3300 miles (give or take a few)

So I travelled a little bit a week ago or so.  It all started with Kate wondering if I could help her move to Luther Seminary in St Paul, MN.  For some reason the words "sure if I'm not working at that time" came out of my mouth before I could even think about it.  So the story starts.

That Monday morning I jumped in the car and left at 7 am for Springfield, MO.  A mere 900 miles away.  I was excited to be able to see Kate since we hadn't seen each other since Thanksgiving and also sad because Judy was not travelling with me.  This was going to be a lot of solo driving so plenty of time to ponder the future.  I made it to Kate's home about 7:30 that night and the only thing we needed to do was a little bit of cleaning.  She had a wonderful group of men from her church who had loaded her rental truck earlier in the day so I didn't need to help with that process :) . So after a little cleaning we loaded the few things left into the rental truck or her pickup.  I loaded the car onto the tow dolly of the truck and left it all until morning.  We stayed at the home of a wonderful couple of her church and had some good fellowship and a comfortable stay.  We (beleive it or not) left their house at little after 6 in the morning to go back, get the truck and load her animals (2 cats and a dog......the horse stayed in MO for now) and take off for St Paul.  The threat of snow loomed over us in this leg of the trip and we were headed through an area that had already had some snow.  Did I mention how much I love winter travel?  Well some slushy roads in Iowa and some less than perfect roads along the way we still arrived in St Paul about 5:30 travelling about 500 miles.  We met a friend of Kates and one of his friends and I was lucky enough to have my brother Eric there as well.  Both to help and catch up on things.  We all went for dinner and who would have thought that Tuesday night at BW's would require a 45 minute wait for a table.....we ate at Perkins.  Another short night and a hug from Kate and I was up and on the road again at 8 am.  Since the car had been towed the slushy roads had pretty much covered the entire thing with salt, sand and dirt.  A quick stop for gas and window cleaning and I was off on what was to be my shortest drive of the trip.  A trip further north to Crookston MN.  About 300 miles away.  After all, I was so close how could I not visit my mother??  After only about 5 1/2 hours in the car (a breeze if I might say) I made it back to my home town.  I had a wonderful visit with mom and was also able to have dinner one night with my favorite sister Barb and her husband Tom.  Another day was spent there and on Thursday morning I was supposed to leave for Waukesha WI to spend the night with my brother Tom and his family.  Well the perfect weather that was predicted for this time before I left on this trek changed.  Snow and ice moved into central MN over night so I was not able to leave until about 1 pm.  This made a change of plans (have I mentioned how much I love winter travel?) and I would have to bypass my brothers house and stop again in St Paul and stay the night with Kate.  We had a great evening with some pizza and beer and were able to talk some more about where we were headed in our spiritual journies.  This change of plans, of course, changed the next leg from an 8 hour drive to about a 12 hour drive.  So, once again, at 6 am (Saturday)I'm on the road headed to Murray KY to see Sammy (btw there is nothing in Iowa) and I pulled into Murray about 5:30 and checked into a hotel.  I was supposed to have dinner with Sammy and Jim (her good friend) and was surprised that Jim's parents were there as well.  So we all had dinner then Jim's parents took off back to Louisville and I spent some more time with Sammy and Jim.  They dropped me off to the hotel and I was looking forward, by now, to get back home.  Well, yet again, 6:00 am and I'm back on the road for my final trip.  It's Super Bowl Sunday and I would like to be home for the game but more than that I've missed my lovely wife Judy very much during this trip and could not wait to get back to her.  The 9 hour trip ended this craziness and I was glad to be done with it although it was worth every bit of time that was spent.  I thank God for trouble free travels!

So, when one travels by oneself you have plenty of time to contemplate.  So here are some of the things I pondered on my trip.  I love God very much.  There's a lot of beauty along the way, make sure you look at it.  I love my wife very much.  I missed her on this trip as we have spent the last 17 years working together and that has changed since moving to Columbia and I enjoy her company very much and would have liked having her with me.  I love my children.  I miss being closer so we can get together to share their ups and downs.  Cell phones with free long distance help but it's not the same.  I love my mother and my family very much.  I enjoyed my visit with my mother and catching up and also learning a little bit more about myself as well.  Seeing my brother and sister made me wish that I was able to see my other brothers on this trip.  There are detours in life.  My trip didn't take the path that was expected but was still started and ended where expected.  Is this how Moses felt?

This is quite a long writing and is primarily for me to remember the basic trip.  I hope if you have read this you ponder one thing.  Love everyone and everything.  God gave it all to us and how could we not appreciate it.

Peace,

Greg

Yet again, an update.

Gee, was it really December since my last post?  Boy the time flies as you try to figure things out.

Let me catch you up.  Judy and I moved into our new apartment which is small.  Our second bedroom is our storage room with Judy having just enough room for a table with a sewing machine on it.  My office is in the dining room shared with a card table (our dining room table) and only enough room for 2 chairs.  Let me tell you that this is a tight arrangement but I am not complaining.  This is what it is and we knew we would only be here for a short time.  I am currently enrolled in an online program to continue my education.  I find it different to be taking classes this way but I feel that this is the best option for me at this time.  The opportunity to continue work while I take courses will benefit me later with no loans and the ability practice what I am learning.

There were several opportunities presenting themselves when I made the decision to take this path and I think that one seems to have presented itself.  I truly beleive this path is given by God.  I am working with a group of wonderful people in Easley SC.  It's a group that has left their home church to start a new mission.  While the story of the steps that brought us together is long the fact is that somehow a church that was starting and myself found each other even though we are over 100 miles apart.  I feel comfortable working with them and I look forward to learning more about them.

Since Judy has a full time job here in Columbia we have made the decision to stay here for the time being.  That being said, this will require another move.  Judy and I hunted hi and low for a new place to live (including our current apartment community) with a little more space and finally decided on the apartment complex across the street.  A move is a move and I don't look forward to making the trek with our "stuff" again but I do look forward to having a little more space which includes an office to get our work done.  As soon as I have the new address I'll let you know.

I am still not sure if this path is the one I will continue on but I beleive it's the one God wants me on at this time.

Peace,

Greg