later, I had already begun planning in my head that we would have an auction and sell everything in the house, find an international English-speaking church in Rome, or thereabouts, and move to Europe to serve the Lord. You can now understand my amazement and confusion when we got a call, out of the blue, from a pastor John from our now home church. Who is this? and where do you live? Kansas? Where's Wichita? I don't even know how to spell it!
It was then I pulled out the state map of Kansas to see if there was a city named 'Rome' near Wichita.
You see, I don't get to chose where we serve the Lord. God does. I believe with all my heart that for today, the here and now, we are serving the Lord in Wichita - but the day will come, I don't know when, when God will say - 'Here you go. I promised you'd be back!'
Sunday's coming, ladies and gentlemen. No matter what building we may be in, no matter the city name or state, or even continent, we still serve the same God. Let's serve Him and love Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength and thank Him for the opportunity without complaint.