January 20, 2013

• Reminding Myself it’s an Adventure

  We were on our way to missionary training school today. We had been driving for 7 hours and had 4 hours to go. The kids were working on their school work, and I was reading a book when I read the coolest thing and said to Blake, “Listen to this quote!”

  “An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered. An inconvenience is only an adventure wrongly considered.”

  

  I was so inspired I felt tingly.

  45 minutes later we were sitting in our dead car in a Walmart parking lot in Dumas, Texas.

  - the car was dead. Like it coded and no amount of CPR was going to bring it back to life
  - everyone within a 6 hour circumference was a stranger
  - we have to be at missionary training school 6 hours away by tomorrow afternoon
  - there was no taxi service or car rental companies within 45 miles
  - we had 3 weeks of luggage in the back of our car
  - we are living on no income right now – that just adds loveliness to every situation

  Suddenly that adventure quote was mocking me.

  But at the same time I felt peace…or at least I think that’s what it was although I sort of suspected it could be that I was just in some type of denial about the whole situation. I pictured us dragging our 7 suitcases, 4 backpacks, and Blake’s guitar across the busy highway to the hotel we could see from the parking lot, and I felt this bubble of hysteria rising to the surface. I began to fear for my sanity. A feeling of peace(or denial) mixed with hysteria sounds like the chemical components of a real-life maniac.

  Thanks to my wonderful parents, who will be driving through the night to bring us one of my grandparents’ cars, we have a solution to at least get us to Colorado and then back to Texas.

  
  
  

  I have to admit I’ve asked God if all of this opposition we have had is the devil or Him trying to tell us that we heard Him wrong. Maybe He is warning us that we are on the wrong path. I know that’s not a faith-filled, spiritual confession, but it’s my real life thoughts and I’m coming clean. Adventure SURE feels like inconvenience sometimes. It feels like free falling….and foolishly taking your children with you.

  Speaking of children, Camden and Hope were both not at all thrilled with our perplexing situation, although I think the worst part was that they were having to do their math while Blake tried to figure out a plan. Blake and I kept reminding them in a tight voice and with a warning look that this was an adventure that not every kid gets to experience, and that they best keep that in the forefront of their minds! I can imagine them re-telling the story of this day to their own children one day. Heavens.

  Thankful that when we finally got the guts to approach strangers for help, it was a friendly family from Austin also on their way to Colorado. Grateful for the man’s laid-back personality who while helping load our 7 suitcases, 4 backpacks, and Blake’s guitar in the back of his truck quipped, “No wonder your motor gave out!” And then wouldn’t take the money we offered him after he drove us to the hotel across the busy highway.

  Please pray for my parents who will be on the road until 3am. And please pray for our “adventure”. Pray for unity and wisdom and strength and a sense of humor.

  
  Happy Hope eating delivered pizza in our hotel room. Now off to swim in the indoor pool and forget our worries!

  • 8:38 pm
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