A lot has happened over the last .... long period of time. At the beginning of August, after the exciting weekend up in Wisconsin for our Baurer Family get together, I headed down to Texas with my Dad. We got up early and ..... well before I get there, lets back it up a bit.
The week or so prior to leaving, I was quite conflicted on where I was going to travel to (since I had that week off). Without repeating too much detail (from my previous post "Travel-A-Mania"), I was debating whether to go to Canada or Texas, or even both. I had a mixture of lack of peace and an unsettled feeling about what I was going to do. I kept praying about it and asking God for clear direction and peace. That Sunday morning (in Wisconsin) I had decided that I was going to go ahead and make plans for the following day and forget about the nagging lack of peace. God had given me little direction, other than a "wait" in not-so-direct words. But as I started to make plans, I was quickly surrounded again with worry, anxiety, and stress. I felt nearly optionless except to take it all back to God and lay it all at His feet and Trust Him. I was no fun, but boy was it worth it. Once I gave Him the worry, stress, and anxiety and gave Him my trust to lead me where AND WHEN He wanted to, all of the stress, worry and anxiety disappeared, and I had a peace about it. I was wanting to get an answer quickly because if I was going to drive down to Texas that Monday, my dad could have come with me since he was returning home to Texas then too. Later on that evening, during a great time of corprate family worship and hymn/praise singing, God gave me the go ahead to go to Texas the next day!
That night, after driving back to Gridley, Illinois (~3 hours), I packed and headed to my dad's place in Tremont, Illinois (~ 1 hour closer to our Texas destination). The next morning, we got up and left around 4:00 am on the road to Texas. I started out driving while my dad slept and several hours later we swapped. It was a great trip, God certainly blessed us indeed! Most of the trip that wasn't spent sleeping, we listened to an audio book of the first Wingfeather Saga book: Over the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness. I've read the book twice and this was my dad's first time. It was soo good yet again. The drive to West, Texas - where my mom and Abi live was 14-15 hours. My dad had another 1.5 hours left to drive after I dropped him off at his car (at the airport). We had driven my new Toyota Prius down - it did great - Praise God!
While in Texas I had spend the first several days with my mom and Abi, though Abi wasn't around much with work, band camp and all. We did go shopping and got to hit a few places throughout Waco, and at my mom's insight, we drove by Magdalena Market so I can at least say that I've seen it, even if I haven't been to it (Though I don't know if I have ever watched the famed show that Chip and Joanna are on). Mom paid for a haircut also - shaved on the sides and the back leaving the top long - though both her and Abi tried to get me to shave off the man bun. Abi almost convinced me to shave it all off and grow all my hair out - not just the top - kind of like my brother Jonathan is doing. But for the day, I just shaved the sides and the back and they trimmed about an inch off of the top.
Part way into the week I was conflicted yet again and felt that I should maybe head to Canada yet still for the Friday night group that I really wanted to be at, and to see friends and such on top of that. I felt so conflicted and then in praying about it and thinking on it, I decided to go - meaning I would not get to spend time with Dad on this trip. However, the last night before leaving, as mom was making supper, I felt God tugging on my heart to go take some time with Him completely alone - I usually do this with a drive with Him. I said no, as we were about to eat, and I know for myself, and it seemed to be for my mom as well, that we wanted to spend our last meal together. I told God I could do it after supper. But God insisted I do it now. I told God that I didn't want to disappoint mom, as I haven't seen her since before last Christmas and now this is out last meal together for a while - she was really looking forward to this meal together (as was I). So I told God I would wait. Yet God didn't budge. He wanted me to give up what I held dear and what I didn't want to disrupt to follow when He took a step. And He took a step out the door and down the road. So with a heavy heart I followed. It was really hard for my heart to tell mom that I wouldn't be home for supper - and even worse, as I had put off going so long with God, right as I got up to go, mom finished supper and brought over the plate of food. But I followed God, and went for a long drive out in back roads of Texas. He let me stop and examine a cotton field (I don't think I've done that before) to my delight. He brought me to some beautiful sights and let me enjoy some exciting and fun roads. And here and there was bits of conversation between us. In those conversations I felt God remind me what He had told me before I came to Texas: that if I go to Canada, it won't be as easy as I think it will be - it will be a lot harder. He then gave me a choice, and told me that I can stay in Texas for the rest of my travel time, or I can leave for Canada. He left it up to me. Thinking more about that and even getting God's own thoughts on it, I decided to stay in Texas - which, praise God, brought lots of joy. The next day I got to help my mom mattress shop, since her back has been really hurting her, and we spent the day together.
Friday night I got to go to a band thingy Abi had at school. My dad met me there - my mom had gone the prior week - and we watched her play together (we also got to see her boyfriend, Alex, there too as he is one of the conductors). As I walked into the room, a few minutes late, the band instructor was welcoming the audience and telling them about the band routines. I noticed Abi dead centre in the half-circle formation the band was stationed in on the stage. I also noticed the girl standing next to her lean over and tell Abi something and they both seemed to laugh. I didn't think much of it. Afterwards, Abi told me that when I walked in, her friend leaned over to her and asked her who the guy with the ugly man bun was that just walked in. Abi told her that guy was her brother. Her friend told Abi to have me cut it off (or something along those lines). That got me thinking - not that I need to be a people pleaser nor do I need to shape myself by what other people think of me, but that I should take into account respecting others in my actions and fashion. This kind of piled on top of the nearly-convincing Abi and mom had done earlier that week, and when I talked to God about it, He gave me the go-ahead (which made me laugh). I had decided to ride back to my dad's place with him that night and spend the weekend with him. So, on the way home to his place, when he asked if he could pay for a haircut to shave off my man bun, I accepted.
The next day I had Great Clips cut it. And not just cut it off, but shave me pretty much completely. However, they noticed how long it was and decided that it was just long enough to donate (WOW GOD!) - it needs to be at least 12 inches long to donate. So they cut it off and since I was donating it they gave the haircut for free, plus gave us two $2-off coupons to use for later. They gave me my hair and the paperwork and envelope to send it off in. So I mailed it off to Wigs For Kids.
That weekend I had a great time with my dad and got to go to his church, which I've been wanting to do for a while. I also go to meet his pastor (there are like 10 or so people in his church - its a small home church) - which I have really looked forward to - I've met him once before for breakfast/lunch last year. It was really great and encouraging. God used the message to speak into my life where I was at and also used it to line up with some other things He has been showing me.
Then, the next day, I headed home, and had a wonderful drive back with little issues. The break problem on my car started to faintly act back up while in Texas, but wasn't near the problem as it was before.
God is good, and He provided so much for that trip. My expenses for the trip, looking back on it, were covered and exceeded with provisions!!! WOW GOD! Praise His name alone! He is faithful!
The week or so prior to leaving, I was quite conflicted on where I was going to travel to (since I had that week off). Without repeating too much detail (from my previous post "Travel-A-Mania"), I was debating whether to go to Canada or Texas, or even both. I had a mixture of lack of peace and an unsettled feeling about what I was going to do. I kept praying about it and asking God for clear direction and peace. That Sunday morning (in Wisconsin) I had decided that I was going to go ahead and make plans for the following day and forget about the nagging lack of peace. God had given me little direction, other than a "wait" in not-so-direct words. But as I started to make plans, I was quickly surrounded again with worry, anxiety, and stress. I felt nearly optionless except to take it all back to God and lay it all at His feet and Trust Him. I was no fun, but boy was it worth it. Once I gave Him the worry, stress, and anxiety and gave Him my trust to lead me where AND WHEN He wanted to, all of the stress, worry and anxiety disappeared, and I had a peace about it. I was wanting to get an answer quickly because if I was going to drive down to Texas that Monday, my dad could have come with me since he was returning home to Texas then too. Later on that evening, during a great time of corprate family worship and hymn/praise singing, God gave me the go ahead to go to Texas the next day!
That night, after driving back to Gridley, Illinois (~3 hours), I packed and headed to my dad's place in Tremont, Illinois (~ 1 hour closer to our Texas destination). The next morning, we got up and left around 4:00 am on the road to Texas. I started out driving while my dad slept and several hours later we swapped. It was a great trip, God certainly blessed us indeed! Most of the trip that wasn't spent sleeping, we listened to an audio book of the first Wingfeather Saga book: Over the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness. I've read the book twice and this was my dad's first time. It was soo good yet again. The drive to West, Texas - where my mom and Abi live was 14-15 hours. My dad had another 1.5 hours left to drive after I dropped him off at his car (at the airport). We had driven my new Toyota Prius down - it did great - Praise God!
While in Texas I had spend the first several days with my mom and Abi, though Abi wasn't around much with work, band camp and all. We did go shopping and got to hit a few places throughout Waco, and at my mom's insight, we drove by Magdalena Market so I can at least say that I've seen it, even if I haven't been to it (Though I don't know if I have ever watched the famed show that Chip and Joanna are on). Mom paid for a haircut also - shaved on the sides and the back leaving the top long - though both her and Abi tried to get me to shave off the man bun. Abi almost convinced me to shave it all off and grow all my hair out - not just the top - kind of like my brother Jonathan is doing. But for the day, I just shaved the sides and the back and they trimmed about an inch off of the top.
Part way into the week I was conflicted yet again and felt that I should maybe head to Canada yet still for the Friday night group that I really wanted to be at, and to see friends and such on top of that. I felt so conflicted and then in praying about it and thinking on it, I decided to go - meaning I would not get to spend time with Dad on this trip. However, the last night before leaving, as mom was making supper, I felt God tugging on my heart to go take some time with Him completely alone - I usually do this with a drive with Him. I said no, as we were about to eat, and I know for myself, and it seemed to be for my mom as well, that we wanted to spend our last meal together. I told God I could do it after supper. But God insisted I do it now. I told God that I didn't want to disappoint mom, as I haven't seen her since before last Christmas and now this is out last meal together for a while - she was really looking forward to this meal together (as was I). So I told God I would wait. Yet God didn't budge. He wanted me to give up what I held dear and what I didn't want to disrupt to follow when He took a step. And He took a step out the door and down the road. So with a heavy heart I followed. It was really hard for my heart to tell mom that I wouldn't be home for supper - and even worse, as I had put off going so long with God, right as I got up to go, mom finished supper and brought over the plate of food. But I followed God, and went for a long drive out in back roads of Texas. He let me stop and examine a cotton field (I don't think I've done that before) to my delight. He brought me to some beautiful sights and let me enjoy some exciting and fun roads. And here and there was bits of conversation between us. In those conversations I felt God remind me what He had told me before I came to Texas: that if I go to Canada, it won't be as easy as I think it will be - it will be a lot harder. He then gave me a choice, and told me that I can stay in Texas for the rest of my travel time, or I can leave for Canada. He left it up to me. Thinking more about that and even getting God's own thoughts on it, I decided to stay in Texas - which, praise God, brought lots of joy. The next day I got to help my mom mattress shop, since her back has been really hurting her, and we spent the day together.
Friday night I got to go to a band thingy Abi had at school. My dad met me there - my mom had gone the prior week - and we watched her play together (we also got to see her boyfriend, Alex, there too as he is one of the conductors). As I walked into the room, a few minutes late, the band instructor was welcoming the audience and telling them about the band routines. I noticed Abi dead centre in the half-circle formation the band was stationed in on the stage. I also noticed the girl standing next to her lean over and tell Abi something and they both seemed to laugh. I didn't think much of it. Afterwards, Abi told me that when I walked in, her friend leaned over to her and asked her who the guy with the ugly man bun was that just walked in. Abi told her that guy was her brother. Her friend told Abi to have me cut it off (or something along those lines). That got me thinking - not that I need to be a people pleaser nor do I need to shape myself by what other people think of me, but that I should take into account respecting others in my actions and fashion. This kind of piled on top of the nearly-convincing Abi and mom had done earlier that week, and when I talked to God about it, He gave me the go-ahead (which made me laugh). I had decided to ride back to my dad's place with him that night and spend the weekend with him. So, on the way home to his place, when he asked if he could pay for a haircut to shave off my man bun, I accepted.
The next day I had Great Clips cut it. And not just cut it off, but shave me pretty much completely. However, they noticed how long it was and decided that it was just long enough to donate (WOW GOD!) - it needs to be at least 12 inches long to donate. So they cut it off and since I was donating it they gave the haircut for free, plus gave us two $2-off coupons to use for later. They gave me my hair and the paperwork and envelope to send it off in. So I mailed it off to Wigs For Kids.
That weekend I had a great time with my dad and got to go to his church, which I've been wanting to do for a while. I also go to meet his pastor (there are like 10 or so people in his church - its a small home church) - which I have really looked forward to - I've met him once before for breakfast/lunch last year. It was really great and encouraging. God used the message to speak into my life where I was at and also used it to line up with some other things He has been showing me.
Then, the next day, I headed home, and had a wonderful drive back with little issues. The break problem on my car started to faintly act back up while in Texas, but wasn't near the problem as it was before.
God is good, and He provided so much for that trip. My expenses for the trip, looking back on it, were covered and exceeded with provisions!!! WOW GOD! Praise His name alone! He is faithful!
Enjoy your posts so much
ReplyDeleteDid your headache go away
Grandma, Thank you very much! I enjoy writing the posts too - it's just time consuming. So far my headache has not gone completely away. After being prayed over this morning for it, it has felt better. Thank you for asking!
ReplyDelete