~for those who pray me there and back again~

In the early summer of 2012, I took a trip to Maine all by myself.  I had wanted to see a lighthouse and through the advice of a good friend, I chose the Portland Headlight in Cape Elizabeth, Maine.  It was a journey of about 4,000 miles round trip and I made it all in the span of 5 days time.  I loved every minute of the journey and never once got sleepy driving until the last 20 miles coming back to my home in Kansas.  Not once did I have trouble, never got lost even though there was that crazy switchback road in Massachusetts, and although I was by myself I really never felt that all alone for some reason.

I'm convinced now that I never felt alone because of the all the people back home in Kansas that were praying me there and back.  It happens to me all of the time.

It took a little bit of courage for me to tackle a trip like that one on my own.  I'd never done anything like that before but I really wanted to see that lighthouse and since it wasn't going to come to me in Kansas, I had to go to it in Maine.  I had zero regrets when I got back home again.  It was a trip well worth it to me.

The year following became the year of driving back and forth to the mountains of southwestern Colorado to visit Mike at his house back there.  I really didn't tell all that many people where I was going that first time out, although my good friend LeRoy began to figure things out rather quickly.  The last thing I wanted was for anyone to start worrying about me, so I was mostly quiet about where I was going.  Turns out they might have had a dang good reason to fret over what I was doing.  Crossing over the pass at Monarch Mountain my first time out and in the dark of the early morning hours that winter morning was not the smartest of things to do.  I figured that out rather quickly when in the dark, I saw the road maintainer getting ready to go and clear all of the snow from the road.  

It was just him and me the entire way from the bottom to the top and down to the other side again.

I led the way.

Even I might have considered myself crazy.

People all over the place took it upon themselves to pray me back and forth from Hutchinson, Kansas to Montrose, Colorado for nearly 2 1/2 years of time.  I think I logged about 14 trips back to Kansas during the time we lived there, first to visit Mike and then to make sure that my house was taken care of back in Kansas.  I knew the front range cities and towns along 50 Highway by heart and western Kansas became all too familiar to me.  Once again, I never felt really alone because I knew somewhere out there was a dear, sweet, and precious friend who was praying for me to be ok.

It was a comforting feeling, to be sure.

In just a couple of hours more I am heading out once again.  I waited out the ice storms that hit the states of Oklahoma and Kansas to be sure the roads were safe.  I've got a very important little family to visit back home and I intend to get there safe and sound.  The road is mostly familiar to me and I will more than likely be just fine.  I want to make the most of the little time that I have available to me this week.  I am grateful, really grateful for the chance to make this journey.  I won't feel alone though because just like always~

Someone out there will be praying me there and back once again.

My dear and beloved Kansas, see you very soon.

I cut my "driving teeth" with the journey to Maine.  Oh how I loved the sounds, smells, and sights of the sea.  Before I die, I hope to make this journey once more.  If you have never been to Maine, make it a point to go there for a visit.  It's the most beautiful state.

Although I have only flown there, I have enjoyed so much my trips to the Puget Sound area of Washington state.  I believe it has been a journey each year since 2013.  For a person who was always afraid of drowning in the water when I was a little girl, I love being around the water now.

It was the greatest of sights to see each time I went back to Kansas from Colorado.  Way up in the distance is the tiny little town Coolidge.  I haven't been on that leg of the journey since 2015 and our move to Texas.  Some day I want to go back that way once again.  Western Kansas is filled with good folks who have cared so much about my safety and well being.