An Expensive Trip to Rochester

This past weekend we went to Rochester. Here is a blog that I scratched out on scrap paper Sunday night:

“'So let Your name

be lifted higher,

be lifted higher,

be lifted higher.'

At this point I can't remember anymore of the words of this song but it is on my heard right now and going over in over in my mind.

We've had a good weekend. After Glenn's exam we made a quick-ish stop at my grandparents to sign some papers then we headed out to Farmington to see my brother, sister-in-law, and nephew to spend the night. It was fun to visit with them. I don't know how much longer they'll be in NY so I'd like to visit as often as possible. On Saturday we headed to Rochester to pick up something Glenn had found on Craigslist and to go to Imagine RIT (which deserves it's own blog but I will leave it to say it was amazing and well worth the trip!) After we closed up Imagine RIT we stopped at Aldi and picked up food for a picnic and headed to Highland Park to wander around. I love Highland Park. It is so gorgeous! We were excited that even some of the magnolias were still in bloom as well as the cherry trees and tulips and daffodils and, of course, the lilacs. Combine Imagine RIT with a walk through Highland Park to get an almost perfect (though exhausting) day, especially with starting it with breakfast with Russ, Camy and Malachi! We quickly fell asleep at Dave and Hannah's after quick baths.

We finally got to see Dave (Hannah and Hudson were out of town) in the morning when he came in from his 24 hour shift and visited with him some before church. It was great to be back at Northridge Church. We hadn't been to see the new building yet but it was the people that we wanted to see the most. David was giving his last sermon in his destinations series where the theme was: “Your direction, not your intention, determines your destination.” We were challenged to intentionally share life with people who will help and challenge us to grow spiritually, to have mentors to listen to, and to be careful to choose to focus on the right things because where you look is where you'll head. It was really a message that I needed to hear because I need to be purposeful in all of those areas.

After church we got subs from Wegmans and took them to Zach and Maryellen's house for lunch and finally got the meet Matthew who is 5 months now. It was so fun to visit with them for a while. We hurried back to meet Dave's brother Dan and his wife Sarah and their kids who are home on furlough from Paraguay. I'd met them before but Glenn had not and it was neat to talk to them briefly about their ministry training youth leaders in rural communities.

We then went to Vertical Worship and afterwards got to visit with a number of people. I didn't get to catch up with or connect with everyone I would have liked to but we did have the lights turned off on us. (It wasn't the first time that has happened after Vertical Worship.)

After we said our final good byes, filled Naglenes and went potty we started down St Paul and as we were passing RSD we heard something funny “chunk” under our car. There hadn't been anything on the street so we turned back to find out what it was and Glenn found what looked like a big section of spring on the street so we drove back to the church parking lot to see if we could determine if it was from our vehicle or not hoping that someone would still be there that would be able to give us advice. God provided both – Glenn determined that it was from the front right driver's side tire area and the small group leaders training was just getting out and God provided several men to look at it and give us advice. It was determined that we really shouldn't be driving it to Syracuse with how it was broken.

I was amazed at how God worked out the details. Within minutes we had a place to stay and more than enough volunteers to give us rides to get there. On the ride in Mr. G's car to get to Chris and Miranda's house I had a chance to talk to the kids about how important it is to have wise advisors like had been talked about in church this morning. I am so thankful for teachable moments and that God is in control. Though this was a surprise to us it wasn't to Him. I am still learning to depend on Him and trust Him and to allow others to help me. You'd think that I'd learn not to be so fiercely independent after all the times God has tried to teach me but I still haven't learned yet.”

That ends what I wrote. When we got to Chris and Miranda's house my sweet Caleb was crying over how grateful he was at God's graciousness to us. When we got back home to Syracuse we made this list of praises from our experience with a broken strut:

* we didn't get on 104

* we were so close to church when it happened

* the van was drive-able so we didn't have to stay parked on St. Paul in front of RSD and that driving it didn't damage it more

* the tire didn't pop (that was the mechanic's first question)

* small group leader training was that night and it was just getting out so people could help and advise us.

* Mr. G and Chris and Miranda gave us rides and others offered.

* Chris and Miranda's hospitality at the last moment

* Glenn was driving and I wasn't alone with the kids somewhere (with Glenn in school, more often than not I am alone in the car with the kids when )

* Glenn's 4 or 5 lectures that he missed on Monday were videoed so that he can watch them even though he had to miss them.

* We had the funds available in the bank to fix it [I was thinking about it yesterday – everything that we have is God's and we are just entrusted with it for now but it is still His. I guess that He wanted almost $1000 of His money to go to JG Autowerks. I can trust Him that He knows best what to do with His money that sits in a bank account with our names on it.]

* we were in Rochester: many friends to help us out, close to a mechanic that is trusted by many from church

* the kids wanted to add that they were thankful that they got to ride with Mr G and that they got to meet Bella (Chris and Miranda's dog).

God is so good. I am so thankful.