Another Road Trip Playlist, Day 4

From Oregon back to Washington today as we head north one more time to meet with Outreach Pastor Elmer of the Centralia Community ChoG.  We are blessed by Centralia's partnership and sincere support of our family, and wish we could have spent more time with them.  In scheduling our time out west, we tried to give Sunday morning priorities to the congregations who did not have us on a Sunday morning before, or whom we had never met.  That wasn't always possible, and so we have also been scheduling Sunday and Wednesday evenings--but there are not enough of those prime days in the summer for everyone out in the northwest, and so we have had to do several of these weekday meetings, too.

We're trying to see everyone we can--time is running short, for sure, as we're just days from leaving the USA.  In less than a week, our kids will be sitting in a classroom and I'll be in Lebanon at the Ana Terzo camp.  That' really amazing and overwhelming to think about all at the same time.

So on the road lately, I've been remembering all the places and people we have been blessed to meet and share with during this trip.  It's been an amazing summer among amazing people--and to make road trips in this part of the country this summer has been amazing, filled with beauty and moments of sincere wonder at the creative work of God.

We're not done yet, but almost.

So today's song goes back in the vault to a truly classic song, "What a Wonderful World," by Louis Armstrong himself...


Thank you.

Thank you Lord for the blessing of safety and your beauty along every stretch of road.

Thank you Lord for your wonderful people who have greeted us, fed us, served us, encouraged us, prayed for us, sheltered us, blessed us, and loved us.  You know each of their names and where they are; bless them as they have blessed us that they may continue to be a source of blessing to others.

Thank you Lord for our family with whom we have been able to laugh and share time together again. Thank you for their understanding and support of your calling on our lives--and the support they also give us.  Thank you for the opportunity to see our newest family members, too.

Thank you for the home you've made for us in Cairo--for the people of the Church throughout Europe and Middle East to whom we have been sent to learn from, love, and encourage their own journeys and ministries, too.  Our hearts and minds comprehend you, your love and your purpose better for being there--we are better for being there and for knowing each of them.  Enable us with your strength and love and grace and wisdom to serve them as you would desire.

It's been an amazing summer--and as we look back with joy, we look forward with great anticipation of all the Lord has in store for us individually and together...