Category Archives: travel

Just Passin’ Through

It’s been a full four days.

Thursday morning started in AZ at 3am and ended in OR at 11pm.  Friday I decorated a reception hall with friends of my mom’s for her wedding reception and drove with my sister and her family to visit my dad an hour away.  By the time we got back to our homebase at my cousin Billy’s house in Grants Pass it was late.  Saturday I was able to visit with my sister, play with my precious nephews, chop my fair share of veggies for the food my cousin worked so hard to make for my mom’s wedding reception.  Saturday after the wedding we were all drained I’m sure.  Emotionally and physically.  I went to bed at 10:30 and had to be up at 2am Sunday to head to the airport in Medford.   Apparently the rule about getting to an airport two hours before your flight leaves does not apply in Medford, Oregon.  There were three people sleeping in an empty airport when I arrived at 3:15am.  They finally opened the ticket counter at 4.

I got home around 10am today and thought I’d tough it out and go to bed early, but I only made it for about an hour and had to take a nap.  It helped, but I feel that overly fatigued feeling I felt when I used to work night shift.  Gotta get back on schedule.  Tomorrow is back to school!

I was stretched this trip.  Outside my comfort zone.  I’ve asked for that though.  I don’t want to live by my own strength or by what I can see and explain.  I want to live by the strength of the Lord and by faith.  Building on that foundation laid in Christ.  Running the race set before me.  Looking to the Author of His-Story in me.  And when I’m “outside the camp”, where the Rahabs are and the cross is… where things aren’t so controlled and understood, I know its not by my adequacy or my sufficiency but Christ’s!

For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. – Hebrews 13:14

Quieted,
Sheila

Planting trees and a road trip wish

One of the advantages of school nursing is the schedule. I get to be home every evening. I never work weekends or holidays. I get two week vacations in the fall, winter and spring, and a two month break in the summer. But every time I have one of these long breaks I enjoy so much being available to my family, cooking meals, planning ahead, going to the kids’ school to help out or just eat lunch… just being un-hurried and relaxed, rather than spent, when everyone comes home. And it makes me think maybe a part time hospital job would be better.  Then I’d be home 3 or 4 days every week.  But then I’m sure when the kids’ fall break came, and I had to put them in a summer camp for three days a week while worked, or when I had to work a 12 hour night shift on Christmas Eve I’d be kicking myself wondering why I left my awesome schedule as a school nurse. 

By the grace of God, I still consider myself a homemaker, even though I have a full-time job.  I still make a home.  I still build a family.

She rises up as morning breaks 
She moves among these rooms alone 
Before we wake 
And her heart is so full; it overflows 
She waters us with love and the children grow
So many years from now 
Long after we are gone 
These trees will spread their branches out 
And bless the dawn 
These trees will spread their branches out 
And bless someone

– Planting Trees by Andrew Peterson

Today I actually went to a class at the gym.  The cooler mornings and evenings have been so nice, I’ve been doing my exercise outside at the local park.  But this morning, since I was able to drop the kids off at school and have the day to myself, I went to the Barbell Strength class.  I’m pooped.  Jogging, lunging and push-ups in the park by myself doesn’t push me nearly as hard as a woman yelling at me with a microphone on to do 7 more cleans. 

I finished off the Rahab study today.  Digging into the Bible never fails to be an adventure.
 
I want to go on a vacation touring the restaurants featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives!  We’ve already been to three in the Phoenix Metro area.  This place in Gilbert (get the Ahi Tuna Sandwich), this place in Glendale, and this place in Phoenix.  All delish!

Not much to say tonight.