I returned last night from Omaha, where I spoke at a women's seminar, "Coffee and Stories," sponsored by Community Bible Church.

Flying into Omaha, I loved seeing how green the world looked from the air. On the ground Bradford pears wore their dress whites, and tulips dotted the world in splatters of color. I had to tell myself to stop audibly ooh-ing and aah-ing.

I had dinner with the seminar committee on Friday night in the pastor's home. He served us, grilling kabobs, and afterward each woman present shared about something going on inside her life (not just the events). That time encouraged me a lot, and it also gave me a better-than-usual sense of my audience.

After I got checked in at the Embassy Suites, I texted Rose, a former student who now lives in Kansas City, to come on up to my room for a chat. She had made the three-and-a-half-hour drive with her daughter to come to the event. We had a great talk--more encouragement to see how great she's doing in her new job as a college prof. My only frustration was needing to cut short the time to make sure I got plenty of sleep!

The event began Saturday with coffee. Serious coffee. Among the many talented people in the church that hosted the event was a woman who used to own a coffee shop, along with four others who had experience as baristas. These women ran a coffee bar and offered a stash of yummy muffins. The group had set up circular tables, too, which allowed folks to get their goodies and have a chat before I started speaking.

I spoke three times--twice to keynote, and once at a Q/A workshop. And then it was off to the airport to return to Dallas.

A fun treat came with that ride to the airport. The woman who drove me was the almost-eighty-year-old mom of a former classmate. This woman also knew my sister-in-law's family, having served in Ethiopia at the same time. And she was well familiar with my boss and another colleague who had also lived there. With a little probing she told me a drop-your-jaw story of how she took shotgun pellets in the back when the Communists took over. I love meeting such steely women!

Today I'm back in sunny Dallas with blue skies and perfect temps. Two families plan to join us around the grill for lunch. I hit a setback this week on the dissertation, but I know I will survive.