Road Trip Review

   We recently had the great opportunity to spend 15 days and 1600+ miles traveling to visit friends and family. This post will share some of the photos we collected and a few notes about highlights - it is long, but I invite you to read all the way to the end -  there is a bit of thoughtfulness about what can be learned on a road trip. One that revisits places and people you have known and loved for many years and created life-long memories with.

Our trip began with the drive to Brevard, North Carolina,

   Back and forth, up and down, back and forth, up and down - through many beautiful hills and valleys...we were a bit sick after traveling on the mostly 2 lane road for 4.5 hours.
 

   We arrived at our first destination, Ridge Haven conference center and camp - it was beautiful and we had a great time meeting new friends who are also going into missions with Mission to the World.

   
   After a week of digging deep into what God's word has to say about Grace, we headed north to Indiana to celebrate with our niece at her wedding celebration.

  We had a great time visiting with family and seeing Howard's brother Ron's cool get-a-way-to-the-lake home.

  After a couple of nights in South Bend, Indiana, we drove up to Zeeland, Hudsonville, and Grand Rapids, Michigan.  Our eldest daughter Becky was born there - we showed her photos, but she doesn't remember.  We took a great photo in front of the house we lived in for the 4 years we were there and photos of friends, college room-mates and neighbors (sorry Tom and Laurie for forgetting to take a photo!)

 

  Leaving Grand Rapids in the rain (it always was rainy and cloudy when we lived there too) we drove to Hammond, Indiana and visited with Howard's sister Arla and family - it was a good down time between driving - thanks Angela for letting us crash your room!

   We moved on to Illinois in the middle of our 2nd week on the road - I'm sure many of you saw our miles and miles of corn photos and cool windmills - but just in case...

 
   We stayed with long time friend Deb Van Dyke at her home right next to more corn fields in Stillman Valley, IL - it was so quiet and peaceful.  We spent a day driving around to see the house we lived while in Machesney Park, Il. and the places we spent time at when our kids were in elementary school.

  We visited with some great friends for meals while we were there (once again I don't have photos of some people - but that doesn't mean we don't have great memories of good fellowship)

       and enjoyed a wonderful reunion dinner at the church we were members of when we lived there - Hope Reformed Church.

  We were able to share our mission calling with many of our friends and family and we are very thankful for the support many of you have pledged to us.  We also shared at Kishwaukee Community Church while we were there on Sunday, it was a great day of worship.

 Sunday found us on the road again driving back through Indiana to visit Mark and Kristen Elliott, our Favorite Youth Pastor and his family - why didn't I take a picture of their kids - who knows... But thanks for having us overnight - it was so good to share memories and see where you live and work now.

 
 And then it was home again - to do laundry, make my own dinners, take out the garbage...reality check-but with beautiful mountains to enjoy.

   When we returned home we reviewed the materials that we had studied at our Living in Grace conference.  One of the questions we were asked to review and "muse" on was "What do you rely on or comfort yourself with when things go bad or get difficult?"  I immediately thought of all the memories that had come flooding back to me as we had visited places we had lived over 30 years ago.  There were many, many good memories, but also memories of struggles and challenges our family and we each personally had dealt with. What was the constant as I looked back?

God and his faithfulness and grace to us!  

  God has been with our family in all 17 of our different homes, 2 different continents, and 5 different states. I am amazed, awed, humbled and grateful for all God has taught us.
  Your challenge - take out those photo albums if you can't do a physical road trip, and see where God has taken you and how He has upheld you and yours through your life so far.
 
  Howard and I know we can rely on God to continue to show His grace on us as we continue to follow Him where he leads us.