Well, getting on the computer every other day or so just did not happen. We had such long days that no one felt like staying up just a little longer. I've started catching up on all my e-mail and forums but it will take days. Good thing I've got them.
Before the memories jumble worse than they have I want to document an unexpected part of my journey across the country. From Monday it seemed that nothing had gone smoothly or happened in a timely manner until we changed our expectations of how the trip needed to be.
I had spent time praying for our trip during my flight to Boston and many arrow prayers while we all worked on finishing the packing and packing the truck. I prayed for safety, for way to be eased, for good conversations, for clear solutions to obstacles, for the three of us to be good travelers and good companions. I had to pray for that last for myself because I'm not always a good traveler and I have been known to melt down several days into a trip from fatigue and not enough recharge time.
God answered my prayers daily and sometimes minute by minute. I continued to pray these same prayers every morning and during every delay-of which there were many as it appears that the length of I80 is undergoing reconstruction this summer.
During our drive out of Boston I had some time in the car by myself following S and J who were driving the truck. I decided I needed some noise and started browsing radio stations. I found multiple classical, public radio, pop, rock, and Christian stations-both talk and music. I found it odd that I couldn't find a country station but we were in the North East and perhaps listening to country music isn't high on their lists of necessary stations as it is where I live.
At some point in the next day or so I sought out a station with "Jesus music" and enjoyed familiar and unfamiliar music-so much so that I found myself drawn into worship as I drove. I started noticing the beauty of our country and reveled in praising God along with the artists I was hearing.
It became my joy and my cure for crankiness to take the first shift of the drive by myself in the car, seek out a station with "Jesus music", and then pray, worship, and enjoy starting out. What was so unexpected was the sense of renewal in and about Worship. Also unexpected was how much I enjoyed much of what I was hearing on Christian radio. I have listened now and again and not been drawn in as so much of the music and sentiment offered is trite and shallow. That type of offering was present but it was easier to ignore during these morning drives.
I also found a wondrous range of music presented by different Christian radio stations from "Praise and Worship", hymns both old and new, pop and rock styled music, and with great enjoyment what sounded like "old timey" gospel music as we traveled through the heartland. I didn't hear many choir anthems but I imagine I get my fill of those during my time in choir at home.
I developed a couple favorites and need to hunt down titles and artists. One was along the lines of "What If" and asked what if our troubles are actually God's mercies and the answers to prayer. (Found:
Blessings by Laura Story) Another was Courageous which I think is by Casting Crowns. Yet one more had to do with blessings raining on the singer.
God had more for me from this journey than I had thought to imagine or to ask. I am delighted.
