This morning, the couple I was staying with brought me nearly thirty miles down the road for coffee and a lovely send off. I was so excited to get back on the road for this next leg of the journey across Wisconsin and into Madison just under 100 miles away. I had estimated at least seven days trek across the state, assuming that I walked the whole way, and I was looking forward to the adventure of it.
Tonight, I am writing this blog from Madison.
Obviously I didn't walk the whole way and I was blessed with several rides. I was picked up by a range of people; from the road biker who had been stranded with a flat tire the week before when no one stopped to help and had vowed to pick up the next person he saw, to the fresh high school grad that has picked up the 'picking up' habit from his dad. I even had a short ride on a horse drawn carriage in the middle of their ride for a cure for some major incurable.
There are two parts of me battling right now; the one is so glad to have a ride and elated at the idea of walking into Philly a month early; the other is afraid that I am missing out on what God wants me to see by flying by it at 60 mph.
When I had started this trip, I partly imagined myself fasting for long periods of time when nothing was provided, and scrounging for places to stay. The image in my head was that of a road weary traveler in torn up clothes, tangled beard, and skin toughened to leather by the sun. Apparently my romantic imagination is rather bleak. So I can't help but wonder; 'am I cheating?' or 'am I taking the easy way out?'
At the core of me, I really want to experience all that God has for me on this journey. And I'm sure that I will wrestle with questions like this not only for the rest of this trip, but even my life. I simply have to trust that His guidance will correct me when He needs to and keep me in the plan He has.
One thing that I am finding is that some will assume (christians and otherwise) that I am simply in the seeking 'phase' of my life. And partly that is true. I only wince at the idea that there will be a time that I stop seeking. I am convinced that there is always more to be found and if I stop and rest convinced that I have all the answers, then what great treasures will I miss? God's promise to us is if we seek then we will find. There is no shelf life on that promise and no end to the knowledge, experience, or life that He has to offer. So let us always seek that we may always find.
There is more; there is more; there is more.....
I am now staying with family friends here in Madison who just gave me a beautiful tour of the city. I absolutely love university towns. From the quaint coffee houses to the music scene, everything seems so full of life and possibility! We walked the streets downtown amid time tested architecture from an age when ornate was the norm, down to the campus and the lake with a patio full of people awaiting the live music selection for the evening. I am not sure yet whether I am a country boy or a city kid, but I do love this place.
I plan to stay a day or two to explore and get reacquainted with these friends that I haven't seen in 14 years (we have a bit to catch up on) before moving on to my next leg in which I have to cross two state lines before I find another bed.
Blessing on all of you, I love you and miss you; unless I don't know you, but I'm sure I would if I did.
Christopher Andrew.
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3 comments:
You have an interesting dilemma. Is your speedy progress one of God's blessings and an answer to the prayers of people who care about you? Or is it a challenge in the form of distractions? I look forward to hearing about what God teaches you!
Ok, this is more of a fun comment rather than serious, but maybe it will make you smile and enjoy your walk today. I can't help but think of your travels with I hear the song "Life is a Highway". I added it to my blog the other day because I was thinking of my own life being like a highway with twists and turns, but an adventure with a destination. People join in here and there, but life's a great story... Have a great day.
You don't know me but I went to church with Claire and Mary. It's interesting that you wrtie about this not being what you expected and perhaps a bit too easy. The thing I've been learning seems so simple but I think applies to your situation. That fact is is that God has done everything and we have nothing to give back to him. No matter how hard we try, we have nothing new to give to him of ourselves that is not already his. There is no sacrifice that can measure up to his sacrifice. It is easy because he has done it all and will continue to do it all right up to his return and beyond. Here's an illustration that helped me understand better: imagine God as an all-sufficient fountain at the top of a hill and we see it and are in awe of its beauty and we want to worship it and add to it. So we go a ways a way and begin digging for some water to add, which is already the fountains, and come up and try to add to the fountain, but God doesn't want our muddy buckets nor our sweat, He just wants our worship and for us to drink.
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