Road Trip

Today at church Pastor Marty was talking about road trips. Now I LOVE road trips!!!! I love seing all the different palces, especially in Texas. I love finding little hole in the wall, ma' and pa' eatry type places. The greasier the better. One of the things Pastor Marty asked us to think about were those "bad" road trips. I just started chuckling to myself (had to stifel the full laigh out load we were in church you know and it's seroious business there). I thought of my last road trip. This past Spring Break the kids were in day care, and the open road was calling. Ok -really the scrapbook stores of Houston were screaming at me to come spend money. Dawn and I were off and running. Dawn and I love road trips and scrapbooking so we had to go. Of course her boss calls while were in Houston - ooops. Have a look at this picture and tell me - good or bad road trip?

I think all road trips are good. So naturally despite the pouring down rain this is the best road trip. In reality it was better than our last road trip to shop scrapbook stores in San Antonio. That day it was flooding so bad that they were cautioning us on how to handle flood waters and which roads were closed. Houston at least eventually dried up. (To about as dry as Houston gets in the spring which is not much being a coastal town.) So you have a point of refernce and can picture this trip I'm including our make-up free, rain soaked selves as we sit in By Design Scrapbook Boutique in Houston Texas. We're so excited to return there in June for guess who!!!! TIM HOLTZ!!!!!



Back to my thoughts on road trips. I don't know why but I love meeting new people in little places. My friend Dana can attest to that. I totally picked her up on a road trip. I'll have to tell that sory another time. We're one of those strange familes who do not have a TV of any kind in the car for road trips. We talk to each other, sing songs, things like that. On the way to Michigan last summer the kids, my mom, and I had a slight detour looking for a place to eat. Well there were no real good turn around points on this back country road we were on si when I found the first structures and realized they belonged to a cemetary I took the opportunity. The kids still talk about that u-turn. We drove through the cemetary reading names off of the markers and making up stories about the people burried there. We might have to have a repeat of that. I'm actually thinking about taking them to the State Cemetary and teaching them Texas History that way. I know I have some funky ideas some days, but they work - most of the time.

I should probably tell you more about where Pastor Marty went with the whole road trip idea. It was over Luke 24:13-35. It's small section about two people as they travel to Emmaus. They weretalking a lot about what had happened recently in respect to Jesus. Here's this guy who says he's the son of God, he gets crucified, was placed in a tomb, and now the tomb is empty! They are totally freaking out about this whole series of events and trying to wrap their minds around it. Do they believe that Jesus is the Messiah or not? Then along comes this man who has them tell the story to him. "Wow!" "You don't say!" "Fa' real?!?!" is about the extent of his side of the convesation. About the time these guys are going to question which rock this guy crawled out from under, because these events have been in every major media market and gossiped bout on every street corner, the guy goes "HA! It's me Jesus!" and then disappears. Now that type of raod trip would totally freak me out. The way Pastor Marty talks about Jesus, you would think Jesus was the biggest jokester in the world. On Easter Pastor Marty said that Jesus came out of that tomb and said "Ta' Da'" As if it as the grand finally of his best magic performance yet. We all know it was just the begining, but now when all those people at church want a good laugh someone says "Ta' Da'!"
Now Pastor Marty did not put his sermon notes on line and I need to share tme with you so we can have a logical conversation about them so here they are. I'll have to beg him to put them on line.

1. What makes a road trip a GOOD road trip?
2. Why didn't the men on their roadtrip to Emmaus know Jesus was with them?
-They were kept from recognizing Jesus!
-Jesus wanted them to practice telling their story! Luke 24:17-19
- Jesus wanted to lead them into the scriptures! Luke 24:25-26
3. How did Jesus get them to preserve and finish their road trip?
-He gave them a Bible Lesson: From Jesus on Jesus. Luke 24:27
4. How did these two finally recognize that it was Jesus on their road trip with them?
- God opened their eyes! Luke 24:28-31
5. What can I di to ensure my rad trip in life is a GOOD one?
- I need to make the journey with Jesus!
- I need to CONSTANTLY get
Refreshed!
Renewed!
Reaquainted!
Reminded of His Purpose!!! (Luke 24:32-35)

In reality I think this is why I needed the attitude change today. There are some things going on in my life that I am not happy about. As I went out into the community today and knocked on doors to campaign for Nate I was thinking about why I teach and reminded that I teach for His purpose. I teach in my community to help foster relationships in the hope that His kingdom will grow. I don't go out preaching or anything like that, but I do try to make sure that I am what He would want to be seen as in the community. In order to keep that going I certainly need to be refreshed, renewed, and reaquianted.

I am off to get some sleep so that I can attempt to be just a little physically refreshed for the week. Have a great week, and I hope to blog more later.