The road to no where

I'm tired. exhausted really. The phrase "road weary" finally has meaning in my life.

I've been on the road for 12 days. (technically there is a few hours more but Mom says I'm not supposed to count those...) I still have another 13ish.

So far, I've:

hit an animal in Wisconsin,

admired wind turbines in Minnesota,

slept in a super sweet mom and pop motel in South Dakota,

watched bison walk in front of my car in Wyoming,

driven over mountains in the dark in Montana,

been amazed at the beauty of Idaho,

left my heart in Washington,

conquered Pike's Place in under 2 hours in Seattle,

got VD in Portland (voodoo donuts),

heard seals in Northern California,

stood in trees in the Redwood Forrest,

ridden world famous coastal curves in Central California,

and walked the Walk of Fame in Hollywood.

Currently I'm in a writing lab in Santa Monica, CA. This is the first silence I've had in weeks. I'm enjoying every bit of it. I'm also, unexpectedly, getting a lot of work done while typing this blog. Batteries are charging, thank you notes are being written, pictures are being uploaded, and breathing is happening. hooray!

Oh, I should mention Catie and Kelly are at LAX waiting for their flights. It was good having them with me. I'm glad they were able to come. We had quite a few laughs, most of which over meals (sorry about that, Kelly!). We had really only one major fight and only a couple scuffles. not too bad, if you ask me. I have decided though, adding people adds stress. I'm glad it's just Leann when she joins me in 4 days.

During this journey, laden with adventure, I have still not forgotten my goal. I am constantly straining to hear God's voice through all of this. I'm seeking wisdom everywhere I turn. I'm asking questions and listening to the answers. However, I must admit, at this halfway point. I'm more confused than ever. I fear other things have become distractions in my mind.

There are three things I need: housing, job, and healthy, healing church. I have discovered this:

Chicago - job

Cincinnati - housing

Kokomo - church

hmm... so maybe not any of those options...well, then things really get hairy.

New Zealand? I tried not to think it's "God's will" every time I hear an accent or see a NZ t-shirt (there have been a surprising amount).

Deer Park? oh, I'd love too but I feel this one is out of my hands.

LA? no thanks. I've been here 20 hours and I'm done.

Where else? I don't know...

I know what the answer is. The answer is pick somewhere, anywhere. Plant yourself and do God's work. The rest will work itself out. I know that's the answer. It has to be. That is what everyone says. Besides doesn't God call us to just be content?

I picked up the Bible and opened it as we were speeding down the coast yesterday (it seemed fast, it took over 10 hours!). I decided to let the Bible fall where it fell. It fell open in Job. It was one of the passages where his friend is telling him to give up. After reading that, I skipped ahead to God's response. I just kept thinking two things over and over. 1: "I love God's sarcasm. This guys cracks me up." 2: "I know I'm not wise. I know nothing. So what now?" I still don't have that answer.

Do you?

--the nomad

The Last Day in La-la-land

Deer PARK isn't really "la-la-land" but, boy, has everything felt so peaceful and utopian out here. I say that completely remembering that I am a realist. I know it isn't. I know everyone has jobs and bills and other every day inconveniences out here too. It's just that they also have mountains, open spaces, and gardens. And that's just the exterior. Not to mention that they are caring wonderful people who are more than willing to go out of their way for another person at a drop of a hat. They take time to invest in others. It's the kinda of hospitality that makes me miss small towns, wish for a simpler life, and even a little proud to be an American.

Today started early again (oh, internal clock!), 7 AM, and I could not get back to sleep. I came down stairs and watched some cooking shows with Marilyn, played with the granddaughter, and chatted a bit with Nathan's sister.

Around noon we went into town to try out the new Thai restaurant. Um...yum! First off, this place has the ability to make most of the Thai restaurants in Chicago look bad. really bad. Secondly, there lunch special is a pick two kind of ordeal with your choice of Pad Thai noodles or sticky rice. I chose the Stir Fry Beef and the Soup of the Day with the pad thai. The Beef was so good. It was mixed with a lot of colorful veggies and all kinds of wonderfulness. The Soup was surprisingly good as well. It contained chicken, tomatoes and mushrooms in a coconut milk/lime juice broth. delicious. I drank hot water with lemon. It was so good. I tried some of Nathan's curry beef and peanut chicken. Both equally amazing as well.

After a fun, loud dinner (there were 8 adults and 2 1-year-olds in our party), Nathan and I went to Mt. Spokane.

There will never be a picture that can capture it's beauty. I tried. It was here, as I was walking up rocks feeling like a billy goat, that I realized that I have really never been to the mountains before. As I stood on the unmarked line that separated Idaho and Washington, I felt like I could see everything. I felt like I could fly. I felt free. It was a beautiful place. I wanted to cry but of course didn't.

As we ascending, I mentioned that it felt like we were driving to Heaven. Thankfully the descent did not feel oppositely.

Nathan and I had some nice conversations in the car ride. Hopefully we cleared up some old misunderstandings. I love those kind of conversations. The kind that feel like you are actually hearing each other and are able to apologize for past wrongs.

Now I have a bit of down time before youth group, final hang out time, and packing up the car. I may go nap or I may read. Either way, I'll probably end up sleeping for a little while. Talk to you soon.

- the nomad

A Day in deerpARK

****Special News Bulletin

I interrupt our usually schedule blog post to bring you this special announcement:

Washington State is 2 to 3 hours behind 95% of this viewing audience.

I am sorry that the posts are being posted while you sleep. I'd say I'd work on it, but then I'm posting instead of living and that's counter-productive. Set your clocks, people. These new posts will be up in the middle of the night. or you could wait. I'd wait. but I like sleep.

Anyway, I send you this message because I've been hearing that there are rumblings about the infrequency of posts. They are not infrequent. They are just late. Still one, at least, a day. :)

I love you all.

Thus concludes this special news bulletin. Please return to your regularly scheduled blog.

*********

Well, hello and good evening (night? morning?!) from Deer Park, WA.

Today was filled with excitement. I confused my body, thanks to time zone changes, and woke up at 7:30 am. Then I realized what I had done and way overshot waking up at 10. oops.

Fear not, I'm in the greatest place ever. I got up, showered, and was offered some wonderful, homemade Pear, Orange, Lemon, Heaven jelly that Nathan's m0m had canned yesterday! delightful does not begin to tell it. While I was eating this toast, she was beginning to bake some pumpkin bread. She is amazing. Seriously, Marilyn, is simply amazing.

After all that, Nathan called about meeting for lunch. I scrambled around to get my keys and leave. They were no where to be found. I went back upstairs to look in my room. nothing. search my purse again. nothing. the living nothing. Finally, it dawns on me, "Did I leave them in the car?"

(Now I know what you are thinking..."oh no, she had to call AAA again"... nah, no one locks cars out here. That's what I was told Day 1! oh the country...)

So I go outside. Sure, there they are...ON the car! on the roof, no less! ack! Apparently my sub-conscience took that "we live in the country/we don't lock our doors thing" to heart. whoops. that could have ended very, very badly!

Anyway, off I went to the church where Nathan works loaded up with tomato soup and cough drops. (he's a bit sick. :( ) We made lunch at the church. Wonderfully awesome grilled cheese and avocado sandwiches with tomato basil soup. Some of the same people from last night were there for lunch as well. It's so great to not just meet new people, but to get to know them better. And, honestly, I cannot say enough great things about the people I'm meeting in Deer Park!

After lunch, Nathan and the youth minister's wife took me on the grand tour of the thriving metropolis that is deer pARK. (that's how locals emphasize it. transfers say "DEER park") It lasted about 10 minutes because Nathan was driving slow and pointed out everything: the elementary school, the new high school, his old piano teacher's house... all the highlights.

The town has less than 5000 people in living in it. However, there are quite a few (tons!) of ranches out here too.

The tour ended by stalking one of the kids in the youth group. He was driving by and Nathan honked at him. The kid didn't respond so we followed him. That's logically, right? haha. It ended up being pretty funny.

Then we headed back to the church where Nathan and I had a chance to hang out and catch up a bit before his bible study.

During his bible study, I decided to be brave. (raise your hand if you think that was a good idea) I took off trying to figure out my way back to his parents' house. I figured if I got stuck, I'd just take a picture of whatever horse or field was around. If everything really fell apart, I'd pull out the GPS. And if I was still lost, I'd make a call. Well, I took lots of pictures. However I never even touched the GPS! And, that, my friends, is a success!

I got back just in time to feed the horses(!) before Nathan to called to say bible study was over. So I trekked out to his place for dinner bearing bags of squash, tomatoes, and a carrot (nature's popsicle!).

The people he is staying with are simply amazing. Seriously. They are awesome people. They are foster parents to 7 kids, currently. They are building (by themselves!) the biggest gym/weight room/game room/etc... building I've ever seen on a private property. It is a HUGE two-story barn just for the kids' enjoyment. Currently the outside is up but the inside is still just wall supports and beams. Even so, I still got the grand tour. It is going to be amazing!

After seeing everything they are doing on the property and getting a quick rundown of their child-raising philosophy (including why foster over adoption), I was able to sit down and eat with them. What a fun meal! The mom was out at a lesson or something so it was me and table full of boys. I hope it was glimpse into my future. Seriously, it made my heart swell. I love a table full of silly, sweet jr/sr high boys. After we ate, I helped a bit with dishes and amused them a bit with my rendition of speed reading "Fox in Socks." (I don't recommend speed reading that book)

Then Nathan and I were off again. Nathan to a board meeting; me to read in his office. While planning this trip, I decided to re-read some books that have been helpful on spiritual journeys before. Today I began re-reading "When Godly Robes Unravel" by Randall Massie. I'm about three chapters in and already being reminded why I loved (struggled) with this book so much. It calls for holiness. It called for us to get rid of our idolatry. It's a very challenging book. I really hope I'm honest while reading it.

When Nathan was done with the meeting, it was time for Glee! Yes, my new Deer Park friends are Gleeks! hooray! They get to together and watch it every week. It, again, was refreshing just to be with a group of people hanging out. I'm being quite honest when I say I don't know the last time that has happened. I am definitely a group person. This is first big group of people on a giant wrap around couch of fun in at least a year! oh, that realization hurts. It is completely true though. It was great to just hang out. I laughed so hard at their interactions. They laughed at me as the couch began to eat me. I laughed at Nathan's "Mama bear," to which he is the "golden child". I laughed at them as teased each other. I laughed at inside jokes that had been established the night before. I laughed. I simply laughed.

As if that wasn't enough, they put in Tim Hawkins newest dvd. We laughed even more. Pausing only to tell relatable stories and laugh again. Such a great night.

Side note, it is weird that they are all obsessed with Tim Hawkins because he is friends with my friend John Branyan who is featured in Tim's special features. It is weird. Kinda like the 6 degrees to Kevin Bacon, only I'm 2 and it isn't Kevin Bacon, but I am only 2 from Kevin Bacon... oh great I'm getting off track again.

Anyway, when all is said and done, today was a lovely, lovely day. This is a simply wonderful place. I've felt more at home here than I have in years. And yet, on Thursday morning I'm leaving. Some of them have begun a campaign to bring me back after the trip. We'll have to see. But even if not, it's been a refreshing reminder of what God wants us to be like and how He wants us to live together. Thank you, Deer Park, from the bottom of my heart. I can't wait to see what tomorrow has in store. :)

-the nomad