The sermon focused on differences - the different languages at the Tower of Babel and the different languages at Pentecost.

Differences is a reason for this trip, or at least one reason.  If it wasn't for differences, if everything was the same, there wouldn't be much reason to travel.  Everywhere we'd go would be the same.  What a bore!

Of course, not everything is the same.  We know that.  Every tree is different, every road is different, every view is unique, every building built by humans is different.  Well, there are some places that look a lot like the next one especially in the suburbs and the row houses.  Yet, even those vary in color and decor and individual personality created by the residents.

The biggest difference however are the people.  There are big differences, such as color, language, history, cultures; but there are individuals differences within the color, language, history and culture.  Each individual is different.  Whether it's big differences or individual differences, this is what we're out to discover and explore.  The more differences we find, the more options that open up to us, the more interesting life becomes.

Today, four days after Russia attacked Ukraine for no good reason that most of us can understand, the differences we experienced in Ukraine become very personal.  We were there only a week to help build a church and share ideas in classes; there were only eleven of us, yet today 18 years later, those we met there, those whose homes we slept, ate and bathed in, those with whom we shared s'mores on a farm in the hillsides, those who attended the classes we lead, are rising in our hearts and thoughts.  The twelve-year-old children in VBS are now young adults possibly with families and in line to defend their country even to the point of bodily harm or death.

In our nation where ideologies strongly differ, where mountains flow into prairies, and oceans abut skyscrapers, we covet the opportunity to experience and embrace these differences.  If there is a message we could and should carry with us, it's one of embracing our colorful montage of natural and human made points of activity on this finite global on which we are confined.

As God was present when diverse languages expanded the cultures after Babel and when the Holy Spirit allowed foreigners to understand their own languages at Pentecost, may we acknowledge God's presence as we travel as well as when we settle in our homes.  May our travels bring us back home and bring us back home richer with diversity.

Why Are You Taking This Journey

Several have asked, "Why are you taking this trip at this time?"

I just got out of a warm soothing shower.  We will miss that during this trip.  There is a shower in the camper van but it is very small and the water supply is very limited.  We can shower in the homes of family and friends as we visit them as well as in truck stops and some camper sites.  But none will match our self-designed home shower.  Better showering is not a reason for taking this journey.

Daily we are reminded of our morality.  Yesterday we visited a lady who is nearly 101 years old and is probably not going to reach that birthday.  Last evening we received an email with a 1976 picture of four family members; only one is still alive and two died within the past 5 months.  It may sound morbid but visiting friends and family while we still alive sounds like a reasonable reason for this trip.

Visiting family and friends isn't limited to our morality; some we've never met, some we haven't seen for decades and some we've never visited in their own surroundings.

While we acknowledge that we are citizens of the world, we are also citizens of the United States and there are many places of interest that we have never seen, visited or explored  in the U.S..  In '81 we took our children on a nationwide drive to explore the country with an underlining policy that we would focus on visiting unique sites rather than repeating similar sites, such as not visiting Disney World after visiting Disneyland.  We will continue that idea as we crisscross from west to east, south to north.  The exception, of course, is with regard to family and friends; we will visit everyone we can regardless of when we saw them last.

We enjoy creating tangible memories of our travels so we will be videotaping, photographing, and journaling as we travel.  Some of it might be real time like on this blog and some will be editing and finalized on our return to home base.  This journey is a luxury that not all can do so we hope we can engage you through this blog.

Meanwhile, and until then, we will enjoy the luxury of a warm shower at home.

Preparing for the Journey

 Let your imagination take you back to the late 1800's, a time when many of our ancestors immigrated to America mostly from Scotland and Germany to the United States and Canada alike.  Probably mostly by word of mouth potential travelers learned the details of the journey, what was the cost, how much luggage could they carry, when did the ships sail and from where.  Details about the end of the journey weren't necessary, whatever they were they were better than where they now lived.

With timelines and guidelines in mind, the preparations started.  Father secured the arrangements, Mother sorted our the clothing and food.  Children helped or were oblivious to the happenings if they were too young.  Mental lists formed, clothing, just enough for the trip, coats and warm wraps, blankets, hygiene supplies, which probably were minimal, and basic tools.  It would be months before they could call the final stop home, meanwhile everything had to be packed and carried along.  Every possibility had to be considered.

The months, weeks and days before departure were full of gathering, decision making, and disposing of items not taken along.  Trading accessories for necessities was key to preparation.  Saying good-bye probably for a final time in this lifetime was squeezed into the time of preparation.  Discussions about the unknown future abounded among family and friends, and fellow travelers.

It's just five weeks until our own anticipated departure for our road trip.  Each time we drive our road ship we learn something we didn't know and there's so much more to learn.  Even the simplest of tasks, turning on the headlights and finding the control to dim them at an oncoming car can be an adventure, a lesson within a lesson.

Unlike the international immigration of our ancestors, we will have resources available to us wherever we go.  However, we like feeling independent and comfortable so I will select and gather tools that
could benefit our journey.  Supplies to support Charlie, our dog, are important; like his food and dish, water, his sleeping pad, medication, treats, leash and collar and the list goes on.  And where to stow this in our road ship.  Maps and journals, mostly on computers and cell phones will comfort us as we seek routes and destinations.  Lists of people we will visit and their contact information, as well as notifying them that we are en route.  And unlike the immigrants who had poor food after their personal supply of hard bread, hard cheese and dried meat we had a refrigerator, a cooking top and adequate storage.  Yet we too will have to consider and reconsider our menu and our supplies.

So the next five weeks will pass, very differently then the preparation time of our immigrating ancestors but in so many ways the same.  Are you ready to take the journey to a new life?