Our days in the Phoenix area are drawing to a close. We leave on Saturday morning to make the 6 or so hour drive to Anaheim for the training. There is a little nostalgia and a little relief. Nostalgia because this long sojourn across the country is coming to an end, and relief because this long sojourn across the country is coming to an end!! It is time to settle down for a while, but we are very content with the way all the details of the trip turned out. We really do sense the Lord's blessing and care for us in every detail. It has been the trip of a life time. Funny thing, though -- we keep having trips of a life time!! Many years ago we took the kids and drove all over Europe for 3 weeks and up to that point it was the trip of a life time. Then a few years ago we went to South Africa to meet our prospective son in law and that again was the trip of a life time. Now, with upcoming and ongoing trips to South Africa the novelty is no longer there so we had to do something really brave and now we have done it. I wonder what is next? Only the Lord knows what is in store for us, but we look forward in anticipation to more adventure ahead.
I have a few statistics concerning our trip. We have made stops in 24 cities (1 was for dinner with some old friends), traversed 14 states, stayed with families or couples in 15 churches where we received loving hospitality, stayed with 4 family members (more loving hospitality), 4 motels or bed and breakfasts, and slept in 23 different beds. Our stay in the Phoenix area has been different because we actually stayed in 2 places here. (We stayed with a very nice family in North Phoenix both weekends we were here so that it was more convenient for fellowship and the Lord's Day morning meetings). We have seen how beautiful this expansive country is in all its variety of topography, weather and flora. We have appreciated the fearlessness of the early pioneers who crossed some of the most foreboding geography we have ever seen. We could only wonder at their strength of character to do such a thing. We have learned more to rest in the Lord's arrangement for each day, no matter what it brought.
One would think that staying here in Phoenix for 2 and a half weeks would lead to some level of boredom, but that has hardly been the case. There has been more than enough to do. Besides doing all the cooking and shopping, there have been endless errands to run, van maintenance (new tires and special locks--in preparation of Southern CA), coming to the library to do wireless Internet (Stan's mom has dial up), business and personal financial details to attend to, things to buy in preparation for the training, correspondence to keep up with, and visiting time with Stan's 93 year old mom and taking care of some of her needs. We are finally in a place that has a Bally's gym so Stan is going when ever he can. And in the evenings we like going to the pool in the complex, but the water is more like a bath tub than a pool. We had the wonderful opportunity to have my cousin Kaye and my 91 year old Aunt Kathy over for dinner. I made a coconut cream pie to commemorate the event. It was fun to reminisce about old times and experiences together.
For those of you who remember my unfortunate foot accident, it is slowing getting better. The more I keep it on ice the better it gets. That is one advantage to staying someplace longer -- I am able to sit on the couch with my leg up and my foot on ice. I can wear my shoes now, but still haven't tried on the new pair I got in Albuquerque the day before the fall. I read that bad sprains take 6 to 12 weeks to heal. I think I am in my 7th week, so I am getting there. I still limp slightly and it is hard to walk any distance, but it is improving.
Words just can't express our thankfulness to the Lord for all that He did to make this trip possible. Every detail is a cherished memory. All the variety of people we have met, the open homes and hearts, the experiences of living by faith and all the care that we have received is an everlasting memorial to us to express His love for us and His desire for His purpose.
So the next time I write will be in California, probably after one week of the training which begins on August 31.
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