Journeys

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Here it is.  The start of a new school year.  Doesn't hardly seem like summer should be over, and yet it is.  This summer, I had the rare opportunity to travel -- more so than I ever imagined, thanks to the generosity of some very dear friends.  They not only opened their hearts to me but their home.  For that, I am grateful.  I'd like to share with you a bit about my travels; for they were not just journeys in a physical sense but also in a spiritual sense as well.

My first visit was with my grandchildren.  What a treat!  They have grown tremendously.  Although some are too young to remember me from my last visit, after a day or so, they tend to warm up to me; after all, how often does Grandma Lisa get a chance to visit?  When I first moved to Nevada, I remember being scared my grandson wouldn't remember me.  My daughter kept a book with pictures of grandma and grandpa in it to show her oldest son.  Yes, he not only is at an age where he remembers me, but looks forward to my visits.  Each time I see those babies, I see how they have grown.  I also see my daughter, and love what a remarkable young woman she is and how clearly in love, she and her husband are with each other.  It is nice to see that.  It makes my heart happy.  It makes me proud when I see her and her family.  I must have done something right!

 I also love to visit my hometown.  No matter how many years I'm away, it will always be home.  It is the warmth of the people there.  Strangers who hold doors open; something you don't often find out in Nevada.  It is nice to visit old friends but also wonderful to return to the new ones.  The weather is different, the local customs are different, the people are different.  And yet, I like both places.  Nevada is not "home" per se,  but it is where I've spent the last five years of my life.  It has been a place that I have grown accustomed to;  I love the blue skies and watching the sun rise and set behind the mountains.  I avoid the "Strip" at all costs.  It is not me -- it does not coincide with my Midwestern roots.  However, it is a place that I realize offers many opportunities for people in the hospitality industry.  I also realize, I've been given many opportunities out here as well.  I have a job that I love.  Las Vegas is also where I began my very long and deep faith journey.  I have been walking with the Lord for a very long time, but it is here where I have felt His presence greatly and watched Him work miracles in my life.  That just goes to show you that God is anywhere -- even in "sin city;"  or should I say, especially in "sin city?"

I also travelled to Ohio this summer.  I went to Cleveland, which was, I must admit, a nice surprise.  I stayed with a friend out there.  He offered me the opportunity to write and get to learn a little bit about this gem in the heartland.  Although this is a Midwestern town, it offers much.  Not only does it have multiple sporting stadiums but it also has fantastic museums and universities.  "The Deer Hunter" was filmed there, and I had the opportunity to see some places where filming took place.  It was that movie which gave Meryl Streep and Christopher Walken  their break-out roles.  I also saw some beautiful old churches and had an opportunity to go to the downtown farmer's market.  That was a veritable delight.  So many foods that filled the senses -- fruits, vegetables, breads and fresh meats. I had an opportunity to try some fantastic micro-brews which were distilled locally.  I also dined on gourmet meals and would share nice conversations with my friend in the evenings over dinner.   He felt it was important to talk at night since he worked all day; I'd have to agree.  You see, my interactions with my family are mostly "on the fly" and so, to sit down and actually converse was something I have been missing.  More importantly, the home where I stayed gave me a sense of peace.  I could look out onto acres and acres and see the more than fifty trees on his property and the wildlife that abounds.  It is something I have missed in Las Vegas.  We don't have much besides cockroaches the size of ponies.  No, this was a place that was filled with lots of greenery and nature at work.  I appreciated the quiet and stillness.  It made me think of God.  It inspired me to write; not just one or two blogs but a series of blogs.  The beauty of this simple place in the heartland coupled with friendship and lots of laughter made this a memorable trip.  It was all things I love.  I hated to leave but I did have summer school, and so it was time to return to Nevada.

As my journey continued, it wasn't without its ups and downs.  I worked summer school again this year.  I had just a handful of students, but they definitely gave me a run for my money.  As always, I learned something from each and every one of my students.  I enjoyed the routine of school and seeing friends that I haven't worked with in a year.  It was hot, as Las Vegas is this time of year; certainly not pleasant but not completely unbearable.  Our high was 112 degrees; hotter in the car as I got into it after school.  There was a week or so of  balmy breezes and a more temperate climate.  On those evenings, it was around 100.  Well, it did feel cooler -- sort of like a blow dryer --and was preferable to the incredibly high daytime temperatures.   It was during this period of time that a friend offered to pay for airfare for me to visit her in Oregon.  She said I needed a vacation.  You know what?  She was right!  So, I booked a trip for the week before school began in the fall.

I had a few days after summer school to just relax.  There were things that needed to be done around the house; things I had long neglected.  Some things were done, while  others were left undone.    I can't explain why I didn't get everything done, other than my own willful self.  Yes, I just wanted to sit and do nothing but sleep late, drink coffee and watch sitcoms.  Sometimes, even something that ordinary is soothing to the soul.  During this period, I decided to get off the dating websites which were just distracting and frankly, annoying.  I had one day where four -- count them -- four gentlemen were particularly rude to me.  I heard a voice from God saying, "Is this the men you want in your life?"  The answer was a resounding, "No."  And so, I knew it was time to close down my accounts.   Since getting off, I notice that I have more time to enjoy the things that I once enjoyed; such as reading the Bible and listening to Christian music.  And of course, writing.

My last trip was to Oregon.  I met up with my friend who lives in an idyllic, little town.  Quite frankly, it was more than I could ever have imagined.  Her house is nestled in the mountains.  There are fir trees everywhere and lush greenery.  It's almost surreal.  We played hard, laughed hard, talked for hours and had an amazing time.  She took me to the Oregon coast to spend the day.  We went to lakes and drove through incredible vistas.  I got to absorb everything I'd been missing in Las Vegas -- God's beauty everywhere.  Yes, Oregon truly is God's country.  Although Las Vegas does have moments of beauty, it pales in comparison.  It is a place that is often noisy from a spiritual sense.  It is a 24/7 town. 

To give you an idea of what it's like to live in Las Vegas if you're a more quiet type like myself, I'm going to give you an analogy.  Think about this.  You know when you're in the hospital and nothing ever stops?  Doctors, nurses, technicians, x-ray rooms, laboratories, the cafeteria and on and on?  That's Las Vegas -- only their industry is entertainment.  So, imagine that your hometown feels like a hospital.   It is not restful.  Just as one goes to a hospital when they need to, they also leave as soon as they've recovered.  So too is it with me in Las Vegas.  You see, I have felt for a long time that God is calling me to a new place.  This summer, I had the opportunity to visit several places.  Just as a patient is weary of the hospital, I too am weary of Las Vegas. I came here for surgery; to excise a cancer that wouldn't stop growing.  I am now healing and the Great Physician is saying, "It's almost time to go home...just a few more days."

The truth is, I felt at home on all of my journeys this summer.  I also feel at home in Las Vegas, although I know it is not my forever home.  My spirit is being called away from here.  I don't quite know where I will land, but it will not be without prayer and much discernment.  It will be a place that offers quiet, nature and feeling God's presence even more so than I do here.  There will be no glaring lights; just darkness in the evening.  Slot machines will not be in every grocery store and gas station.  My entertainment will not be the headliners that perform here, but rather, the sound of the cicadas signaling that summer has ended.

 So as summer comes to a close, I have the memories of my journeys.  Often adventuresome, filled with nature's beauty and God's grace.  And my friends and family -- "my angels" -- for picking me up when I needed to be.  That, my friends, is the real beauty of our journeys.  Our spirit calls us to a new place; one that God has hand-picked for us.  Just as I did when I moved to Nevada, I will allow God to guide my footsteps again.  I will follow the journey He makes known to me.  I will let Him choose my new home. 

"You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand."  Psalm 16:11 (NIV)